Embla

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  • Origin: Old Norse
  • Meaning: unknown
  • Gender: feminine
  • EM-blah

The name appears in Norse Mythology as the name of the first woman, who has a husband named Ask. They are attested to in the Poetic Edda and the Prose Edda.

The name Embla itself may derive from the Proto-Norse *elm-la (elm tree), the Proto-Norse *Ambilō (vine) or the Proto-Norse eim + la (firemaker) and it has even been connected with the Germanic root word, amal (work).

It is first attested to in Sweden in 1882, in Norway in 1900, and in Iceland after 1950, however, it may have been in use in Medieval times as well.

Between 2010 and 2016, this was among the most popular female names in Iceland. In Iceland, it peaked at #8 in 2016 . It is currently the 96th Most Popular Female Name in Norway (2023).

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