600+ Norwegian Names (With Vikings & Mythical Figures)

Overview

Choices for Norwegian names include lots of:

Vikings
Warriors
Mythical figures such as gods and goddesses
Other fantasy characters from Norse and Scandinavian mythology or movies

Many of us are familiar with Norse god names like “Thor,” “Odin,” and “Loki” from the Marvel films, or the Old Scandinavian Viking girl name “Astrid” from the animated film series “How to Train Your Dragon.”

However, there are hundreds of other cool Norwegian and Old Norse names you can choose as unique names for your little one – and we’ve listed 600+ below.

What’s The Difference Between Norse & Norwegian Names?

Many of the baby names we’ve listed in previous articles have Norse and Nordic origins. You might be curious how they differ from Norwegian names.

They’re actually interrelated but can also be different: (1)

“Nordic” refers to anything in Northern Europe’s Nordic or Scandinavian region (Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Åland*, Greenland, and the Faroe Islands) – *Åland is an autonomous region of Finland
“Norse” refers to anything relating to the Nordic region from the Early Middle Age (476-1000 AD) and Viking Age (793-1066 AD)
“Norwegian” refers to anything relating to the country Norway

“Scandinavian” refers specifically to the region that includes Norway, Denmark, Sweden, and the Faroe Islands. (1)

“Nordic” means the Scandinavian region plus Finland and Iceland. (1)

The terms are often used interchangeably, mostly due to their many shared cultural, historical, and language aspects. (1)

Viking Names

Also called “Norsemen,” the Vikings were seafaring warriors who raided and colonized many European areas. The name comes from “víkingr,” which means “pirate” in early Scandinavian languages. (2)

Common terms (also used as modern-day first names) in Viking society and Medieval Scandinavia include “Karl” (freeman) or “Jarl” (wealthy nobles). (2)

Although they were conquerors and destroyers in these ancient raids, Viking names have become a cool choice for warrior and badass names.

Mythological Names

Many of the characters in Norse mythology can be powerful names for your baby, just like Roman or Greek gods and goddesses.

You might notice that several Norwegian names are derived from Norse god and goddess names. For example, “Thorsten” (Thor’s stone) and “Thorsen” (Thor’s son).

Many names also relate to the fertility god Ing, such as “Ingrid,” “Ingolf,” “Ingvar,” and “Ingeborg.”

Curious about what these names mean? We’ve defined all of them below.

The Most Popular Names For Boys & Girls In Norway

What Are Typical & Common Norwegian Names (Based On Statistics)?

Surprisingly, several of Norway’s most common names can also be found in the most popular names in the US, based on 2021 statistics. Also, several aren’t Norwegian names but names from other languages. (3)(4)

Trending Girl Names

Norway’s statistics bureau, SSB (Statistisk Sentralbyrå), lists the following as the top 10 baby girl names in 2021: (4)

Nora (Latin and Irish girl name) – Means “honor” and can also be spelled as “Norah” or “Honora”; also an Arabic name that means “light”
Emma (German girl name) – “Universal” or “whole”
Sofie (Greek and French girl name) – “Wisdom”; can also be spelled as “Sophie”
Olivia (English and Latin) – Nature name meaning “olive” or “olive tree”
Ella (German and Spanish girl name) – “Beautiful,” “maiden,” “her,” or “girl”
Sofia (Greek and Italian girl name) – “Wisdom”; can also be spelled as “Sophia” and is often considered in the US as a variant of “Sofie” or “Sophie” (but listed by the SSB as a separate name)
Maja (Scandinavian, Slavic, and Greek girl name) – Means “good mother”; and also spelled as “Maia” or “Maya”; can also mean “splendid” as an Arabic girl name
Leah (Hebrew) – Biblical girl name meaning “weary” after the first (but unloved) wife of Israel’s patriarch, Jacob; also spelled as “Lea”
Frida (Scandinavian, Old Norse, and German name) – “Peace”; also a unique pet name for girls meaning “peaceful”
Ingrid (Scandinavian, Old Norse, and German) – “Ing is beautiful”

Meanwhile, in the list released by the SSA (Social Security Administration) in the US, “Olivia” ranks first, “Emma” also ranks second, and “Sophia” ranks sixth in the same year (2021). (3)

Trending Boy Names

The SSB lists the following as Norway’s top 10 baby boy names in 2021: (4)

Noah (Hebrew) – Biblical boy name meaning “rest”; also spelled as “Noa”
Oskar (Norwegian, Scandinavian, German, Slovene, and Polish name) – Variant of “Oscar,” and means “spear of God”; can also mean “deer friend” or “deer lover” as an Irish boy name
Oliver (Old Norse) – “Ancestral descendants” or “ancestor’s descendants”; can also mean “olive tree” as a Latin and French boy name
Lucas (Latin and Greek name) – “Bringer of light” or “man from Lucania (historic Italian region)”; also spelled as “Lukas”
Isak (Norwegian, Swedish, and Nordic name) – “Laughs”; variant of the Hebrew biblical name “Isaac”; also spelled as “Isac”
Aksel (Norwegian and Scandinavian) – “Father of peace” or “peace of the Lord”; variant of the Hebrew name “Axel”
Emil (Latin) – Short boy name meaning “trying to excel” or “rival”
Filip (Norwegian, Slavic, and Scandinavian) – “Friend of horses”; variant of the Greek boy name “Philip” and also spelled as “Fillip” or “Phillip”
Jakob (Norwegian, Norse, and Scandinavian) – “Supplanter”; variant of the Hebrew name “Jacob” and “James”
William (English and German boy name) – “Strong-willed warrior”; can also be shortened to “Will” or “Liam” (the number 1 boy name in the US in 2021) (3)

In the US 2021 statistics, “Noah” ranks second, “Oliver” also ranks third, “Lucas” ranks eighth, and “William” ranks sixth. (3)

What Are Cool & Popular Norwegian Male Names?

