Norse Names for Girls
Across 2 pages
of 2
The names
Hallie
English
"dweller at the meadow by the manor"
Hallie -- it rhymes with alley and is not to be confused with Halle or Hailey or Holly -- is one of those comfy nicknamish names that are in favor in these complicated times. Hallie's popularity has…
Freya
Norse
"a noble woman"
Freya has long been popular in the U.K. but has only taken off in the US in the last decade, along with the entire category of mythological names. Derived from the Old Norse name Freyja, meaning…
Astrid
Scandinavian
"divinely beautiful"
Astrid has been a Scandinavian royal name since the tenth century, and many people associated it with the Swedish author of the Pippi Longstocking stories, Astrid Lindgren. Astrid is derived from the…
Halle
Modern invented name or diminutive of Harald, English or Norse
"Thor's stone"
Until the beautiful actress Halle Berry inspired hundreds of parents to emulate her name, it was the diminutive Swedish families used for their sons christened Harald. Now, in a complete turnaround,…
Liv
Diminutive of Olivia, English, Norse
"olive tree; life, protection"
Liv combines the succinct charm of a nickname—people might assume it's short for Olivia—with the solidity of being a classic stand-alone Scandinavian name with a life-force meaning. It was brought…
Erica
Norse feminization of Eric or Italian word name
"eternal ruler; heather"
The straightforward Erica is a Norse feminization that was long associated with the complex, mega-popular character Erica Kane, played by Susan Lucci for decades on the soap opera All My Children .…
Inga
Norse
"guarded by Ing"
Ing was a powerful Norse god whose name inspired several modern variations -- though Inga has become a caricatured Scandinavian choice.
Thora
Norse
"thunder goddess"
Thora, related to Thor, is the ancient Norse thunder goddess name that's much softer and gentler than its meaning suggests. A noted bearer is actress Thora Birch.
Darby
Irish, English, Norse
"free from envy; from the deer estate"
Once a common boy name in Ireland, the dynamic Darby now has a definite unisex feel. A bit like a mash up between Darcy and Ruby, it appeared in the US Top 1000 in the 90s, peaking in 1995 when it…
Sigrid
Norse
"fair victory"
Sigrid is a distinctly Scandinavian name that is starting to edge out into the wider world, a la cousin Ingrid. Unfortunately, short form Siri is now off the table, but Sigrid is still a possibility.
Ingrid
Norse
"fair; Ing is beautiful"
The luminous Ingrid Bergman's appeal was strong enough to lend universal charisma to this classic Scandinavian name, which has been somewhat neglected in the US. Even today, a child named Ingrid…
Kara
Spelling variation of Cara or Norse mythology name
"wild stormy one"
Kara and the soundalike (though not necessarily related) Cara are among the most multi-cultural names around. Cara has roots in Latin, Italian, Irish, Spanish, and Portuguese, and Kara can be viewed…
Dagmar
Norse
"Day maiden"
This royal Danish name has long been used across Scandinavia, Germany and Slavic countries and somewhat in the US around the turn of the last century --it was #622 in 1888. There were two notable…
Rania
Arabic, Greek
"to gaze, to look; heavenly"
As an Arabic name, Rania is a variation of Raniya, ultimately derived from the Arabic word ranā meaning "to gaze" or "side look". Other descendants of this root include Ranya and Rana itself.…
Tate
Norse
"cheerful"
Though Tate is used almost exclusively for boys, we can see Tate as a stronger surname alternative to Kate or a clipped form of Tatum.
Toril
Norwegian
"Thor's battle"
Also spelled Torill, Torril and Torrill, this refined variation is derived from the Old Norse name Þórhildr and its more modern Norwegian form, Torhild. Stylish in Norway in the 50s and 60s, this…
Tordis
Norwegian variation of Þórdís, Old Norse
"thunder goddess"
Tordis left Norway's popularity charts in 1948, placing it among the old lady name that could soon be up for revival.
Ulla
Scandinavian
"will, determination"
Ulla, the beautiful Swedish secretary in The Producers (played by Uma Thurman in the movie) who purrs, "Ven you got it, flaunt it," has changed the image of this name forever. Ulla may stand on its…
Vali
Norse mythology name
Although a bold male figure in Scandinavian legend, this is more appropriate for a girl.
Fjord
Norse word name
The Old Norse and modern Norwegian word name Fjord, which refers to a passage in the sea, could work for children of both genders.
