Birgit, of Germanic origin, is a female given name that means ' Bright' or 'Shining'. It is derived from the Old Norse name Biorgithis, which consists of two elements: 'björn' meaning bear and 'gift' meaning gift. The name was popularized in Scandinavia during the Middle Ages but has since spread to other parts of Europe. It is often associated with notable individuals such as German painter Birgit Schmidt and Swedish actress Birgitta Johansson.
The name Birgit experienced its peak popularity in the years around 1960 with a high of 25 births that year. This number decreased steadily afterwards, reaching single digits by the late 1970s and remaining there until the most recent data point in 1992.