Norse Baby Names
Explore 591 norse names, each with its own meaning, history, and pronunciation. Find one that carries the stories you want your child to grow up with.
Norse names are short, strong, and elementally rooted. They draw on the Old Norse pantheon (Thor, Freya, Odin), on the sagas (Ragnar, Sigrid), and on a landscape of mountains, wolves, ravens, and sea.
A short history
Norse naming developed in Iceland, Norway, Denmark, and Sweden from the 8th century onwards. Many Old Norse names were kennings (compound names with poetic meaning): Sigrid ('beautiful victory'), Astrid ('divinely beautiful'), Thorbjorn ('Thor's bear').
Naming traditions
Icelandic naming still uses the patronymic system: a child's surname is the father's first name plus '-son' or '-dottir'. Norway and Sweden retain family heirloom names across generations. The Old Norse pantheon has re-entered active naming over the last twenty years as parents reach for heritage-rich picks.
Sound and style
Norse names tend to be short, stressed on the first syllable, and rich in hard consonants. The Scandinavian languages have smoothed many Old Norse sounds, but the essential rhythm remains: Freya, Odin, Thor, Ingrid, Astrid, Leif, Bjorn.
Brynjolf
“Armor wolf”
Brynjolf pairs 'brynja' meaning coat of mail or armor with 'ulf' meaning wolf. The name conjures the image of a wolf wearing armor, a creature of fierce natural instinct made even more formidable through the addition of martial equipment, an ideal emblem for an elite Viking Age warrior.
Calder
“Rough waters”
Calder derives from Old Norse and Old Celtic roots meaning rough or cold waters. The element 'cal' relates to cold or turbulent, and 'der' is cognate with the Celtic word for water or stream, also seen in names like Douglas and Avon. The name was first applied to several rivers in Scotland and northern England, particularly the River Calder in Yorkshire and West Lothian, before transitioning into use as a surname and eventually a given name. It evokes wild northern landscapes and the force of nature.
Canute
“Knot”
Canute is the Anglicised form of the Old Norse Knútr, meaning knot. In Norse culture the knot symbolised strength, binding, and the intertwining of fate. The name is indelibly associated with King Canute, the Danish ruler who governed England, Denmark, and Norway in the early eleventh century, creating one of the most powerful North Sea empires of the medieval world. The famous legend of Canute commanding the tide to stop, often misread as arrogance, was in fact a demonstration of royal humility, showing his courtiers that no king could rival the power of God.
Colborn
“Coal bear or dark bear”
Colborn derives from Old Norse elements meaning coal or dark combined with 'bjorn' meaning bear. The name suggests a bear of dark or black coloring, perhaps a black bear or a bear seen in shadow, combining the primal power of the bear totem with a quality of darkness or mystery.
Dag
“Day”
Dag is a striking Old Norse name meaning simply 'day'. It carries associations of light, new beginnings, and clarity. Despite its brevity, it is a name of considerable depth, rooted in Norse mythology and Scandinavian history.
Dagbjorn
“Day bear”
Dagbjorn combines 'dag' meaning day with 'bjorn' meaning bear, creating the image of a bear associated with daylight and brightness rather than the darkness usually associated with predatory animals. The name suggests power made benevolent, the fearsome strength of the bear operating in the full light of day.
Dagbjort
“Bright day”
Dagbjort joins 'dag' meaning day with 'bjort' meaning bright or shining, creating a name that doubles the imagery of light and radiance. The name evokes the brilliant clarity of a full Scandinavian summer day, associating its bearer with luminosity, openness, and positive energy.
Dagfinn
“Day finder”
Dagfinn combines the Old Norse elements 'dagr' meaning 'day' and 'finnr' meaning 'finder' or 'Finn person', producing a name that evokes clarity, brightness, and the one who brings daylight or discovery.
Dagfrid
“Day of peace”
Dagfrid unites the Old Norse 'dagr' meaning 'day' with 'fridr' meaning 'peace' or 'beautiful', forming a name that suggests the serene calm of a bright, peaceful day.
Dagneid
“New day”
Dagneid joins the Old Norse element 'dagr' meaning 'day' with 'neidr' or a variant form suggesting 'new' or 'fresh', producing a name that evokes the renewal and brightness of each new dawn.
Dagrun
“Day's secret wisdom”
Dagrun combines the Old Norse 'dagr' meaning 'day' with 'run' meaning 'secret lore' or 'mystery', forming a name that suggests one who holds the hidden knowledge of the bright day.
Dagstein
“Day stone”
Dagstein pairs the Old Norse 'dagr' meaning 'day' with 'steinn' meaning 'stone', creating a name that evokes the enduring solidity of daylight and suggests a person as steadfast and reliable as rock.
Dagvard
“Guardian of the day”
Dagvard unites the Old Norse 'dagr' meaning 'day' with 'vardr' meaning 'guardian' or 'warden', producing a name that describes a protector of daylight and, by extension, a watchful and dependable presence.
Dalla
“The decorated one”
Dalla is an Old Norse feminine name derived from 'dalr' or related forms suggesting adornment or the valley, with some scholars connecting it to Proto-Germanic roots meaning decorated or ornamented, evoking a sense of natural beauty and embellishment.
