Norwegian Names
Norwegian baby names are among the newly-stylish Scandinavian group of names, coming out into the wider world along with art and literature from Norway and other Scandinavian countries.
If your family comes from Norway or you simply love the Norwegian culture, consider these Norwegian names for boys and girls. The top names below rank among the current US Top 1000 Baby Names and are ordered by popularity. Unique names rank below the Top 1000 and are listed alphabetically.
If you want a wider selection, click here to browse our full collection of Scandinavian names
If your family comes from Norway or you simply love the Norwegian culture, consider these Norwegian names for boys and girls. The top names below rank among the current US Top 1000 Baby Names and are ordered by popularity. Unique names rank below the Top 1000 and are listed alphabetically.
If you want a wider selection, click here to browse our full collection of Scandinavian names
- Oslo
Origin:
Norwegian place nameDescription:
Oslo, the capital city of Norway, makes for an intriguing new place name, especially with its bookended o's, as in Otto. One berry has already used it and we predict others will follow.
- Sunniva
Origin:
ScandinavianMeaning:
"sun gift"Description:
Sunniva was an Irish-born saint who fled to Norway, where she hid in an island cave with her followers and eventually died. After miracles were reported on the island, the cave was excavated and Sunniva's intact body was found. Sunniva is the patron saint of Western Norway. Her name would make a fascinating and unusual choice for a modern baby girl, and if her story is a bit grim, you can take refuge in the upbeat nickname Sunny or Sunni.
- Tove
Origin:
ScandinavianMeaning:
"beautiful"Description:
Tove is a modern variation of an Old Norse name for which there are no letters on the twenty-first century keyboard. It's related to Thor, and Tove and Tuva are the forms that survive and thrive in modern Scandinavia. Beyond Tove, other popular Scandinavian names not well known outside of the Nordic countries include Toril, Maja, Tyra, and Ebba.
- Juni
Origin:
ScandinavianMeaning:
"June"Description:
Juni is the Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, and Finnish form of the month name June. While Juni feels cute and fresh, most Americans would assume it was a nickname or a Joni variation. We prefer Juna or the English June.
- Nils
Origin:
Scandinavian variation of NicholasMeaning:
"people of victory"Description:
Like Lars, Sven, Niels, and Nels, an unjustly neglected straightforward Scandinavian name. Surname Nilsson or the anglicized Nelson derives from Nils.
- Arvid
Origin:
Swedish, Norwegian, DanishMeaning:
"eagle-tree"Description:
Arvid, a Scandinavian name that's virtually unknown in the US, is one of the top baby names in Sweden. It might make a handsome, unusual choice for a parent in search of an original yet traditional A name.
- Aksel
Origin:
Danish, version of Hebrew AbsalomMeaning:
"the father is peace"Description:
Most American parents would choose to use the more commonly seen variant, AXEL.
- Thelma
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"literary name"Description:
Though modern parents seeking to honor an ancestor named Thelma might opt for the airier Thea instead, Thelma is starting to make its way back onto adventurous vintage name lovers' radars. It is currently experiencing a modest revival in France, where it now ranks around the #300 mark.
- Gregor
Origin:
Scottish form of GregoryMeaning:
"vigilant, a watchman"Description:
Two prominent literary namesakes make Gregor a somewhat risky choice. On the highbrow side, there's Gregor Samsa, the Kafka character who woke up one day to find himself turned into a cockroach. And then there's Gregor Clegane, one of the most feared and purely evil characters in the world of Game of Thrones.
- Kirsten
Origin:
Scandinavian variation of ChristineDescription:
Lovely, authentic name -- but any Kirsten will be condemned to a lifetime of hearing "Did you say Kristen?" They're both genuine Scandinavian names but too interchangeable.
- Tuva
Origin:
Swedish and Norwegian variation of ToveMeaning:
"beautiful"Description:
Tove is a modern variation of an Old Norse name, related to Thor. Tuva is a form of the name popular in modern Scandinavia.
- Kristin
Origin:
German and Norwegian variation of ChristinaMeaning:
"a Christian"Description:
A crystalline name that retains its loveliness far past its prime. Its biggest downside: Eternal confusion over spelling and pronunciation. Kristen? Kirsten? It can be so confusing that many parents today opt to bypass it.
- Malin
Origin:
Scandinavian diminutive of MagdaleneMeaning:
"high tower or woman of Magdela"Description:
A multi-cultural name that's in the Norwegian Top 50 and well-used throughout the Scandinavian cultures. Malin has the advantage of being at once simple and unusual.
- Roald
Origin:
NorwegianMeaning:
"famous ruler"Description:
This intriguing Scandinavian name is associated with Roald Dahl, author of the juvenile classics James and the Giant Peach and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. You can honor an ancestral Ronald just by dropping that middle 'n'.
- Sonja
- Tea
Origin:
Short form of Dorotea or MatteaMeaning:
"gift of God"Description:
As Theo and Thea get more popular, so do Teo and Tea, short forms of the Latinate variations of Theodore and Matthew -- which include Dorotea and Mattea. But like Theo and Thea, Tea can stand perfectly well on its own and blends seamlessly into any Anglophone or European culture, if that is your aim. Some may argue that the Tea version is the prettiest and it's certainly the sleekest.
- Nels
Origin:
Norwegian and Swedish variation of NicholasDescription:
One of those simple Norse names, like Lars, that is definitely worth thinking about.
- Mats
Origin:
Scandinavian diminutive of Matthias, AramaicMeaning:
"gift of God"Description:
If you're looking for a Euro-chic alternative to Max, Mats is a strong possibility. It's a fading classic in Norway, but is popular in the Netherlands and Belgium, where short names are the height of style.
- Kjersti
- Pelle
Origin:
Scandinavian variation of PeterDescription:
Pelle is one of several possible Peter-related Scandinavian choices. In Swedish or Norwegian, the name Pelle rhymes roughly with Ella.