While most of the trending names in Norway aren’t 100% Norwegian names, here are some traditional Nordic or Scandinavian choices that you can also use:

Asger (Old Norse, Nordic, and Danish) – “Spear of God”
Einar (Norwegian, Icelandic, Danish, Estonian, and Swedish) – “One who fights alone”; also spelled as “Einarr”
Eirik (Old Norse and Scandinavian) – “Strong ruler”
Eriksen (Norwegian, Old Norse, Danish, and Scandinavian) – “Son of Erik” or “son of a ruler”
Gudbrand (Norwegian and Old Norse) – “Sword of God” or “weapon of the gods”
Havardr (Old Norse) – “The highest guardian”
Herleif (Old Norse) – “Descended from warriors”
Nils (Norwegian) – “People of victory”; variant of the Greek name “Nick,” derived from the “Nike” (goddess of victory in Greek mythology)
Ødger (Old Danish and Old Norse; pronounced as “ed-ger”) – “Wealth” and “spear”
Olav (Old Norse) – “Ancestral heritage” or “relic”
Ragnar (Germanic, Danish, and Old Norse) – “Army counsel”
Roald (Norwegian) – “Famous ruler”; modern form of the Old Norse names “Hróðvaldr” and “Hróaldr”
Sebastien (Scandinavian and French name) – “Revered” or “venerable”

Other Popular & Adorable Norwegian Girl Names

Anja (Scandinavian, German, and Russian girl name) – Name that means “gracious” or “merciful”; variant of the Latin, Greek, and Hebrew name “Anna”
Carina (Scandinavian, English, and Italian name) – Name that means “love” (beloved); also a form of “Cara”
Dorothea (Scandinavian and Greek) – “Gift of God”
Ellinore (Scandinavian, Greek, and French) – Name that means “sun” (sun rays)
Freydis (Old Norse) – “Noblewoman” or “lady”
Hanne (Nordic) – “Favored by God”; variant of the Hebrew name “Hannah”
Heidi (Germanic and Old Norse) – “Graceful” and “noble”
Helga (Scandinavian and German) – “Revered woman,” “blessed,” or “holy”
Katja (Nordic and Russian name) – “Pure”; variant of the Greek and English name “Kate”
Kirsten (Scandinavian) – “Walks with God” as a variant of the Latin name “Christine”; also spelled as “Kjersti,” “Kristine,” or “Kristin”
Nína (Icelandic, Scandinavian, and Slavic name) – “Grace” or “mercy” as a variant of “Anna”; also means “little girl” as a Hispanic name

Nordic, Scandinavian, Norse, & Norwegian Names By Category

Norse & Norwegian Names In Movies & Popular Culture

Astrid (Old Scandinavian and Old Norse girl name) – Means “divinely beautiful” and can also be spelled as “Astride” or “Astrilde”; one of the protagonists in the animated Viking-based movie “How to Train Your Dragon”
Dustin (Old Norse and Scandinavian gender-neutral name) – “Stone of Thor”; a main character in Netflix’s “Stranger Things” franchise
Heimdall (Old Norse and Scandinavian boy name) – “White god” and “guardian of the Norse gods”; depicted as a black guy in the Marvel movies, but he’s known as the shining god with the whitest skin in Norse mythology
Hela (Old Norse girl name) – “Norse queen of death and the underworld” whose name is also spelled as “Hella” or “Hel”
Kristoff (Norwegian, Swedish, Danish, and Scandinavian boy name) – Means “bearing Christ” and is a variation of the Greek name “Christoffer”; he’s the ice harvester and Princess Anna’s love interest in the Disney movie “Frozen”
Loki (Old Norse and Scandinavian boy name) – “Airy”; Norse god of chaos and mischief depicted in the Marvel movies as Thor’s adoptive brother but actually just considered as friend and companion to Odin and Thor in Norse mythology
Mjolnir (Old Norse boy name) – “Thor’s hammer”; pronounced as “mule-near”
Odin (Old Norse and Scandinavian boy name) – “Raging” or “frenzied”; main Norse god who’s also the god of knowledge, war, death, art, magic, and wisdom
Olaf (Old Norse, Swedish, and Scandinavian boy name) – “Ancestral heritage”; powerful name of at least five kings in Norwegian history, but best known outside the Nordic kingdom as the talking snowman in Disney’s “Frozen”
Ragnarok (Old Norse and Scandinavian boy name) – Strong boy name meaning “final battle of the gods” or “end of days”
Sven (Norwegian, Danish, and Scandinavian boy name) – “Boy”; Kristoff’s reindeer in “Frozen” and can also be spelled as “Sveinn”
Thor (Scandinavian and Norse boy name) – “Thunder”; Old Norse god of thunder, storms, war, and strength
Vigdis (Norwegian girl name) – “War goddess”; also spelled as “Vigdess”

Old Norse & Norwegian Names With Beautiful Meanings

Asta (Danish, Old Norse, and Greek girl name) – “Love,” “star-like,” or “divine strength”
Asvoria (Old Norse and Teutonic, a Germanic language) – “Divine wisdom”
Beorhtel (Norwegian and Danish boy name) – “Shines with bright light”
Beret (Scandinavian, Dutch, and Gaelic girl name) – “Bright” or “glorious”
Bertine (Swedish, Teutonic, and German girl name) – “Bright and shining” or “intelligent maiden”
Birgir (Old Norse boy name) – “One that helps”
Brita (Swedish and Scandinavian girl name) – “Noble”
Dordi (Old Norse and Norwegian girl name) – “Gift from God”
Estrith (Norwegian girl name) – “Beautiful goddess,” “royal person,” “loved by the gods, ” or “full of love”; also spelled as “Estrid”
Frode (Norwegian, Danish, and Swedish boy name) – “Wise” or “enlightened”; pronounced as “fruw-dah”
Heidrun (Old Norse and Scandinavian girl name) – “Bright,” “rune (small stones with magical symbols),” or “secret lore”
Ingunn (Old Norse girl name) – “Love”
Lilli (Scandinavian and German girl name) – Flower name meaning “lily”; can also mean “abundance”
Majbritt (Scandinavian girl name) – “Loved one” or “star of the sea”
Moja (Norwegian girl name) – “Great mother
Synnøve (Scandinavian girl name) – “Gift of the sun”; pronounced as “sun-nee-vuh”
Trygve (Old Norse boy name) – “Trustworthy”; pronounced as “trig-vuh”
Unnr (Old Norse girl name, pronounced as “uhn-near”) – “To wave” or “to love”; also spelled as “Unni”

