Norwegian Names

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, ordered by current popularity on Nameberry.

RELATED: Scandinavian names

Popular Names in Norway

  1. Sunniva
    • Origin:

      Scandinavian
    • Meaning:

      "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.
  2. Oslo
    • Origin:

      Norwegian place name, Old Norse
    • Meaning:

      "meadow at the foot of a hill"
    • Description:

      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.
  3. Juni
    • Origin:

      Scandinavian
    • Meaning:

      "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.
  4. Tove
    • Origin:

      Scandinavian
    • Meaning:

      "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.
  5. Kirsten
    • Origin:

      Scandinavian variation of Christine
    • Description:

      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.
  6. Arvid
    • Origin:

      Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
    • Meaning:

      "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.
  7. Gregor
    • Origin:

      Scottish form of Gregory
    • Meaning:

      "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.
  8. Malin
    • Origin:

      Scandinavian diminutive of Magdalene
    • Meaning:

      "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.
  9. Nils
    • Origin:

      Scandinavian variation of Nicholas
    • Meaning:

      "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.
  10. Aksel
    • Origin:

      Danish, version of Hebrew Absalom
    • Meaning:

      "the father is peace"
    • Description:

      Most American parents would choose to use the more commonly seen variant, AXEL.
  11. Thelma
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "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.
  12. Kristin
    • Origin:

      German and Norwegian variation of Christina
    • Meaning:

      "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.
  13. Tuva
    • Origin:

      Swedish and Norwegian variation of Tove
    • Meaning:

      "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.
  14. Nels
    • Origin:

      Norwegian and Swedish variation of Nicholas
    • Description:

      One of those simple Norse names, like Lars, that is definitely worth thinking about.
  15. Sonja
    • Stein
      • Origin:

        German
      • Meaning:

        "Stone"
    • Trygg
      • Origin:

        Norwegian
      • Meaning:

        "safe"
      • Description:

        Sarah Palin spelled it Trig, as in the nickname for trigonometry, but Trygg is a genuine Norwegian word name for boys.
    • Tea
      • Origin:

        Short form of Dorotea or Mattea
      • Meaning:

        "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.
    • Berit
      • Origin:

        Scandinavian variation of Birgit
      • Description:

        Well used in northern Europe, almost unknown here.
    • Havard
      • Origin:

        Norwegian
      • Meaning:

        "protector"
      • Description:

        An unusual yet accessible Scandinavian choice, though it might be confused with Harvard.