Updated October 2026
Across 8 pages
of 8
Scandinavian
"son of Jens"
The surname name Jenson is in the British Top 100 thanks to champion race car driver Jenson Button. Jenson might be an honorific for an ancestral John, the English form of Jens or Johannes, or even…
Norse and Scandinavian
"thunder or brave and daring"
Some sources give Thorin as a variation of the thunder god name Thor, equivalent to Thoren, while others says it comes from the verb að þora, meaning "to dare." This is a dwarf's name that first…
Norse
"yew wood, archer, warrior"
Closer to the original Norse name Ívarr , it is part of a small group of names with similar roots: Ivor, Iver, Ivo, Ives, and Evander, which all make rugged yet gentle feeling choices. Used…
English surname and place-name
"edge"
Kent is a no-nonsense, brief, brisk one-syllable name, almost as curt as Kurt.
"war"
Though to most Americans Viggo is a one-person name attached to intense actor Mortensen, it is actually an old Norse name dating back to the Vikings, and is currently the 32nd most popular…
Scandinavian from Latin Laurentius
"crowned with laurel"
Lars is a perfect candidate for a cross-cultural passport: it has been heard often enough here to sound familiar and friendly, yet retains the charisma of a charming foreigner. In this country Lars…
"hope"
One of those midcentury shortenings that are starting to sound cool again, though we prefer Van.
"Olaf's son"
An alternative to Oliver, Orson, or Colson, this Scandinavian surname is no longer tied exclusively to the well-publicized twins, Ashley and Mary-Kate. Instead, it fits in with other surname-style…
English, Norse
"deer forest"
Fairly popular a hundred years ago but out of the US charts since 1978, the quirky yet edgy Roscoe feels very much in step with the trending o-ending boy names popular now, such as Milo, Hugo, and…
German, Dutch, Scandinavian, and Estonian variation of John
"God is gracious"
An Old World name that might have a chance to rise again with other ancient and worldly forms. Be sure to say yo-HAHN-es.
"son of Neil"
Perfect name for TV Frasier's effete brother. In the 2020 film Palm Springs , Andy Samberg plays a character with the updated spelling Nyles.
"church"
Far more friendly and open than similar one-syllable names like Kent, Kurt, and Karl, it's been associated for more than half a century with actor Kirk Douglas, whose birth name was Issur…
"powerful army; wise warrior; counsel from the army"
An fearsome old Norse name with a long history in Scandinavia. It's gotten a boost in the States from popularity of the History Channel drama "Vikings," in which the protagonist is named Ragnar.…
"brother"
Despite its brotherly meaning, sounds rather formal and cold.
Scandinavian and Slavic form of Nicholas
"people of victory"
Related to the Russian name Nikolai, this is a fresh and worldly form of a popular favorite.
"man of law"
Outmoded comic book choice.
"thunder"
Thor, the powerful name of the Norse god of thunder, strength and rain, would make a bold statement. Long a comic book staple, Thor has now invaded the big screen, and could land on birth…
As the mythological Thor morphs into a modern baby name, the variations Thoren and Thorin feel like real possibilities, not just in Scandinavia but around the Western world.
"son of Hans"
More familiar and melodic to the American ear than either Hans or Hansen, and some might attach it to the three-brother pop-rock band called Hanson.
Nyle is a masculine name with multiple possible origins. It may be a variant spelling of Nile, referring to the famous Egyptian river, which carries connotations of life-giving properties and ancient…