Pre-Christian Icelandic Names

By tgannon1423 · Updated February 2024

Names23

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Total Names23

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About this list

The following names were sourced from Irmínsul Ættír Nafnasafnið by Haukur Þorgeirsson, which discusses Icelandic names before Christian influence. I chose names that could be reasonably pronounced (or even used) by an average English speaker.

The names

Showing 1–20 of 23

Gunnar
Scandinavian variation of Gunther
"bold warrior"
A key figure in Norse legend and a traditional Scandinavian favorite making inroads here.
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…
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,…
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…
Frida
German
"peace"
The dynamic personality and paintings of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo have inspired growing numbers of parents to resurrect this form of the name. It does much better in certain European countries,…
Asa
Hebrew, Japanese, or Scandinavian
"healer; morning; of the gods"
A male Biblical name meaning healer, Asa is also an international gem. In Japanese, it means "(born in the) morning". And in Scandinavia, where it's generally spelled Åsa or Ása and pronounced O-sa,…
Einar
Old Norse
"bold warrior"
With Norse (and pseudo-Norse) names such as Thor, Odin and Magnus growing in popularity, this one, which refers to warriors destined for Valhalla on account of their bravery, might have some appeal…
Floki
Old Norse
"tuft of hair, tangle; dark cloud"
Lovers of Loki who don't appreciate the overt mythological reference might like this unusual Icelandic name. Traditionally spelled as Flóki, it appears in the TV show Vikings .
Eirik
Eirik is a masculine name of Old Norse origin and is a traditional Scandinavian variant of Erik or Eric. The name derives from the elements 'ei' (ever, always) and 'ríkr' (ruler, king, mighty), thus…
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.
Sigmund
German
"victorious protection"
The connection to Freud is a strong one, but this German name has a strong and interesting sound and great nickname potential: Ziggy, Iggy, Sim, Sid...
Idunn
Norwegian variation of Iðunn, Old Norse
"ever young, love again"
A Scandinavian up-and-comer taken directly from Norse mythology. Iðunn was the goddess of apples, fertility, and youth. Idun is another common spelling.
Darra
Ruric
Ketil
Norwegian
"kettle; cauldron; helmet"
An old Norwegian name derived from ketill , the word for a cauldron or kettle used to catch sacrificial animal blood in ancient Norse pagan rituals. Today the name is more often seen in its Kjetil…
Bjork
Icelandic
"birch tree"
Associated with the mononymic Icelandic singer and her iconic swan dress.
Bera
Dalla
Dalla is a feminine name with Norse and Germanic roots. In Old Norse, it may be related to 'dal' meaning 'valley,' suggesting someone who dwells in or comes from a valley. The name also appears in…
Finna
Old Norse
"Sámi, Finn, wanderer"
A simple and attractive feminization of the Nordic name Finn.
Helga
Scandinavian
"holy, blessed"
A traditional Nordic name, Helga was extremely popular throughout Scandinavia in the 19th and early 20th centuries. In Germany, it was a Top 10 pick from 1924 to 1943. And it still ranks in the…

Pre-Christian Icelandic Names

About this list

The names

Gunnar

Bjorn

Leif

Kara

Frida

Asa

Einar

Floki

Eirik

Inga

Sigmund

Idunn

Darra

Ruric

Ketil

Bjork

Bera

Dalla

Finna

Helga