Updated September 2019
Across 3 pages
of 3
English from Norse
"cheerful"
A strong single-syllable surname with a joyful meaning, Tate is finding a place on more and more birth certificates. Former Spice Girl Emma Bunton named her second son Tate Lee. Tate also has a…
Old Norse
"eternal ruler"
Eric is derived from the Old Norse name Eiríkr, from the components ei , meaning "ever," and ríkr , "rule." It was adopted by English speakers in the mid-nineteenth century, who were already familiar…
Norse nickname
"to live"
A popular name in Denmark, in this country Bo has some cowboy swagger and a lot of substance in its minimal two letters. In Mandarin Chinese, Bo means "wave".
Variation of Óðinn, Old Norse
"god of frenzy; poetic fury"
Odin is the name of the supreme Norse god of art, culture, wisdom, and law — who was handsome, charming, and eloquent into the bargain. The name projects a good measure of strength and power and has…
Scottish, Norse
"ruler's counselor"
A strong, if slightly dated sounding choice, Ronald made the US Top 10 in the late 1930s through into the mid-1940s, before it became heavily associated with President Reagan, as well as with the…
Norse
"brave warrior, or Thor's stone"
Dustin's popularity in recent years has probably had more due to its similarity to Justin than to idolization of Dustin Hoffman -- himself named after silent screen cowboy star Dustin Farnum -- who…
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…
"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…
"hope"
One of those midcentury shortenings that are starting to sound cool again, though we prefer Van.
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…
"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.
"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…
"church settlement"
Attractive British place-name with a sense of humor. Fun fact: John Wayne played five characters with the first or second name of Kirby.
Scandinavian
"youth"
Especially for parents of Scandinavian descent, Sven is an accessible and attractive name with an appealing mix of strength and swagger. It comes from the ancient Swedish tribe, the Sviars, who gave…
Norse variation of Eric
This poor lad will spend his life saying, "No, it's Aric, not Eric. Aaric, Arick, Arik Arric, Arrick.
"curly hair"
In Norse mythology, the son of the giant who ruled the wind and air; in modern America, recalls a 1970s girl's nickname name, à la Carrie and Keri.
"guardian of victory"
This old Norse name is still used in contemporary Scandinavia. An ancient hero's name, Sigurd got a modern boost from a heroic figure in television's The Vikings .
"from the deer estate"
Spirited and bubbly, but handsome and preppy too, Darby is a surname style choice that fits in well with the likes of Alby and Lennox. Derived ultimately from Old Norse, as a surname, it likely…