Viking Names for Men & Women
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Women's Viking Names
- ASTRID
- BERTRADE
- BRUNHILDE
- ERIKA
- GUDRUN
- HEDDA
- HILDE
- HOLDA
- INGEBORG
- INGRID
- KLOTHILDE
- MATHILDA
- SIGRID
- SOLVEIG
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Viking Names Male
- AMALRIK
- BJÖRN
- DITMAR
- ERLING
- FOLKER
- GERNOT
- GUNTER
- GUSTAF
- HERULF
- KNUT
- LOTHAR
- MANFRED
- OLAF
- ROLF
- THOR
Here is the list of the most prestigious Viking names
Built in Norse or Germanic language, the Nordic and Scandinavian mythology is the one we assimilate to the History of the Vikings coming from the peoples in the north of Germany. It is a mixture of religion, beliefs and legends. The Viking names are those of the fighting men and women who animate this imagination. They are still found today in Normandy, in first names, surnames and place names.
FEMALE VIKING NAMES
ASTRID
The first name Astrid is a derivative of "Ássfriđr", an Old-Norwegian name composed of "áss" meaning "god" and "friđr" meaning "beautiful". It means "beautiful goddess". In Scandinavian, " the divine rider ", " the walkyrie ". The Astrid are celebrated on February 28th. Under this first name, we know Astrid, one of the Walkyries in antiquity; Astrid, the mother of the King of Norway, Olaf Tryggvason; Astrid, the wife of Saint Olaf; Astrid, born in 1905, the daughter of Charles of Sweden, and wife of King Leopold of Belgium, who died tragically in a car accident in 1935 and mother of King Baudouin and King Albert II of Belgium.
Popularity of the first name Astrid: in France and according to INSEE, the first name Astrid was given 16,582 times between 1927 and 2015.
BERTRADE
The first name Bertrade is a derivative of Berthe of Frankish origin, from the Germanic "bert" meaning "brilliant" or "illustrious". It means "the brilliant counsellor". Under this first name, Bertrade, daughter of Simon the Bald, Count of Evreux and Montfort-l'Amaury, married Hugues, the fifth Viscount of Bayeux, before 1171. She was declared dead before 1181.
Popularity of the first name Bertrade: according to INSEE, this name is not represented in France.
BRUNHILDE
The first name Brunhilde from the Frankish Germanic "brunja" meaning "armour" or "armour" and "hild" meaning "fight". It means "the armoured warrior". The Brunhilde are celebrated on 7 November. Under this first name, we know Brunehilde or Brunehaut (534-613), wife of Sigebert, king of Austrasia, famous for her tragic rivalry with Frédégonde. She was put to death by Clotaire II, son of her rival, who had her tied to the tail of an untamed horse. Let us not forget Brunehilde, the most famous of the Walkyries, daughter of Odin, she was loved by Siegfried.
Popularity of the forename Brunhilde: in France, in Normandy, used in the Cotentin region, this forename was registered in Saint-Lô (Manche) on 11 January 1945 and according to INSEE, the forename Brunhilde was given 107 times between 1908 and 2015.
ERIKA
The first name Erika is derived from Erik, from the Germanic "aina" meaning "whole" or "one" and "rik" meaning "powerful" or "sovereign". The Erika are celebrated on 9 August. Under this name, we know Erika Kohut, the heroine of the French film "La Pianiste" by Michael Haneke (2001) based on the novel by Elfriede Jelinek.
Popularity of the first name Erika: in France, in Lower Normandy, this first name was registered in Cherbourg on October 4, 1975 and in Bayeux on April 8, 1981. According to INSEE, the first name Erika was given 9,864 times between 1900 and 2015.
GUDRUN
The first name Gudrun comes from the Germanic "gund" meaning "fight" and "runô" meaning "magic", "mystery" or "secret". It means "keeping the secret in battle", "the secret of the gods". In Scandinavia, the Gudrun are celebrated on July 21. Under this name, we know Gudrun, the heroine of a German epic tale, written around 1230, which served as a model for Cinderella.
Popularity of the first name Gudrun: Although not very common, it is still used in Germany and Scandinavia at the beginning of the 21st century. In France and according to INSEE, the first name Gudrun was given 33 times between 1941 and 1944.
