Brenda is a feminine given name in the English language. == Origin == The overall accepted origin for the female name Brenda is the Old Nordic male name Brandr meaning both torch and sword: evidently the male name Brandr took root in areas of the British Isles under Nordic dominance and through being heard as "Brenda" was eventually adopted as a female name. The name Brenda was probably influenced by Gaelic male name Brendan: although linguistically it is unlikely that the name Brendan would y…