Bridget is the English form of the Irish Brighid, which means "exalted one" or "strength", from the Celtic brig, high. Saint Brigid of Kildare is one of Ireland's patron saints, and the name was a staple of Irish American families for generations; Bridget Jones's Diary gave it a comic turn in the 1990s. Bridget ranked number 274 in the United States in 2000, its best year in this century, and has slipped to number 724 in 2025.