HEDDA
The first name Hedda is a diminutive of Hedwidge from the Germanic "had" meaning "a battle" and "wig" meaning "combat", often confused with "wiha" meaning "sacred". It means "in battle and in battle". Under this name, we know "Hedda Gabler", a Norwegian play in four acts by Henrik Ibsen. It was written in 1890 and premiered on January 31, 1891 at the Residenztheater in Munich (Germany), then in Oslo (Norway); Hedda Hopper, born in Hollidaysburg (Pennsylvania, USA) on May 2, 1890, American actress, columnist and echo writer who died in Hollywood (Los Angeles, California) on 1ᵉʳ February 1966.
Popularity of the first name Hedda: according to INSEE, this name is not represented in France.
HILDE
The first name Hilde is a variant of Hilda, from the Germanic "hild" which means "fight". Hilde De Reuse, a Belgian microbiologist and partner of the Pasteur Institute, is known by this name.
Popularity of the forename Hilde: in France, by the law of 11 Germinal year XI (1 April 1803), this forename could be entered in the civil status registers used to record births. In Lower Normandy, it was attributed to Cherbourg (Manche) on 2 October 1954 and according to INSEE, the forename Hilde was attributed 495 times between 1900 and 2002.
HOLDA
The first name Holda is of Frankish origin and means "favourable", "gracious", "forgiving" or "the benevolent protector". The Holda are celebrated on 10 April. Under this name, we know Holda, a goddess of Germanic antiquity, supernatural manager of spinning, childbirth and pets. She is also associated with winter, witches and fantasy hunting. Her name is related to certain Scandinavian beings such as the "Huldres", a people of Norwegian supernatural beings or the völva "Huld", a woman practising the ancient shamanic rites of the pagan religion. "Holda the benevolent protector" was depicted by the illustrator Friedrich Wilhelm Heine in 1882.
Popularity of the name Holda: still used in Scandinavia. According to INSEE, this name is not represented in France.
INGEBORG
The first name Ingeborg comes from the Germanic Inge, the name of a deity and "burg" meaning "fortress" or "protection". In Scandinavia, the Ingeborg are celebrated on 30 July. Several princesses of Sweden are known by this name, for example, Ingeborg of Denmark (1176-1236), daughter of Valdemar I, she married Philip Augustus, King of France. In literature, we should mention Ingeborg, the heroine of the Frithjof legend "Fritjofsage", composed in the 14th century and translated into classical German in 1826.
Popularity of the first name Ingeborg: in France, in Lower Normandy, this first name was registered in Cherbourg (Manche) on 29 September 1975 and according to INSEE, the first name Ingeborg was given 177 times between 1904 and 1951.
INGRID
The first name Ingrid comes from the Germanic "ing", which means "ing", the name of filiation, and "fridh" which means "beloved" or "beautiful". It means "the young rider" or "the rider of the god Ing, god of prosperity". The Ingrids are celebrated on 2 September. Under this name, we know Ingrid, royal princess, descendant of the King of Sweden, Knut Lange, who founded a monastery in Skänningen, province of Ostergötland in Sweden, with the first Dominican missionaries. She died prioress there in 1282. Let us not forget Ingrid Bergman, born in 1917, famous actress in "The Night of Walpurgis" by Gustaf Edgren in 1935 and who died in 1982.
Popularity of the first name Ingrid: attested as early as the 11th century in England, Germany and Austria, it is still popular in the Scandinavian countries. In 1925, it was ranked 5th among Swedish women's first names. In France, in Lower Normandy, it was recorded in Cherbourg (Manche) on October 8, 1977 and August 29, 1980. And according to INSEE, the first name Ingrid was given 27,797 times between 1941 and 2015.
KLOTHILDE
The first name Klothilde is a variant of Clotilde, from Germanic, "hlod" meaning "glory" or "fame" or "fame" and "hilde" meaning "fight". It means "the one who carries the glory". In Scandinavia, the Klothilde are celebrated on June 7 and in Germany on June 4. Under this first name, we know Klothilde Meier, born in Wolnzach (Bavaria, Germany) on October 22, 1894, associate professor at the University of Hamburg and director of the Balneological Institute, a scientific branch of the University of Hamburg in Bad Oeynhausen.
Popularity of the first name Klothilde: it is still used in Scandinavia. According to INSEE, this first name is not represented in France.
MATHILDA
The first name Mathilda is of Frankish origin, from the Germanic "maht", meaning "power" or "vigour" and "hild", translating as "fight". Mathilda's are celebrated on March 14th. Under this first name we know Mathilda Bernmark, a Swedish model. Also Mathilda Lando, a fictional character in the film "Leon" played by Natalie Portman.