Short Nordic & Scandinavian Names

Ada (Swedish, Icelandic, and Germanic girl name) – “Graceful and noble”
Agda (Scandinavian and Swedish girl name) – “Good” and “honorable”; variant of the Greek name “Agatha”
Agot (Norwegian and Scandinavian girl name) – “Good-hearted”
Aina (Scandinavian girl name) – “Eternal”; also means “love and affection” as a Japanese girl name
Ake (Old Norse and Swedish boy name) – “Ancestor” or “forebearer”; also an African boy name meaning “sword”
Alf (Old Norse and Old English boy name) – Elf boy name meaning “elf,” “friend of the elves,” “magical counsel,” or “noble friend”
Ase (Scandinavian and Hebrew nonbinary name) – “Healer”
Atla (Norse and Swedish girl name) – Norse goddess of the water whose name means “little mother” or “water goddess”; also means “appreciate” as a black girl name
Eira (Welsh and Scandinavian girl name) – “Snow”; the name can also mean “merciful” as a variant of “Eir” (Norse goddess of healing and medicine)
Eisa (Old Norse girl name) – Name that means “fire” (glowing embers)
Elin (Medieval Scandinavian girl name) – “Light,” “beautiful,” or “torch of light”
Gry (Norwegian, Danish, and Swedish unisex name) – “Dawn”
Hans (Scandinavian, German, and Dutch boy name) – “God is gracious”; variant of the Latin name “John” and can also be spelled as “Jan”
Ida (Old Norse and Scandinavian girl name) – “Action” or “deed”; also an ancient Germanic name meaning “prosperous” or “industrious”
Kaia (Latin and Scandinavian girl name) – “Life” or “pure”; also a Hawaiian girl name meaning “the sea”
Kari (Norwegian girl name) – “Pure”; variant of the Greek name “Katherine”
Lars (Norwegian, Swedish, Danish, and Scandinavian boy name) – “Crowned with laurel”
Lis (Scandinavian girl name) – “Promise of God”; also spelled as “Lise” or “Liss”
Liv (Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, and Old Norse girl name) – “Protection” or “life”
Mona (Norwegian, Swedish, Danish, and Irish girl name) – “Noble” or “dreams” as a variant of the Arabic girl name “Muna”
Per (Scandinavian boy name) – “Rock”
Runa (Old Norse and Scandinavian girl name) – “Secret tradition” or “mighty strength”; also a Japanese name that means “moon”
Vé (Old Norse boy name) – One of the three Norse gods of creation
Vor (Old Norse) – “Cautious one” or “omniscient goddess”; also a witchy name after the seeress (foretells the future or performs sorcery) in the Asgard queen’s court

Two-Syllable Nordic & Scandinavian Names

Ansgar (Old Norse boy name) – “Spear of God”; variant of the Scandinavian and Irish name “Oscar”
Aric (Norse) – “Eternal ruler” or “noble leader”; variants include “Eric”
Randolph (Old Norse and German boy name) – “Wolf shield”
Ronald (Scandinavian and Old Norse boy name) – “Counsel rule”
Roscoe (Old Norse and Cornish boy name) – “Near a forest” or “doe wood”
Stormr (Norwegian, Dutch, Danish, and Old Norse gender-neutral name) – “Storm” or “tempest”; pronounced as “storm-mir” or “storm-rah”

International & Exotic Names Popular In Norway

Many international names are popularly used in Norway in their original form. However, many also have Nordic or Scandinavian versions (listed in the next section).

Alfred (Old English and Anglo-Saxon boy name) – Classic boy name meaning “elf counsel” or “wise counselor”
Astra (Greek and Latin girl name) – “Star”
Josefine (Hebrew and French girl name) – “God will add”
Kasper (Persian and Polish name for boys) – “Treasurer” or “bringer of treasure”; also spelled as “Casper”
Katarina (Greek girl name) – “Pure”
Laila (Hebrew and Arabic girl name) – “Holy”
Linda (Spanish girl name) – “Beautiful”
Mohammad (Arabic boy name) – “Praised”
Ralph (English, Scottish, and Irish boy name) – “Wolf counsel” or “wise as a wolf”; also spelled as “Ralf”
Renate (Latin and German girl name) – “Reborn”
Sara (Hebrew girl name) – “Princess”; variants include “Sarah”
Selma (Norwegian, Swedish, Danish, Celtic, Icelandic, Dutch, Arabic, and German name for girls) – “Beautiful view” or “God’s helmet”; fantasy name for the sea serpent living in Lake Seljord, according to Norwegian folklore
Sylvie (Latin girl name) – “Wood spirit”
Vera (Latin and Slavic girl name) – “Faith”
Vivian (Latin girl name) – “Alive” or “lively”

