Elfrieda

Elfrieda is an English given name derived from the Old English elements ælf, meaning elf, and ræd, meaning counsel, making it a variant of the older form Ælfthryth or, more directly, a Germanicized rendering of Elfreda. The elves of Germanic tradition were regarded as supernatural beings of great wisdom, so names containing ælf carried connotations of otherworldly power and insight. The name was borne by several Anglo-Saxon noblewomen and enjoyed a modest revival during the nineteenth-century fashion for medieval English names. Closely related forms include Elfreda, Alfreda, and the Old High German cognate Elfriede.