Popularity of the name Mathilda: a great name in the Middle Ages in Germany and France. Between the 10th and 11th centuries, Mathilda was one of the most common baptismal names. It was very popular in Normandy. In France, it is an affective use of the Latin or pseudo-Latin form of Mathilda and it remained very common at the beginning of the 20th century. According to INSEE, the first name Mathilda was given 3,317 times between 1901 and 2015.
SIGRID
The first name Sigrid comes from the old Scandinavian Norwegian word "sigr" meaning "victory" and "friõr" meaning "beautiful". It means "beautiful victory". In Scandinavia, the Sigrid are celebrated on January 7. Under this name, we know in Germanic mythology, Sigrid, one of the Walkyries, she was responsible for leading the warriors who perished in battle at the Odin Wotan Hall. In the legend, Sigrid Storrada, is called Sigrid the Beautiful, in the Nordic sagas of the Middle Ages. Finally, Sigrid was the daughter of King Erik XIV, King of Sweden from 1560 to 1568.
Popularity of the first name Sigrid: attested since antiquity, this name of Scandinavian resonance was already widespread in England in the twelfth century. In France, in Lower Normandy, it was recorded in Cherbourg (Manche) on February 16, 1971 and on July 18, 1976, in Bayeux (Calvados) on June 21, 1983. According to INSEE, the first name Sigrid was given 1,311 times between 1904 and 2015.
SOLVEIG
The first name Solveig comes from the Germanic "sol" which means "the sun" or "salr" which is translated as "house" and "veig" showing "strength", "power" or "combat". It means "the path of the sun or the house of strength". The Solveigs are celebrated on 3 September. Under this name is Solveig, a character from Henrik Ibsen's drama "Peer Gynt" (1867), for which Edvard Grieg composed the incidental music in 1875.
Popularity of the first name Solveig: it was used exclusively in Norway for several centuries. It tends to spread in France, as well as in the Netherlands and Germany. In France, this first name was recorded in Cherbourg (Manche) on 5 February 1964, 20 July 1966, 11 May 1968, 23 October 1989 and 11 September 2000. According to INSEE, the forename Solveig was given 1,321 times between 1950 and 2015.
Mne's Viking Names
AMALRIK
The first name Amalrik, of Frankish and Gothic origin, comes from the Germanic "amal" meaning "toil" or "work", a root that owes its success to the Visigoth kings Amalis and "riK" translated as "powerful". It means "strong in battle". The Amalrik are celebrated on 1 March. Amalrik Dumas, a photographer, director and editor for French television, is known by this name.
Popularity of the first name Amalrik: according to INSEE, this medieval name is not represented in France.
BJÖRN
The first name Björn, from the old Norwegian "bjǫrn" Latinized Biornus, is a name of Scandinavian origin translated as "bear". It means "strong as a bear". Björn Borg, born on 6 June 1956, is a Swedish tennis player and Björn Daehlie, Norway's most successful cross-country skier in history, having won eight Olympic gold medals and nine world championships.
Popularity of the first name Björn: in France, in 1963, it was refused in Mulhouse (Haut-Rhin, France), but was attributed to Cherbourg (Manche, France) on 23 December 1971 and according to INSEE, the first name Björn was attributed 118 times between 1971 and 2015.
DITMAR
The first name Ditmar is of Frankish origin. It means "famous among the people". The Ditmar are celebrated on the 17th of May. The German footballer Ditmar Jakobs, born in Oberhausen (Germany) on 25 August 1953, is known by this name.
Popularity of the first name Ditmar: according to INSEE, this name is not represented in France.
ERLING
The first name Erling means "of noble descent". Under this first name Erling Skakke is known as a Jarl, a Norwegian count of the XIIᵉ century. He is the father of King Magnus V of Norway, who ruled the country from 1161 to 1184; Erling Persson, born in Borlänge (Sweden) on 21 January 1917, a Swedish entrepreneur, who died in Stockholm (Sweden) on 28 October 2002; Erling Kagge, born on 15 January 1963, a Norwegian explorer and adventurer.
Popularity of the first name Erling: it is still used in Scandinavia, particularly in Denmark. According to INSEE, this first name is not represented in France.
FOLKER
The first name Folker is a variant of Volker, which comes from the Franconian language "folk-hari", from the Germanic "volk" meaning "people" and "hari" meaning "army". It means "warrior", "man of the people". In Scandinavia, the Folker are celebrated on April 27th and in Germany they are celebrated on March 7th.