Nordic & Norwegian Versions Of Names From Around The World

Agnetha (Swedish girl name) – “Holy” or “pure”; variant of the Greek name “Agnes”
Aleksander (Norwegian, Danish, Polish, and Greek boy name) – “Defender of man”; variant of the Greek warrior name “Alexander”
Amalie (Norwegian, Scots-Gaelic, Danish, and German girl name) – “Work” or “hard-working”; variant of the Latin name “Amelia”
Andrine (Norwegian, Finnish, Danish, Swedish, and Scandinavian girl name) – “Brave,” “strong,” or “manly”; feminine form of the Greek name Andreas or the English name “Andrew”
Anton (Norwegian, Scandinavian, German, Dutch, Danish, Swedish, and Russian boy name) – “Priceless” or “worthy of praise”; variant of the Latin and Roman name “Anthony” and can also be spelled as “Andon” or “Antun”
Bendik (Norwegian and Norse boy name) – “Blessed” as a variant of the Latin name “Benedict”; can also be spelled as “Bent” or “Bengt”
Bente (Norwegian, Danish, and Dutch girl name) – “Blessed”; feminine form of “Benedict”
Birgit (Norwegian, Scandinavian, and Celtic girl name) – “Powerful” and “strong”; a variant of Gaelic and Irish name “Bridget” (also an anime girl name) and is also spelled as “Birgitte”
Brynhildr (Norse girl name; pronounced as “brin-hil-dur”) – “Shield battle,” “ready for battle,” or “armored fighting woman”; variant of the Old German name “Brunhilda” and can also be spelled as “Brünnhilde,” “Brynhild,” or “Brunhild”
Christen (Danish and Norwegian unisex name) – “Follower of Christ”; variant of the Latin name “Christian”
Didrik (Norwegian and Swedish boy name) – “Ruler of the people”; variant of the Germanic name “Theodoric”
Dyre (Norwegian, Old Norse, Dutch, Swedish, and Danish boy name) – “Precious” or “expensive”; variant of the endearment or pet name “Dear”
Edvard (Scandinavian and Swedish boy name) – “Wealthy guard”; variant of the Old English boy name “Edward”
Edvin (Scandinavian boy name) – “Rich or wealthy friend”; variant of the English name “Edwin”
Eline (Scandinavian girl name) – “Noble kind” or “my God has answered”; variant of the Hebrew name “Eliana” and can also be spelled as “Elin”
Elyna (Norwegian, Danish, and Dutch girl name) – Name that means “light” or “torch” as the variant of the Greek name “Helen,” known as the most beautiful woman in Greek mythology; also spelled as “Helene”
Endre (Old Norse, Norwegian, and Hungarian boy name) – “Manly”; variation of “Andrew”
Enok (Scandinavian and Norwegian boy name) – “Faithful” or “dedicated”; variant of the Hebrew biblical boy name “Enoch” (Noah’s great-grandfather)
Ester (Scandinavian, Swedish, Old Norse, Slavic, and Portuguese girl name) – “Star”; variant of the Hebrew biblical girl name “Esther”
Erle (Old Norse, Celtic, and Old English girl name) – “Nobleman”; feminine form of “Jarl” (the highest rank for noblemen in Viking times) or the English name “Earl”
Finnbjorn (Old Norse and Proto-Germanic boy name; pronounced as “fin-byorn”) – “Fair,” “white,” or “light”; variant of the Irish name “Finn”
Fredrik (Scandinavian and Swedish boy name) – “Peace and power” or “calm monarch”; variant of the German name “Friedrich” or the English name “Frederick”
Geir (Old Norse, Norwegian, and Icelandic boy name) – “Man with a spear”; variant of the German name “Gerald”
Godtfred (Norwegian and Danish boy name) – “Peace of God”; variant of the English name “Godfrey”
Gregers (Scandinavian boy name) – “Watchful” and “vigilant”; variant of Latin and Greek name “Gregory”
Harald (Norwegian, German, Scandinavian, Danish, Swedish) – “Powerful man in army,” “war chief,” or “army ruler”; variant of the English name “Harold”
Iben (Scandinavian and Norwegian nonbinary name) – “Deep black wood”; variant of the Greek, Latin, and Egyptian name “Ebony”
Iselin (Norwegian girl name) – “Dream” or “vision”; variant of the German and Irish girl name “Aisling”
Janne (Scandinavian, Finnish, and Norse gender-neutral name; pronounced as “yan”) – “God is gracious”; unisex variant of the Hebrew and English name “John”
Jens (Norwegian, Danish, German, Faroese, Swedish, Icelandic, and Frisian boy name): “God is gracious”; variant of “John,” but primarily used as a boy name (unlike “Janne”)
Joakim (Norwegian, Scandinavian, Swedish, Danish, Serbian, Macedonian, Hebrew, and Finnish boy name) – “Established by God”; variant of the Hebrew biblical name “Joachim”
Johan (Scandinavian boy name) – “Yahweh is gracious”; variant of Medieval Latin and Hebrew name “Johannes”
Josef (Norwegian, Swedish, Scandinavian, German, Danish, and Czech) – “God will give”; variation of the Hebrew name “Joseph”
Karoline (Scandinavian and German girl name) – “Free woman”; variant of the French name “Caroline”
Katrine (Norwegian, Danish, and Scandinavian girl name) – “Pure”; variant of the English and French name “Catherine”
Kennett (Scandinavian boy name) – “Handsome one”; variant of the Scots-Gaelic, Scottish, and Irish name “Kenneth”
Kine (Scandinavian and Nordic boy name) – “Follower of Christ” as a variant of the Latin name “Christian” or “one who laughs” as a short form of the Nordic name “Isakine” (derived from the Hebrew name “Isaac”)
Kjerstin (Scandinavian girl name) – “Christian woman”; variant of the Latin name “Christine”
Lovise (Norwegian, Danish, and Nordic girl name) – “Well-known fighter” or “famous battle”; feminine variant of the French boy name “Louis”
Malene (Norwegian and Danish girl name) – “Woman from Magdala”; modernized form of the Hebrew name “Magdalene” and can also be spelled as “Malena”
Margit (German, Scandinavian, and Hungarian girl name) – “Pearl” as a variant of the Greek name “Margaret”; also spelled as “Marit”
Mathias (Scandinavian boy name) – “Gift from God” as a variant of the Hebrew name “Matthew”
Mikjel (Norse and Scandinavian boy name) – “He who resembles God” or “who is like God?”; variant of the angel name “Michael”
Osvald (Old Norse, Norwegian, Swedish, and Danish boy name) – “Divine ruler” as a variation of the Old English classic boy name “Oswald”; can also be spelled as “Ásvaldr” or “Osvaldr”
Pål (Nordic and Old Norse boy name; pronounced as “pol”) – “Humble” or “small”; variant of the Hebrew name “Paul”
Pedar (Norwegian, Swedish, Danish, and Finnish boy name) – “Rock”; variation of the Hebrew and Greek name “Peter” and can also be spelled as “Petter” and “Peder”
Rakel (Swedish and Nordic girl name) – Nature name meaning “ewe (female sheep),” “innocent lamb,” and “sheeps’ friend”; variant of the Hebrew name “Rachel”
Rikard (Norwegian, Swedish, and Scandinavian boy name) – “Brave ruler”; version of the Old French and German name “Richard”
Salomon (Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, and French boy name) – “Peace”; variant of the Hebrew name “Solomon”
Silje (Norwegian and Danish girl name; pronounced as “sil-yah”) – “Blind”; variant of the Latin name “Cecilia”
Terese (Norwegian, Swedish, Danish, Basque, and Scandinavian girl name) – “Harvest” or “late summer”; variant of the French girl name “Therese”
Ulrik (Norwegian, Scandinavian, Swedish, and Danish boy name” – “Noble ruler”; variant of the German name “Ulrich”
Yrsa (Scandinavian and Ancient Norse girl name; pronounced as “err-sa”) – “Wild” or “little she-bear” as a variant of the Latin name “Ursula” (also a witchy name after the sea witch in the Disney princess movie “The Little Mermaid”