Delling
“The shining one”
Delling derives from the Old Norse 'delling' or 'dellingr', meaning 'the shining one' or 'the gleaming one'. In Norse mythology, Delling is the personification of twilight, the father of Day, making this a name of profound cosmological significance.
Dis
“Divine woman spirit”
Dis derives from the Old Norse 'dis' (plural: 'disir'), referring to a class of female supernatural beings associated with fate, protection, and the well-being of families and clans. The name carries the full weight of these guardian spirits.
Disa
“Divine woman spirit”
Disa is an extended form of the Old Norse 'dis', referring to the female guardian spirits known as disir who protected families and guided fate. The name carries associations with supernatural protection, wisdom, and the sacred feminine in Norse tradition.
Dorthe
“Gift of God”
Dorthe is the Danish and Norwegian form of Dorothy, which comes from the Greek Dorothea, composed of doron meaning gift and theos meaning God. The name therefore means gift of God, a meaning shared with the name Theodore but reversed in word order. Dorthe represents the distinctively Scandinavian simplification of the name, stripping away the more elaborate Greek ending.
Droplaug
“Drop of water, lake”
Droplaug combines the Old Norse 'dropi' meaning 'drop' with 'laug' meaning 'pool', 'bath', or 'lake', producing a name evocative of still water, natural pools, and the gentle quality of water in the landscape.
Dustin
“Thor's stone”
Dustin is believed to derive from the Old Norse Torsten or Thurstan, composed of Thor, the god of thunder, and steinn, meaning stone. The name thus carries the meaning Thor's stone, combining divine power with the solidity and permanence of stone. It entered England with the Norman and Scandinavian settlers and was used sporadically through the medieval period before gaining significant popularity in the United States during the latter half of the twentieth century. The name bridges ancient Norse mythology with a thoroughly modern American sensibility.
Dyri
“Deer, the swift one”
Dyri derives from the Old Norse 'dyr' meaning 'deer' or 'animal', used as a personal name to evoke the speed, grace, and noble quality of the deer in the Norse landscape.
Ebba
“Strong boar”
Ebba is a charming Norse name meaning "strong boar," derived from the Old Norse elements "eber" (boar) and the feminine name tradition of the Scandinavian countries. In Norse culture, the boar was a symbol of strength, courage, and prosperity, making Ebba a name that carries quiet power beneath its gentle sound. It has enjoyed enduring popularity in Scandinavia and has recently been gaining admirers further afield.
Ebbe
“Strong boar”
Ebbe is a Scandinavian name derived from the Old Norse element 'eber' or 'ebur', meaning wild boar, cognate with the Old High German 'Eber'. The boar in Norse and Germanic culture was a symbol of fierce strength, courage in battle, and warrior virtue, associated with the god Freyr and the divine boars of Norse mythology. The name is used for both boys and girls in Denmark and Sweden, giving it a pleasingly modern gender-neutral quality. It has a simple, approachable sound that feels at home in contemporary Scandinavian minimalism.
Eerika
“Eternal ruler”
Eerika is the Finnish and Scandinavian feminine form of Erik, itself derived from the Old Norse 'Eirikr', composed of 'ei' meaning ever or eternal and 'rikr' meaning ruler or king. The name thus carries the formidable meaning of eternal ruler, a name of sovereign strength given a feminine expression. It is used primarily in Finland and Sweden, where it sits comfortably alongside other Nordic feminine forms. The double 'e' opening is characteristic of Finnish orthography and gives the name a distinctive visual identity. Eerika carries the same regal, enduring power as its masculine counterpart while feeling distinctly feminine.
Egil
“Edge, blade”
Egil is an Old Norse name derived from the element eggja, meaning edge or blade, referring to the keen edge of a sword or weapon. The name was borne by Egil Skallagrimsson, one of the most celebrated figures of Old Norse literature, a fierce Viking warrior and master poet whose life is recorded in Egil's Saga, composed in 13th-century Iceland. The name carries a dual quality, both martial and literary, reflecting the Viking ideal of the man who is equally skilled with sword and verse.
Egilbjorn
“Edge of the sword bear”
Egilbjorn combines 'Egil', from Old Norse 'egg' meaning 'edge of a sword' or possibly 'awe-inspiring', with 'bjorn' meaning 'bear', creating a name of formidable double warrior imagery: the sharpness of a blade and the power of a bear.
Egill
“Edge of a sword”
Egill derives from the Old Norse 'egg' meaning 'edge of a sword' or an awe-inspiring, terrifying quality, making it a name that evoked the razor sharpness and fearsome power of a blade.
Eilif
“Ever living”
Eilif is composed of the Old Norse elements 'ei' meaning ever or always, and 'lifr' meaning living or life. The name therefore carries the powerful meaning of ever living or immortal, a concept of great importance in Norse culture where legendary fame and remembrance were considered a form of immortality. It is an ancient name with a quietly profound resonance.
Eilifr
“Ever living”
Eilifr comes from the Old Norse elements 'ei' meaning 'ever' or 'always' and 'lifr' meaning 'living' or 'life', producing a name that expresses the aspiration for enduring life, immortality, or an everlasting legacy.
Einar
“One warrior”
Einar derives from the Old Norse elements 'einn' (one, alone) and 'herr' (warrior, army). It was a name favoured by Viking-age chieftains and appears carved on numerous runestones across Scandinavia. The name evokes a solitary, formidable fighter - someone who stands apart through courage and strength.
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