Popularity of the first name Folker: according to INSEE, this name is not represented in France.
GERNOT
The first name Gernot is of Frankish origin and comes from the Germanic terms "ger" meaning "spear" and "hnôtôn" meaning "to brandish". It means "fighter who brandishes the stake". The Gernot are celebrated on 24 May. Under this first name, we know Gernot, the brother of Gunther and Kriemhilde in "The Song of the Nibelungen", he is king of Burgundy and killed in a duel by Count Rüdiger; Gernot Rohr, born in Mannheim (Germany) a German football player converted coach.
Popularity of the first name Gernot: according to INSEE, this name is not represented in France.
GUNTER
The first name Gunter is a variant of Gunther which is of Frankish origin from the Germanic terms "gund" meaning "combat" and "hari" translating pat "army". It means "lord", "fighter" or "warrior". Fritz Gunter Sachs, born on 14 November 1932 in Mainberg (near Schweinfurt, Germany), multi-millionaire businessman, photographer and top sportsman, died in Gstaad (Switzerland) on 7 May 2011.
Popularity of the first name Gunter: in France and according to INSEE, the first name Gunter was attributed 99 times between 1918 and 1991.
GUSTAF
The first name Gustaf is a variant of Gustav which comes from the Germanic "gunnr" meaning "fight" and "stafr" meaning "wand" or "stick". It means "support of the divinity". Under this first name, we know Gustaf Vasa (1496-1560), King of Sweden; Gustaf Skarsgård, a Swedish actor who is particularly known for his role as Floki in the successful series "Vikings".
Popularity of the first name Gustaf: according to INSEE, this name is not represented in France.
HERULF
The first name Herulf means "the wolf of the army". Under this name we know St. Herulf, who was born in the diocese of Augsburg in Germany and became a Benedictine nun in St. Gallen in Switzerland. He founded Ellwangen Abbey in 764 and was Bishop of Langres before he died in 785.
Popularity of the first name Herulf: according to INSEE, this name is not represented in France.
KNUT
The first name Knut comes from the Old-Norwegian "Knútr" which is a trade name in reference to the canuts. The Knut are celebrated on 19 January and 10 July. Under this name we know Knut I of Denmark; Knut II of Denmark, known as Knut the Great or Canut the Great, also king of England and Norway (c. 994-1035); Knut III of Denmark, known as Hardeknud or Harthacanute, also king of England, son of the previous one (c. 1018-1042); Knut IV of Denmark (c. 1040-1086), saint of the Christian churches, he was massacred by William the Conqueror in 1086. He was canonized as a martyr in 1118; Knut V of Denmark (1130-1157); Knut VI of Denmark (1163-1202); Knut I of Sweden (c. 1143-1196) and finally Knut II of Sweden (died in 1234); Knut of York died in 900.
Popularity of the first name Knut: used particularly in Denmark. On Swiss territory, this first name is found in German-speaking Switzerland. According to the INSEE, this forename is not represented in France.
LOTHAR
The first name Lothar is a variant of Lothar, which comes from the Germanic compound of "hlod", which means "famous" or "illustrious" and "hart", which is translated as "army" or "strong". The Lothar are celebrated on April 7, in Germany on June 15 or December 30. Under this first name we know Lothar Matthäus, born in Erlangen (Germany) on 21 March 1961, a German footballer who became a coach. In the arts, the German photographer Lothar Wolleh. In the field of arts, the German officer Lothar von Arnauld de la Périère, and finally, in the field of leisure time, the German chess grandmaster Lothar Schmid.
Popularity of the first name Lothar: this name is still used in Germany, USA and Scandinavia. In France and according to the INSEE, the first name Lothar was given 69 times between 1910 and 2002.
MANFRED
The first name Manfred is of Frankish origin, it comes from the Germanic "man" meaning "a man" and "fried" meaning "the protector". It therefore means "protective man". In Scandinavia, the Manfred are celebrated on January 18th. Under this name, we know Manfred of Sicily, born in 1232, son of Emperor Frederick II of Hohenstaufen, he defended his kingdom against Charles I of Anjou and fought against the papacy.
Popularity of the name Manfred: very popular among the ancient Normans, it was spread by the Normans in France and Italy, especially in Sicily. This first name remains at the origin of certain Norman surnames such as Manfroy. It is still used in Scandinavia. In France and according to INSEE, the first name Manfred was attributed 652 times between 1913 and 2013.