English-Like Nordic & Norwegian Names With Different Meanings

You can find several English-like Nordic and Norwegian names, but they actually have different meanings in the language. Some examples are:

Age (Norwegian, Danish, and Nordic boy name; pronounced as “ah-guh”) – “Wisdom” or “ancestors”
Ask (Old Norse and Scandinavian boy name) – “Ash tree”; the first man in Norse mythology (Adam’s equivalent) created by the gods out of the tree
Bard (Old Norse boy name) – “Battle against peace”; in archaic English and Celtic, a bard is known as a poet
Brand (Nordic boy name) – “Sword”; also spelled as “Brandt”
Else (Norwegian, Danish, and Dutch girl name) – “Promise of God” or “rebellious”; can be a variant of the German name “Elsa” or a short form of the Hebrew name “Elizabeth”
Even (Norwegian baby boy name) – “Fortune winner”; variant of other Norwegian names “Øyvind” and “Eivind”
Grid (Scandinavian and Old Norse girl name) – “Peace” and “harmony”
Gull (Old Norse girl name) – “Gold” and “goddess”
Manning (Old Norse boy name) – “Honest man” or “powerful man”
Odd (Norwegian or Old Norse boy name; pronounced as “owd”) – “Point of a sword”
Rake (Swedish and Nordic girl name) – “Sheep’s friend”
Roar (Old Norse and Norwegian boy name; pronounced as “roo-aar”) – “Famous spear” and “fighter of praise”
Tone (Old Norse and Norwegian boy name) – “New Thor”
Tore (Scandinavian and Old Norse boy name) – “Thunder warrior” or “Thor’s warrior”

Norse Gods & Goddesses

Abellona – Norse goddess of the sun
Aegir – Norse god of the ocean, storms, and banquets
Baldr – Norse god of light and purity; he’s Odin’s son and is also called “Balder” or “Baldur”
Bestla – Mother of the most powerful gods in Norse mythology: Odin, Vili, and Ve
Dagr – Norse god and personification of the day
Dellingr – Norse god of the dawn; also called “Dellinder”
Eydis – Norse “Goddess of luck”; also called “Oydis”
Freja – Norse goddess of love, beauty, fertility, gold, and battle; also known as “Freija,” “Frejia,” “Freyia,” “Freia,” or “Freya”
Freyr – Norse god of the rain, harvest, and fertility; also a twin boy name alongside his sister “Freja” (twin girl name)
Frigg – Norse goddess of the Earth and the queen of Asgard; due to limited mythical accounts, Frigg is often confused with Freja (and many believe they’re the same goddess)
Gerth – Norse goddess of fertility and Freyr’s wife; also known as “Gerd” or “Gerðr”
Gjurd (pronounced as “gyurd”) – Norse god of peace; variant of “Gjorn”
Haldis – Norsk (Norwegian) stone goddess; also spelled as “Halldis”
Hlín (pronounced as “he-leen”) – Norse goddess of protection and fortification
Hodur – Norse god of darkness and night; also spelled as “Hoder” or “Höd”
Mímir – Norse god of knowledge and wisdom
Nerthus – Norse goddess of fertility, peace, and the Earth
Njord – Norse god of the sea, navigation, and the sea, and the guardian of wealth
Saga – Norse goddess of poetry and history
Sigyn – Norse goddess of victory
Skuld – Norse goddess of destiny and fate
Tyr – Norse god of war, balance, and justice
Urd – Norse goddess of destiny; also an anime girl name as a character in “Oh! My Goddess”
Vidar – Norse god of revenge and vengeance, and one of Odin’s sons; also spelled as “Vidarr”

Ancient & Old-Fashioned Norwegian & Old Norse Names

Asketill (Old Norse and Scandinavian boy name) – “God’s helmet”
Aslaug (Norwegian and Old Norse girl name) – “Wife of God”; also spelled as “Aslög” or “Asløg”
Audhilda (Old Norse girl name) – “Rich warrior woman”; can be shortened to the one-syllable girl name “Aud” (pronounced as “owd”)
Bergljot (Old Norse girl name) – “Salvation,” “protection,” “light,” or “shining”
Berit (Norwegian, Scandinavian, Swedish, and Danish girl name) – “Exalted” and “glorious”
Eindride (Old Norse, Scandinavian, and Norwegian boy name) – “To ride alone”
Narfi (Norwegian, Swedish, Danish, and Icelandic boy name) – “Narrow”; one of Loki’s sons in Norse mythology
Sigrdrífa (Old Norse girl name) – “Triumph inciter” or “driver to victory”
Stigandr (Old Norse boy name) – “Wanderer”

