Hunting for a name that screams strength, loyalty, and adventure? You have landed in the right longship. Choosing a moniker for your baby is tough, but looking to the North for inspiration opens up a wealth of powerful options.
Viking names are more than just ancient labels; they carry the spirit of explorers, shield maidens, and gods. Whether you want to honor your Scandinavian heritage or simply want a name that sounds tough as nails, we have you covered.
Grab your helmet and keep reading to discover the most legendary Viking names for your little warrior.
100 Medieval Viking Names (With Meanings)
Voyage with us to uncover some of the most epic Old Norse names for baby boys and girls.
Viking Names for Girls
- Åsa: A short, dreamy Old Norse name meaning “goddess,” still quietly used across Scandinavia today.
- Astrid: Meaning “divinely beautiful,” Astrid carries the warmth of author Astrid Lindgren, who created Pippi Longstocking, and has been a fast-rising US pick in recent years.
- Birget: A sleek Scandinavian form of Birgitta meaning “strength,” often shortened to the breezy Britt.
- Brenna: Linked to the Old Norse brandr (“sword” or “fire”), Brenna feels both soft to say and sharp in meaning.
- Dagmar: Meaning “day maiden,” Dagmar was borne by a beloved 13th-century Danish queen, giving it genuine royal history.
- Dagny: Built from the Old Norse for “new day,” Dagny is bright, optimistic, and rarely heard outside Scandinavia.
- Erika: The feminine of Erik, meaning “eternal ruler,” and a longtime staple across Norway, Sweden, and Germany.
- Estrid: A medieval Danish form of Astrid meaning “divinely beautiful,” worn by an 11th-century Danish royal.
- Freja: Meaning “lady” or “noblewoman,” Freja honors the Norse goddess of love, beauty, and war; the Freya spelling now sits inside the top 20 for girls in England and Wales.
- Frida: Meaning “peace,” Frida is gentle and vintage, sharing roots with names like Frederica.
- Frigg: Straight from Norse myth, Frigg was Odin’s wife and queen of the gods, and her name links to “beloved.”
- Fylla: A rare Old Norse name tied to “fullness” or “plenty,” seldom found outside the Nordic countries.
- Gerda: Meaning “protection,” Gerda appears in Norse myth as the radiant giantess Gerðr and as the brave heroine of Andersen’s Snow Queen.
- Gertrud: Meaning “spear” and “strength,” Gertrud suits a little shield maiden, with the soft nickname Trudy in reach.
- Gull: A vintage Scandinavian name meaning “goddess,” and also the everyday Nordic word for “gold,” not the seabird.
- Gunhild: Joining the elements for “war” and “battle,” Gunhild was carried by Viking-age queens and reads as fearless.
- Hedda: Meaning “battle” or “warrior woman,” Hedda gained literary fame through Ibsen’s play Hedda Gabler.
- Helga: From the Old Norse heilagr, Helga means “holy” or “blessed,” the feminine twin of Helge.
- Hilda: Meaning “battle,” Hilda echoes the Valkyries and the medieval Saint Hilda of Whitby.
- Inga: Rooted in the god Ing (Yngvi), Inga reads as “protected by Ing,” warm and easy to wear.
- Ingrid: Meaning “Ing’s beauty,” Ingrid carries old-world elegance and the star power of actress Ingrid Bergman.
- Liv: Meaning “life” in Old Norse, Liv is a clean one-syllable choice with a bright, modern feel.
- Lovise: A Scandinavian form of Louise meaning “famous warrior,” soft on the ear but fierce underneath.
- Lykke: The Danish and Norwegian word for “happiness” or “good fortune,” used as a hopeful given name.
- Matilda: Meaning “mighty in battle,” Matilda blends nursery-rhyme charm with genuine warrior roots.
- Pedrine: A rare Scandinavian feminine of Peter meaning “rock” or “stone,” steady and unusual.
- Ragnhild: Pairing ragn (“divine counsel”) with hildr (“battle”), Ragnhild means “warrior” in spirit.
- Runa: The feminine of Rune, meaning “secret lore” or “hidden wisdom,” with a quiet, mystical pull.
- Saga: Saga was the Norse goddess linked to history and storytelling, making it a literary pick for a dreamer.
- Sif: In Norse myth, Sif is Thor’s golden-haired wife, and her name carries the sense of “kinship” or “bride.”
- Sigrid: Meaning “victory” and “beautiful,” Sigrid recalls the legendary queen Sigrid the Haughty.