OLAF
The first name Olaf comes from the ancient common Scandinavian but especially from the ancient Norse and the ancient Swedish "óleifr" or "ólafr" and the Anglo-Scandinavian "anlaf" and "unlof", from the root "ãnu" which means "ancestor" and the noun "leif" which means "an inheritance". It can also be derived from the Germanic "anu" meaning "ancestor" and from "laib" meaning "descendant" or "left behind". It means "inheritance of the ancestors". The Olaf are celebrated on 29 July. Under this first name, we know several kings of Denmark and Norway, including Olaf Haraldson of Norway, born in 995, son of King Harald of Norway, he was solicited by Richard II, his ally in the war against Eude of Chartres. From Norway, he went to Rouen where he stayed for several months. It was during this stay that he converted to Christianity in 1010 and later became Saint Olaf. King in 1015, he fought against paganism in his country. He had to go into exile and, on his return, he died fighting Knud the Great in 1030. He is considered a national hero.
Popularity of the first name Olaf: typically Slavic, this name often appears in the Scandinavian-Western linguistic field and in Sweden under the aspect "óleifr". Very common in Iceland, Norway and Sweden, it is less common in Denmark. In the British Isles where Scandinavians settled, it is recorded in Scotland in the 10th century, in Ireland between the 9th and 11th centuries and in the Isle of Man in the 11th century. The Domesday Book lists it in England from the 10th and 11th centuries onwards in the primitive forms "Anlaf", "Onlaf" and anglicized "Unlaf" or "Unlof". In France, in Lower Normandy, it is attested in Cherbourg (Manche), on April 23rd, 1939. It is also recorded in Saint-Lô (Manche), on July 8, 1973. In Upper Normandy, the only example provided by the old archives places this appellation in the Pays de Caux in the form of "Hunlof". In France, by the law of 11 Germinal year XI (1st April 1803), it could be registered on the civil status registers intended to record births but remained very rare. According to INSEE, the first name Olaf was attributed 104 times between 1948 and 2012.
ROLF
The first name Rolf comes from the ancient common Scandinavian "hrólfr" or "rólfr", contracted forms of "hródulfr", composed of the two nouns "hródr" meaning "fame" and "ulfr" translating as "wolf" or the Germanic "hrod" meaning "glory" or "fame" and "wolf" translating as "wolf". It means "the wolf or the renowned warrior". In Scandinavia, Rolf is celebrated on June 26th or July 27th. Under this name, we know Rollon, son of Count Ragnwald, Viking chieftain. His name was in fact Hrôlf Ganger, a name that was latinized into Rollo or Rollon, then francized into Robert. He left Norway and at the head of the Normans, he entered Neustria in the year 908. At that time, Charles the Simple governed the kingdom of France. The transfer of the Neustrie to Rollon took place in the year 912 in Saint-Clair-sur-Epte. In 913, the Neustrie became Normandy, of which Rollon was the first duke. This character is considered as the founder of Normandy, since in 918, in a charter, Charles the Simple designates Rollo as the leader of the "Normans of the Seine". The memory of the Scandinavian name was still alive at the beginning of the 11th century since around 1024, an act of his great-grandson, Richard II, designated him by the Nordic name Rolphus. He died in 932 and is buried in Rouen.
Popularity of the first name Rolf: from the 8th to the 11th century, this name was very common in Iceland, but also in Denmark, Norway and Sweden. It is still used in Scandinavia. In the British Isles, in the 11th century, it is recorded in the Norwegian colonies of Orkney. In 10th and 11th century England, Rolf is mentioned in the Domesday book. In France and according to INSEE, the first name Rolf was given 286 times between 1907 and 1979.
THOR
The first name Thor comes from the Scandinavian Thôrr, which is a name of divinity. The Thor's are celebrated on July 8th. Under this name we know Thor, which in Scandinavian mythology represents the warrior function. Son of Odin and Jord, he was often called the master of lightning. He was the Latin equivalent of Mars. More recently, let us not forget Thor Heyerdahl, born in Larvik (Norway) on 6 October 1914, Norwegian anthropologist, archaeologist and navigator. He became famous in 1947 following his expedition on his raft the "Kon-Tiki", for an attempt to rally the Polynesian islands on a raft from the coast of South America to explain the settlement of Oceania. He died in Colla Micheri (Italy) on 18 April 2002.
Popularity of the first name Thor: in France, this name is attested in Envronville (Seine-Maritime), July 22, 1813. It became fashionable again in the 19th century. According to INSEE, between 1900 and 2015, this name is not represented in France.