Other Norwegian & Nordic Mythical & Fantasy Names

Alfhild (Norwegian, Scandinavian, Swedish, and Old Norse girl name) – “Elf battle”; also spelled as “Alfhildr”
Alva (Norwegian and Swedish girl name) – “Elf” or “his highness”; also spelled as “Alvah”
Ally (Norwegian, Danish, and Swedish gender-neutral name) – “Noble” or “elf”; also a short form of the German name “Alice”
Bergthor (Norwegian, Icelander, and Old Norse boy name) – “Thor‘s spirit”
Brokk (Norwegian and Old Norse boy name) – “Mythical dwarf”
Eggther (Norwegian and Old Norse boy name) – “Guardian of giants”
Eitri (Norwegian and Old Norse boy name) – “Mythical dwarf” or “poisonous one”
Embla (Scandinavian and Old Norse girl name) – “Elm tree”; Eve’s equivalent as the first woman in Norse mythology, but they were created from two trees instead of soil
Freki (Old Norse, Proto-Germanic, and Norwegian boy name) – “The greedy one”; one of Odin’s wolves
Göndul (Norwegian and Old Norse girl name) – “Wand commander”; known as a great magician in Norse mythology
Hemming (Scandinavian, Scottish, Swedish, and Old Norse boy name) – “Shapeshifter”
Ingolf (Old Norse, Danish, Norwegian, and Swedish boy name) – “Wolf of Ing”
Kjellfrid (Old Norse and Norwegian girl name) – “Beautiful kettle”; can be pronounced as “shell-free”
Ottar (Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, and Icelandic boy name) – “Army” and “terror”; protege of the goddess Freya
Rolf (Scandinavian and German boy name) – “Legendary wolf”
Runar (Old Norse and Scandinavian boy name) – “Warrior of lore” or “magic, secret man”
Sindre (Old Norse boy name) – “Mythical dwarf” or “sparkling one”; he made magical items for the gods, such as Odin’s ring and Thor’s hammer
Steinar (Norwegian and Icelandic boy name) – “Stone fighter” or “guardian of the stone”
Tarben (Old Norse and Danish boy name) – “Thor’s bear”; also spelled as “Torbjorn” or “Torben”
Terje (Scandinavian and Old Norse boy name) – “Thor’s spear”; pronounced as “ter-yeh”
Thorsen (Nordic, Norwegian, Old Norse, Scandinavian, and Danish boy name) – “Thor’s son”
Thorsten (Scandinavian and Old Norse boy name) – “Thor’s stone”; can also be spelled as “Thursten,” “Thurston,” or “Torsten” and relates to the Old English name “Thurston”
Torkel (Old Norse and Scottish-Gaelic boy name) – “Thor’s cauldron”
Vilde (Norwegian, Old Norse, and ancient Germanic girl name) – “Wild one” or “battle of the elves”; can be a shortened form of “Alvilde”

What Are Strong & Striking Viking Names?

Agmundr (Norwegian and Old Norse boy name) – “Protector with the sword” or “respectful protector”; also spelled as “Aamund” or “Agmund”
Aldith (Norwegian and German girl name) – “Veteran combatant” or “old battle”
Angrboda (Old Norse and Scandinavian girl name) – “Harm-bidder” or “she who brings grief”
Arvid (Old Norse, Lithuanian, and Scandinavian boy name) – “Valiant fighter or warrior,” “tree of the eagle,” or “forest of eagles”
Batilde (Old Norse and Old High German girl name) – “Female warrior”
Brynjar (Old Norse and Scandinavian boy name) – “Armored warrior” or “warrior army ”
Bugga (Old Norse, Danish, and Norwegian boy name) – “Powerful man”
Canute (Old Norse and Scandinavian boy name) – “Knot”; famous namesakes include the Viking ruler, King Canute
Egil (Scandinavian and Old Norse boy name) – “Respect” or “sword’s edge”
Eigil (OId Norse and Scandinavian) – “To inspire fear in hearts”
Eldir (Norwegian and Old Norse boy name) – Name that means “fire” (fire-starter)
Espen (Scandinavian and Dutch boy name) – “God bear”
Eyolf (Norwegian, Old Norse, and Scandinavian boy name) – “Lucky wolf”; also spelled as “Eyulf”
Fenrir (Norwegian and Old Norse boy name) – “Giant wolf” or “fen or wetlands dweller”; monstrous wolf in Norse mythology who was identified as Loki’s son and the villain who kills Odin in Ragnarok (the gods’ doomsday)
Floke (Old Norse, Icelandic, and Nordic boy name) – “Guardian of the people” or “heroic Viking”; also spelled as “Floki”
Fritjof (Scandinavian and Old Norse boy name) – “One who steals peace”
Gunilla (Old Norse, Swedish, and Germanic girl name) – “Battle maiden”
Gunnr (Old Norse and Scandinavian girl name) – “War”
Haldor (Norse and Scandinavian boy name) – “Thor’s rock”
Halstein (Norwegian and Old Norse boy name) – “Rock”
Halvar (Old Norse boy name) – “Defender of the earth” or “rock defender”
Hedda (Scandinavian and German girl name) – “Conflict” or “strife”
Hilda (Scandinavian, German, Norse, and Danish girl name) – “Fighter”
Hjalmar (Scandinavian and Old Norse boy name) – “Warrior with a helmet”
Hjalmprimul (Norse girl name) – “Female warrior”
Hrooar (Old Norse and Norwegian boy name) – “Spear warrior”; pronounced as “h-roo-ahr”
Hunnulv (Old Norse, Norwegian, and Nordic girl name) – “She-wolf”
Ingvlid (Old Norse girl name) – “Ing’s power,” “battle,” or “dedicated to ancestors”; variation of “Yngvildr”
Jostein (Norwegian and Old Norse boy name) – “Horse-stone”
Kettil (Old Scandinavian, Old Norse, and Swedish nonbinary name) – “Cauldron,” “helmet,” or “kettle”; Old Scandinavian rituals required a cauldron to catch the sacrificed animals’ blood
Lova (Germanic and Scandinavian girl name) – “Sounds of battle” or “renowned warrior” as a variant of “Louise”
Lulla (Danish and Norwegian girl name) – “Legendary female warrior”
Magnhild (Norwegian, Old Norse, and Old High German girl name) – “Strong” or “powerful in battle”
Maiken (Norwegian and Danish girl name) – “ Rebellious woman”
Randgrid (Old Norse, Norwegian, Germanic, Nordic, and Old English girl name) – “Shield demolisher”
Serrilda (Scandinavian and Old High German girl name) – “Armed warrior woman”
Signy (Scandinavian and Old Norse girl name) – “Latest victory” or “new victory”; also spelled as “Signe”
Sigurd (Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, Icelandic, and Old Norse boy name) – “Victorious advisor” or “guardian of victory”; dragon slayer and mighty Viking descendant of the Norse god Odin
Skadi (Scandinavian and Norse girl name) – “Damage”; name of the Norse goddess of earth, winter, and skiing
Ståle (Old Norse and Old English boy name) – “Steel” or “strong”; pronounced as “st-ahl”
Sverre (Nordic and Old Norse boy name) – “Wild” or “troublemaker”
Tonje (Norwegian, Scandinavian, Latin, Danish, and Swedish girl name) – “New thunder”
Viveka (Scandinavian, Swedish, and Old German girl name) – “Battle refuge” or “war fortress”; also a musical name meaning “beautiful voice” as a Russian girl name

