Historic and Vintage Names
300+ Viking Names
Across 17 pages
of 17
About this list
Viking names were used in Scandinavia during the Viking Age — between the 9th and 11th centuries. All Viking names have Germanic roots. The majority are specifically Old Norse in origin, as that was the dominant language of the time.
Vikings often gave their babies names from mythology, like Freya and Thorsten, or animal names such as Hrefna ("raven") and Ulf ("wolf") because the properties of the deity or animal were thought to protect the child.
Along with Freya, other female Viking names include Bodil, Embla, Gudrun, Tóka, and Yrsa. In addition to Thorsten, other male Viking names include Fenrir, Harald, Knut, Rune, and Vidar.
Many cool Viking names are currently popular in Scandinavia and the English-speaking world. International favorites include Astrid, Bjorn, Freya, Henrik, Ingrid, Liv, and Magnus.
Famous Viking names such as Leif, Ragnar, Rollo, Ivar, and Freydís are also attracting attention thanks to increased interest in Scandinavian names, as well as features in the TV series Vikings and Vikings: Valhalla.
Explore our entire collection of Viking names, compiled from various primary sources.
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The names
Ivan
Russian variation of John
"God is gracious"
Though some might find it a bit heavy-booted, Ivan is one of the few Russian boys' names to become fully accepted into the American naming pool. Ivan is, of course, ubiquitous in Russian culture.…
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…
Finn
Irish, Scandinavian, Norse
"fair, white; from Finland"
Finn is a name with enormous energy and charm, that of the greatest hero of Irish mythology, Finn MacCool (aka Fionn mac Cuumhaill), an intrepid warrior with mystical supernatural powers, noted as…
Otto
German
"wealthy"
Otto is cool again. Long a quintessential Old Man Name, Otto has been promoted to trending darling of adventurous baby namers. Like most German names , Otto fell out of favor during and after the two…
Lukas
German variation of Lucas
"man from Lucanus"
Highly popular in Germany, Norway, Lithuania, and Austria, Lukas is a spelling variation of the also extremely popular Lucas. The "K" spelling gives it extra kick and a more international,…
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…
Bo
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".
Odin
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…
Erik
Spelling variation of Eric, Old Norse
"eternal ruler"
While substituting a C for a K is a modern trend, Erik is in fact the traditional spelling of the name, derived from the Old Norse Eiríkr and introduced to the English speaking world in the…
Gunnar
Scandinavian variation of Gunther
"bold warrior"
A key figure in Norse legend and a traditional Scandinavian favorite making inroads here.
Aron
Hebrew and Spanish variation of Aaron
This shortened variation of Aaron—it was Elvis's middle name—is now a widely used choice.
Nikolas
Variation of Nicholas
Nikolas is a sleek and international spelling of this longtime favorite, chosen by parents who might like the Nik or Niko short form.
Magnus
Scandinavian from Latin
"greatest"
Magnus is a Latin name, literally meaning "greatest," that has a Scandinavian feel. It dates back to Charlemagne being called Carolus Magnus, or Charles the Great. Norwegian king Magnus I, named…
Freyja
Old Norse variation of Freya
"a noble woman"
The original form of the name of the Norse goddess Freya, whose name is now a worldwide sensation. Freya is the most common variant, although Freja is preferred in Denmark and Sweden. Iceland still…
Bjorn
Swedish, Icelandic, German
"bear"
Bjorn is one of the most recognizable Scandinavian names , thanks in large part to tennis great Björn Borg, winner of five consecutive Wimbledon singles titles and six French opens and something of a…
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…
Leif
Swedish; Danish; Norwegian
"heir, descendant"
Leif is one of the most recognizable Scandinavian names , thanks to Icelandic explorer Leif Erikson, and is still one of the best, with a pleasant aural association with the word leaf. Leif Erikson,…
Åsa
Swedish
"god"
Åsa is not a variation of the Biblical boy name Asa, but a Swedish short form of names beginning with the Old Norse element áss meaning "god". It appears as Åse, Aase, and Ása across various…
Arvid
Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
"eagle-tree"
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…
Alvis
Norse mythology name
Alvis, sometimes spelled Alviss, is a dwarf in Norse mythology who claims to know everything and names all the features of the natural world to show off to Thor, whose daughter Alvis wants to marry.…