Fit For A Viking

  1. Eberhard
    • Origin:

      German
    • Meaning:

      "brave boar"
    • Description:

      Much more niche and obviously Germanic than its anglicised cousins Everard and Everett, but with the same strong meaning. Eberhard is hardly ever used in the US - it's only made the charts once so far, back in 1918.
  2. Edda
    • Origin:

      Norse
    • Meaning:

      "poetry"
    • Description:

      This Old Norse girl name has a lovely meaning and a familiar yet distinctive sound.
  3. Edith
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "prosperous in war"
    • Description:

      Edith was a hugely popular name a hundred years ago that's being revived among stylish parents in Stockholm and London. It's currently beginning to gain traction in the US among those with a taste for old-fashioned names with a soft but strong image.
  4. Elfrida
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "elf power"
    • Description:

      The name of the mother of Aethelred the Unready was once common among the Anglo-Saxon nobility, and was briefly revived during the 19th century, only to be lost once again to history.
  5. Elisabet
    • Origin:

      Scandinavian, variation of Elizabeth
    • Meaning:

      "pledged to God"
    • Description:

      One of the few versions of Elizabeth that hasn't translated here.
  6. Elsa
    • Origin:

      German diminutive of Elisabeth
    • Meaning:

      "pledged to God"
    • Description:

      Lost in limbo for decades and decades, Elsa now stands a good chance of following along in the progression from Emma to Ella to Etta, thanks to the ice queen heroine who "Let It Go" in the wildly popular Disney movie Frozen. The name shot all the up to Number 286 (its highest ranking since the 1890s) in the year after the release of the movie, though it's now dropped back down the list in the US.
  7. Eric
    • Origin:

      Old Norse
    • Meaning:

      "eternal ruler"
    • Description:

      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 with the exploits of the tenth century Viking navigator and discoverer of Greenland, Eric the Red. Erik is an alternate spelling and the preferred form of the name across much of Europe.
  8. Everard
    • Origin:

      English spelling variation of Eberhard
    • Meaning:

      "hardy"
    • Description:

      An older form of Everett that stays closer to its Germanic roots. Distinguished Everard is the name of several historical figures and literary characters, including a minor hobbit in The Lord of the Rings. Yet, even now that Ever- names are the height of style, Everard hasn't been seen on the charts for decades.
  9. Else
    • Embla
      • Freja
        • Origin:

          Swedish and Danish
        • Meaning:

          "lady, noblewoman"
        • Description:

          One of the most popular names in Scandinavia, Freja--or Freyja--was a major deity of Norse paganism. Beautiful, blonde and blue-eyed, she was the goddess of love, beauty and fertility. In the US, the name is most likely spelled Freya.
      • Frey
        • Origin:

          Scandinavian
        • Meaning:

          "lord, exalted one"
        • Description:

          Frey is the handsome Norse fertility god, a worthy namesake. Frey remains rare in the US even as the similar Freya picks up in popularity.
      • Frida
        • Origin:

          German
        • Meaning:

          "peace"
        • Description:

          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, especially in Denmark and Norway. The Frieda and Freida spellings were more popular in the US until the middle of the 20th century.
      • Gerda
        • Origin:

          Scandinavian
        • Meaning:

          "enclosure, stronghold"
        • Description:

          Mythological goddess of fertility whose name seems, ironically, among the least attractive.
      • Gunnar
        • Origin:

          Scandinavian variation of Gunther
        • Meaning:

          "bold warrior"
        • Description:

          A key figure in Norse legend and a traditional Scandinavian favorite making inroads here.
      • Gustav
        • Origin:

          Teutonic
        • Meaning:

          "staff of the Goths"
        • Description:

          Gray-bearded name heard primarily in Sweden and Germany.
      • Gyda
        • Haldor
          • Origin:

            Norse
          • Meaning:

            "Thor's stone"
          • Description:

            This, like many Norse and Scandinavian names, remains icebound, though with the unexpected rise of such ancient Scandinavian mythology names as Odin, Thor, and Freya, we may see Haldor rise again.
        • Harold
          • Origin:

            Scandinavian
          • Meaning:

            "army ruler"
          • Description:

            The name of the last Anglo-Saxon king of England before the Norman conquest, and a name that's long been associated with a pipe-smoking, bespectacled grandpa or uncle.
        • Hedda
          • Origin:

            Scandinavian, diminutive of Hedvig
          • Description:

            Hedda is a card-carrying member of the league of older, slightly bohemian urban names like Nedda, Andra, and Petra; also linked to Ibsen heroine Hedda Gabler, as well as being the basis of cruel joke names like Hedda Hare.