Old German and Norse name meaning 'strong' or 'brave'; also an Old English saint's name.
Ebba is a name of ancient Germanic and Old Norse lineage, most commonly traced to the Old English Aebbe or the Germanic element *ebur*, meaning 'boar' — a creature associated with fierce strength and warrior courage in early medieval culture. In its Norse form it served as both a given name and a byname, carried by women of standing across Scandinavia and the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms. The name's most celebrated early bearer is Saint Ebba of Coldingham, a seventh-century Northumbrian princess who became abbess of a double monastery on the Scottish coast.
Her story, blending royal blood with monastic devotion, kept the name alive through the medieval church calendar. A second Saint Ebba — also connected to Coldingham — became the subject of a dramatic medieval legend involving self-mutilation to repel Viking raiders, cementing the name's association with defiant, almost mythic feminine courage. Ebba faded in the English-speaking world after the Norman Conquest but persisted robustly in Scandinavia, where it remained a steady, beloved choice through the nineteenth century and beyond.
Today it enjoys a striking renaissance in Sweden, Denmark, and Norway, consistently appearing in top-twenty lists, prized for its crisp, two-syllable simplicity and its deep roots. In the English-speaking world it has gained quiet traction among parents drawn to vintage Nordic names — short, strong, and unhurried.
As an Amazon Associate, NameMatch earns from qualifying purchases.