FREDA BROWN

Originally a short form of various names such as Elfreda and Winifred, also occasionally of Frederica, but now used mainly (though infrequently) as an independent name. In some cases it may have been adopted as an English equivalent of the German name Frieda, a short form of such compound names as Friedegund and Friedelind, of which the common element is Germanic frid- ‘peace’.

English, Scottish, and Irish: generally a nickname referring to the color of the hair or complexion, Middle English br(o)un, from Old English brūn or Old French brun. This word is occasionally found in Old English and Old Norse as a personal name or byname. Brun- was also a Germanic name-forming element. Some instances of Old English Brūn as a personal name may therefore be short forms of compound names such as Brūngar, Brūnwine, etc. As a Scottish and Irish name, it sometimes represents a translation of Gaelic Donn. As an American family name, it has absorbed numerous surnames from other languages with the same meaning.