- Solveig: A luminous Norwegian name read as “sun strength” or “daughter of the sun,” famous from Grieg’s Solveig’s Song.
- Svea: A poetic name for Sweden personified, derived from the Svear, the people who gave the country its name.
- Sylvi: A sweet Nordic short form tied to “sun strength,” a softer cousin to Solveig.
- Thyra: Meaning “dedicated to Thor,” Thyra was a powerful Danish queen credited with strengthening the Danevirke wall.
- Tora: A bright feminine form of Thor, carrying the thunder god’s energy in a softer key.
- Turid: A Norwegian saga name blending Thor with “beautiful,” common in the old stories but rare today.
- Ulvhild: Joining elements meaning “wolf” and “battle,” Ulvhild is bold and untamed.
- Una: Meaning “happy” or “content” in Old Norse, Una is short, sweet, and easy across many languages.
- Valkyrie: Meaning “chooser of the slain,” the Valkyries carried fallen warriors to Valhalla, a fierce mythic pick.
- Ylva: Meaning “she-wolf,” Ylva is one of the boldest Old Norse picks for a girl and still used in Sweden.
- Yrsa: An old saga name meaning “she-bear” or “wild,” rugged, primal, and rare.
Viking Names for Boys
- Åge: A warm Danish and Norwegian name meaning “ancestor,” honoring the family lines that came before.
- Åke: A Swedish name meaning “ancestor,” close kin to Åge and rooted in family pride.
- Alvar: A Swedish name meaning “elf warrior” or “elf army,” blending the magical with the martial.
- Arne: Meaning “eagle,” Arne is a sturdy Scandinavian short form with a soaring image behind it.
- Axel: A Scandinavian form of Absalom meaning “father is peace,” now a worldwide favorite with rock-and-roll swagger.
- Baldur: Baldr was the radiant Norse god of light and goodness, and his name suggests a “brave” or “princely” boy.
- Birger: A Swedish name meaning “helper” or “keeper,” worn by the medieval statesman Birger Jarl, founder of Stockholm.
- Bjørn: Meaning bear, Bjørn was the byname of Bjorn Ironside, a son of the legendary Ragnar.
- Bo: A short, lively Scandinavian name meaning “to live” or “resident,” easy on any tongue.
- Brandr: The Old Norse root behind Brandon, Brandr means “sword” or “fire,” fierce and elemental.
- Dag: Meaning “day” from the Old Norse dagr, Dag is crisp, bright, and refreshingly simple.
- Dane: A name marking Danish heritage, Dane is sleek and modern with deep Viking roots.
- Dustin: Sharing roots with Torsten, Dustin means “Thor’s stone,” a thunderous meaning in a familiar package.
- Egill: Tied to “awe” or “terror,” Egill was the warrior-poet hero of his own Icelandic saga, Egil’s Saga.
- Einarr: Meaning “lone warrior” or “one who fights alone,” Einarr is a proud, independent saga name.
- Erik: A classic name choice meaning “eternal ruler,” carried by Erik the Red, who settled Greenland.
- Finn: Meaning “a person from Finland” or “wanderer,” Finn is breezy, friendly, and popular worldwide.
- Folke: From the Old Norse for “people,” Folke shares its root with the everyday English word folk.
- Frej: A masculine form of Freja meaning “lord,” honoring Freyr, the Norse god of peace and good harvests.
- Frode: From Old Norse, Frode means “wise” or “learned,” a scholarly and gentle pick.
- Gorm: An old Danish name suggesting “awe” or “reverence,” worn by Gorm the Old, Denmark’s first historically recognized king.
- Gunner: A modern spelling of Gunnar meaning fighter or “bold warrior,” climbing fast in the US.
- Halfdan: Meaning “half-Danish,” Halfdan suited cross-cultural Viking sons and named several Norse kings.
- Harald: Meaning “army ruler,” Harald belonged to Harald Bluetooth, the Danish king whose nickname later named the wireless tech.
- Helge: Meaning “holy” or “blessed,” Helge is the masculine of Helga and a longstanding Norwegian name.
- Hjálmarr: Meaning “helmeted warrior,” Hjálmarr is battle-ready and steeped in saga tradition.
- Hrafn: Meaning “raven” in Old Norse, Hrafn evokes Odin’s wise birds Huginn and Muninn.
- Ingvar: Meaning “protected by Yngvi,” the fertility god, Ingvar was also the first name of IKEA’s founder, Ingvar Kamprad.