Powerful Nordic & Norwegian Warrior & Ruler Names

Aloisa (Norwegian and German girl name) – “Renowned fighter”
Anders (Scandinavian, Norwegian, Nordic, Swedish, and Danish boy name) – “Brave”; variant of the ancient Greek name “Andreas”
Bodilla (Norwegian and Norse girl name) – “Fighting woman”
Cuyler (Dutch and Old Norse boy name) – “Archer”; pronounced as “kiel-ehr”
Erika (Old Norse and Latin girl name) – “Ruler”
Erling (Old Norse and Scandinavian boy name) – “Heir of the clan-chief” or “descendant of the jarl”
Geirdriful (Old Norse girl name) – “Spear thrower”
Gunnar (Old Norse boy name) – “Army” or “he who stands alone”
Hailee (Old Norse and British gender-neutral name) – “Hero”
Henrik (Norwegian, Scandinavian, Swedish, and German boy name – “Ruler of the home”
Herman (Old High German, English, Dutch, and Scandinavian boy name) – “Soldier”
Hildi (Nordic and German girl name) – “Ready for war”
Karolina (Polish, Croatian, Danish, Faroese, Finnish, German, Lithuanian, Macedonian, Hungarian, and Russian name for girls) – “Warrior”
Ludvig (Scandinavian and Old German boy name) – “Famous warrior”
Magnus (Scandinavian, Old German, French, and Latin boy name) – “Mighty”
Markus (Scandinavian and German boy name) – “Dedicated to Mars (Roman god of war)” or “warlike”
Mathilde (Dutch, Danish, and Norwegian girl name) – “Might in battle” or “strength”; variant of the German name “Matilda”
Nikolai (Scandinavian, Slavic, and Russian boy name) – “Victory of the people”; masculine variant of the Greek goddess name “Nike” (goddess of victory)
Rutger (Scandinavian, Old German, and Dutch boy name) – “Famous spear”; also spelled as “Rüdiger” and is a variant of the German name “Roger”
Solveig (Scandinavian girl name) – “Daughter of the sun,” “strong house,” “strength of the sun,” or “woman of the house”
Viktor (Nordic, Scandinavian, Russian, Icelandic, and Eastern European boy name) – “Conqueror” or “victorious”; variant of the Latin name “Victor”
Wibeke (German, Danish, and Scandinavian girl name) – “Warrior”
Willa (Scandinavian and German girl name) – “Will,” “helmet,” or “resolute protection”

Norwegian Names For Months & Days

Here are the meanings of some Norwegian words for months and days that you might consider as baby names:

Dag – “Day”
Dagrun – “Secret of day”
Fredag – “Friday”
Juli – “July”
Juni – “June”
Lørdag – “Saturday”
Mai – “May”
Mandag – “Monday”
Mars – “March”
Onsdag – “Wednesday”
Søndag – “Sunday”
Tirsdag – “Tuesday”
Torsdag – “Thursday”

Faith-Based & Biblical Norwegian Baby Names

Ashild (Norwegian and Old Norse girl name) – “God fighting”
Elias (Norwegian, Danish, Faroese, Greenlandic, Icelandic, and Old Danish boy name) – “The Lord is my God”; variant of the Hebrew biblical name “Elijah”
Evy (Norwegian and Scandinavian girl name) – “Life” or “to breathe”; variant of the Hebrew name “Eve”
Gudmund (Norse boy name) – “God protects”; also means “chieftain”
Gustaf (Scandinavian, Germanic, and Slavic boy name) – “Staff of the gods”
Jonas (Scandinavian and Nordic boy name) – “Dove”; variant of the Hebrew “Jonah”
Kristian (Scandinavian boy name) “Follower of Christ”; variant of the Latin name “Christian”
Kristoffer (Scandinavian boy name) -“Holds Christ in his heart” or “bearer of Christ”; variant of “Christoffer”
Mathea (Scandinavian and Swedish girl name) – “Gift from God”; feminine variant of the Hebrew name “Matthew”
Matheo (Modern Norwegian and Swedish boy name) – “Gift from God”; version of “Matthew” in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Canada, and France
Mikaela (Scandinavian girl name) – “She who is like God”; feminine variant of the angel name “Michael”
Osmond (Old Norse and Old English boy name) – “Divine protection”; also spelled as “Osmundr”
Ove (Scandinavian, Norwegian, Swedish, Danish, and Old Norse boy name) – “Protected by God” or “edge of a sword”; pronounced as “OO-veh”
Theodor (Norwegian and Scandinavian boy name) – “Gift from God”
Tobias (Norwegian and Greek boy name) – “God is good”; variant of the Hebrew name “Tobiah”

Nature-Inspired Norwegian Names

Ambor – “Amber”
Andor – “Eagle”
Ann – “Eagle”
Ari – “Lion”
Arne – “Eagle”
Bjørn (pronounced as “byorn”) – “Bear”; also spelled as “Bjarke” or “Bjarne”
Bjarnilla – “Noble bear” or “climbing tree”
Brenn – “Raven”
Canutte – “Fruit of the Earth”
Carr – “Swamp”
Erla – “Wagtail bird”
Fiske (pronounced as “fis-kuh”) – “Fish”
Grethe – “Pearl”
Hervör – “Sage”
Holmes – “Island”
Hrafn (pronounced as “rah-vn”) – “Raven”
Hrolf – “Wolf”
Ivar – “Yew tree”; can also mean “archer”
Linnea – “Lime tree”
Mette – “Pearl”
Mirja – “Star of the sea”
Mist – “Cloud”
Øystein – “Island stone”
Revna – “Raven”
Stein – “Stone”; also spelled as “Sten”
Svana – “Like a swan”
Tove – “Dove”; can also mean “Thor is beautiful”
Uffi – “Wolf”; also spelled as “Ulf” or “Uffe”
Ulli – “Gem of the sea”
Urszula – “Small female bear”
Viola – “Violet flower”
Ylva – “Female wolf”

Norwegian Place Names & People From Different Locations

Arna – Borough in Norway; also means “eagle, “hearth,” or “ash”
Arnfinn – “From Finland”; also means “eagle”
Colby – “Dark town”
Dagfinn- “Man from Finland”; also means “day finder”
Danhy – “One from Denmark”
Darby – “Place for deer”
Fjall – “From the rough hill”
Frans – “Frenchman”
Gaute – “People from Sweden”
Huldr – “Place where holly grows”
Kelsey – “From the island of ships”
Kirkland – “Land near a church”
Kirkwood – “Church near a wood”
Klintr – “Cliff”
Morten – “Moor town”; also means “dedicated to Mars (Roman god)”
Øyvind – “Island”; also means “good fortune”
Selby – “Farm of willow trees” or “where willows grow”
Trond – “From Trøndelag (a region in central Norway)”; also means “grow” or “thrive”

