Ingrida

Lithuanian, Slovak, Norse, "Ing is beautiful"

Ever since I first heard it on the children’s TV show, Young Dracula, I’ve appreciated the distinctive sounds of Ingrid and thanks to this association, it's always given me a slightly gothic vibe: shades of dark purple, night skies, and vampires. More recently though, I’ve come to see it as a more versatile choice: sophisticated, wintery and stylish — plus the potential of nickname Indie!

As someone who loves a less familiar variant though, I was delighted when I encountered an Ingrida: the Slovak, Lithuanian, and Latvian form of the name. Just as distinctive as Ingrid, it has that clunky elegance of Dorothea and Gwendolen. Pronounced as EENG-gree-da or ing-grih-DUH depending on language and location, it has been notably borne by former prime minister of Lithuania, Ingrida Šimonytė.

With playful nicknames Ida, Iggy, Indy, Idgie, and Gigi, this international form of the Old Norse may could appeal to those who like succinct sounding choices like Ingrid, Astrid, and Anouk but also like the flow of Cressida, Magdalena and Idalia.