- Ivar: Rooted in the Old Norse for “yew bow,” hence “archer,” Ivar recalls Ivar the Boneless, a son of Ragnar.
- Jarl: Literally “earl” or “nobleman,” Jarl was a Viking rank of high command, fitting for a little leader.
- Kåre: A Norwegian name meaning “curly-haired” or “strong man,” simple yet distinctive.
- Knut: Meaning “knot,” Knut was the name of Cnut the Great, who ruled England, Denmark, and Norway at once.
- Leif: Meaning “heir” or “descendant,” Leif honors Leif Erikson, who likely reached North America around the year 1000.
- Loki: The shape-shifting trickster of Norse myth, Loki has a debated name that scholars link to “knot” or “tangle.”
- Magnus: Meaning “great” from Latin, Magnus was a royal Scandinavian name and stays a steadily used Scandinavian classic in the US today.
- Njål: The Norse form of the Celtic Niall, Njål means “champion” or “giant” and stars in Njáls saga.
- Odin: The all-father of Norse myth, Odin means “frenzy” or “inspiration,” a name of both poetry and battle.
- Örjan: A medieval Swedish form of George meaning “farmer” or “earth-worker,” rare and weathered.
- Ragnar: Meaning “warrior of judgment” or “army counsel,” Ragnar evokes the legendary chieftain Ragnar Lothbrok.
- Rune: Meaning “secret” or “hidden lore,” Rune nods to the carved Norse alphabet and its old magic.
- Sigfrid: Meaning “victory” and “peace,” Sigfrid is the Norse cousin of Siegfried, the dragon-slaying hero.
- Sixten: An Old Swedish name meaning “victory stone,” rugged and rarely seen outside Sweden.
- Sten: Meaning “stone” from the Old Norse steinn, Sten is short, solid, and unshakeable.
- Stig: Meaning “wanderer” or “path,” Stig is a lean Scandinavian name, also known from Top Gear’s masked driver.
- Suni: A tender Old Norse name meaning “son,” affectionate and rarely used today.
- Sven: Meaning “young man” or “young warrior,” Sven was borne by Sweyn Forkbeard, king of England and Denmark.
- Thor: Named for the hammer-wielding god of thunder, Thor is the boldest Norse name of them all.
- Torsten: Meaning “Thor’s stone,” Torsten fuses the thunder god with unbreakable strength.
- Torvald: Meaning “Thor’s ruler,” Torvald carries divine authority and also names the husband in Ibsen’s A Doll’s House.
- Trygve: Meaning “trustworthy,” Trygve was carried by Trygve Lie, the first Secretary-General of the United Nations.
- Ulf: Meaning simply “wolf,” Ulf is rugged, primal, and one of the oldest Norse names going.
- Viggo: From the Old Norse vig (“war”), Viggo is fierce yet stylish, shared by actor Viggo Mortensen.
- Yngvi: An ancient name for the god Freyr, Yngvi means “lord” and seeds the many Ing- names that follow it.
Unisex Viking Names
- Alva: From the Old Norse alfr, Alva means “elf,” light and a little magical for any child.
- Rikke: A Danish short form of Frederikke meaning “peaceful ruler,” friendly and gender-neutral.
- Selby: A Norse-English place name meaning “willow farm,” once a Viking settlement in Yorkshire.
- Sigge: A sweet Scandinavian nickname for names built on sig (“victory”), such as Sigrid or Sigurd.
- Viking: Bold and literal, Viking names a child straight after the Norse seafarers themselves.
FAQs
What Is a Good Viking Warrior Name?
Plenty of Norse names carry a fierce, battle-ready feel. For girls, Hedda, Lovise, and Ragnhild all suit a little shield-maiden. For boys, Hjálmarr, Torvald, and Gunnar sound every bit the warrior.
What Is the Most Common Viking Name?
Ragnar, Erik, and Leif rank among the most familiar male Viking names, and several are still heard across Scandinavia today. On the female side, Freja, Liv, and Sigrid remain popular modern picks.
How Did Vikings Choose Names?
Names often honored the gods (Thor or Ing), nodded to animals (Bjørn means bear), or captured a prized trait (Frida for peace). Naming a baby after a departed relative was also thought to pass that person’s luck and spirit on to the child.
Did Vikings Have Surnames?
Not the way we do today. They used a patronymic system, so a person’s second name pointed to their father. Leif Eriksson, for example, simply means “Leif, Erik’s son.”