Cute & Stylish Norwegian Names

Anette (Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, German, French, English, and Swedish girl name) – “Favored” or “gracious”; also spelled as “Anesa”
Eldrid (Norwegian and Old English boy name) – “Beautiful fire” or “old counsel”
Sigrid (Norwegian, Scandinavian, and Norse girl name) – “Victory” or “beautiful woman who leads to victory”; feminine variant of the German boy name “Siegfried”

Norwegian & Old Norse Occupational Names

Duartr – “Rich guard”
Goran – “Farming man” or “mountain man”
Groa – “Gardener”
Igor – “Farmer”
Jørgen – “Farmer”
Lamont – “Lawyer”

Gender-Neutral & Nonbinary Norwegian Baby Names

Anniken – “Gracious”
Bo – “To live”
Borgny – Name that means “moon” (new moon) or “help”
Eivor – “Good luck,” “island,” or “luck in the springtime”
Toril – “Thor’s battle” or “thunder battle”; also spelled as “Torill”
Var – “Covenant”
Wencke – “Friend”

Norwegian Names From A To Z

Norwegian Names Starting With A

Aage
Aase
Agnar
Alja
Alvilde
Anina
Arild
Arkyn
Asbjørn
Asmund
Audny
Aundry

Norwegian Names Starting With B

Bergdis
Birger
Bjarte
Bodil
Borg
Borghild
Bragi
Branka
Brede
Brendette
Brina
Britt

Norwegian Names Starting With C

Calder
Cilja
Cnute
Colborn
Crosby

Norwegian Names Starting With D

Dagmar
Dagny
Dane
Dellingr
Destin
Dorte

Norwegian Names Starting With E

Ebbe
Einer
Eivind
Elli
Eluf
Emilie
Erik
Erland

Norwegian Names Starting With F

Faste
Finna
Folke
Forseti
Frey

Norwegian Names Starting With G

Galinn
Galm
Garda
Garth
Gejfun
Georg
Gertrud
Gimle
Glyrna
Gudrun
Gunda
Gunhild
Gunhill
Gunvald
Gunvor
Gustav
Gyda

Norwegian Names Starting With H

Haakon
Haavard
Hagen
Hakon
Halvdan
Hanna
Hati
Håvard
Hege
Helge
Herlief
Hilde
Holde
Holger
Hrist
Hugin
Hulda

Norwegian Names Starting With I

Idunn
Ilka
Ingeborg
Inger
Ingharr
Inghram
Ingvar
Iver

Norwegian Names Starting With J

Jari
Jarl
Jensynn
Jørn
Jorunn

Norwegian Names Starting With K

Kaare
Kára
Kåre
Karina
Karl
Kindra
Kirk
Knut
Kory

Norwegian Names Starting With L

Labrenda
Laga
Leif
Lene
Lief
Linn
Lisbeth

Norwegian Names Starting With M

Mille
Magne
Malin
Marius
Marte
Mats
Meili
Mikkel
Monica
Moya
Munin

Norwegian Names Starting With N

Nanna
Neci
Niel
Njal
Norunn
Nott

Norwegian Names Starting With O

Oddmund
Oddvar
Oddveig
Olaug
Olef
Olga
Oline
Olsen
Ottilie
Oula

Norwegian Names Starting With P

Petter
Prima

Norwegian Names Starting With R

Ragna
Ragnhild
Randi
Rangvald
Rasmus
Reginleif
Reidar
Reidun
Rita
Róta
Rune
Rurik

Norwegian Names Starting With S

Sigmundr
Signe
Sigrún
Sissel
Siv
Sjofn
Skögul
Solvieg
Sondre
Soren
Stigr
Svanhild
Svante
Svipul

Norwegian Names Starting With T

Tallak
Thorsen
Thurmund
Thyra
Tora
Tordis
Torvald
Trine
Turpin

Norwegian Names Starting With U

Uhtred
Ulfhild
Ulka
Ulla
Ullr

Norwegian Names Starting With V

Valdemar
Valkyrie
Valtor
Vegard
Végarðr
Verdandi
Veslemoy
Viggo
Viktoria
Vili
Vinga

Norwegian Names Starting With W

Wenche
Werna
Weth

Norwegian Names Starting With Y

Yggdrasil
Yngvar
Yulla

Norwegian Names Starting With Z

Zylla

FAQs

Why Do Norwegians Have Three Names?

Before 1923, Norwegians don’t use a last name like the US tradition. Instead, they have three names to indicate the following: (5)(6)

Given name
Father’s name (boys use -sen, girls use -datter)
Farm or place where they’re currently living (not their birthplace)

For example, Isak and Ingrid, children of Eirik, can be Isak Eiriksen and Ingrid Eiriksdatter.

However, that isn’t their final last name because the farm where they live is usually considered the main last name.

If they live in Kirkland, the children’s final names will be Isak Eiriksen Kirkland and Ingrid Eiriksdatter Kirkland.

It’s interesting, however, that this last name isn’t also fixed.

Suppose the family or the person moves to a new place, their last name changes to that place. So, if these kids move to Morten and Colby, their names change to Isak Eiriksen Morten and Ingrid Eiriksdatter Colby.

Because it got confusing as more people were born, the Norwegians changed the tradition for families to only use one last name.

Today, many Norwegians give their children a middle name so they can honor their ancestors. Often, they don’t pick as first names those that are often considered as last names.

Other Baby Name Lists

References

(1) https://www.scandinaviastandard.com/where-is-scandinavia-a-guide-to-the-scandinavian-countries/

(2) https://www.britannica.com/topic/Viking-people/The-Carolingian-empire-and-France

(3) https://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/index.html

(4) https://www.ssb.no/en/befolkning/navn/statistikk/navn

(5) https://norwegianridge.com/2011/07/10/understanding-norwegian-naming-patterns/

(6) https://www.hadelandlag.org/resources/resslind.htm