Scandinavian names and their meanings. Female names of Scandinavian origin

The champions of the strange nicknames of their rulers are, of course, the ancient Scandinavians. The harsh Vikings gave each other nicknames that “stuck” for life and served as a kind of mark by which a person was recognized. Interestingly, this tradition also applied to rulers.

Take, for example, Ragnar Lothbrok, known to many from the television series “Vikings”. "Lothbrok" ​​translates to "hairy trousers", which alludes to the item of clothing that Ragnar always wore before battle "for good luck". These pants were made of coarse wool, so they looked very shaggy. True, there is an opinion that “Lothbrok” is more correctly translated as “hairy ass”, but it is unlikely that even among the brave Vikings there would have been a madman who would have risked calling the ferocious king that way.

Sons of Ragnar had no less interesting nicknames: Sigurd the Snake-in-the-Eye (so nicknamed for his piercing “snake” look), Bjorn Ironside (received the nickname for his insensitivity to pain and the high-quality chain mail he wore) and Ivar the Boneless (notable for his incredible flexibility and dexterity ).

Norwegian king Elvir Detolyub received his nickname not for his perverted addictions, as one might think, but for an incredible act of humanism by Viking standards: he forbade his warriors... to impale children on spears for entertainment!

Harald I, King of Denmark and Norway, was nicknamed "Bluetooth" by his subjects. He received such a strange nickname because he loved to eat blueberries. However, a more plausible version sounds that Harald was nicknamed not Blatand (“Blue-toothed”), but Bletand (“Dark-haired”). WITH Harald Bluetooth a very interesting fact is connected: it was named in his honor bluetooth technology, created by a Danish-Norwegian group of developers.

Rollon Pedestrian- the Viking Hrolf, who managed to conquer part of France and become the founder of the dynasty of the Dukes of Normandy. He received the nickname “Pedestrian” because he was so tall and heavy that not a single horse could withstand him as a rider for long. So Rollon had to walk.

King of Norway Eric I Bloodaxe earned such a terrifying prefix to his name for the fact that he consistently slaughtered his relatives, who could become his rivals in the fight for the throne. It is interesting that Erik still could not get to one of his brothers, Hakon, who overthrew him. Obviously, in comparison with Eric, even the stern Hakon looked like a real charmer and, in contrast, received the nickname “Kind”.

Few people know the following interesting fact: during his lifetime, King William I of England was often called William the Bastard(behind the scenes, of course) than the Conqueror (as they say in school textbooks). The fact is that he was the illegitimate son of the Norman Duke Robert. By the way, Wilhelm’s father also bore a very eloquent nickname - the Devil. There were rumors about Robert the Devil that even before his birth his soul was promised to Satan.

Byzantine Emperor Constantine V bore the very dissonant nickname “Kopronim” (“Dirty-Called”) because, as a baby, during his baptism he shit directly into the font.

Emperor of Byzantium, Vasily II, in 1014 defeated the Bulgarian army at the Battle of Strymon. 15 thousand Bulgarians were captured, whose eyes were gouged out by order of the Byzantine ruler. For every hundred blinded, only one “lucky” guide was left (he only had one eye gouged out). For his sadistic cruelty towards prisoners, Vasily II received the nickname “Bulgarian Slayer”.

The Grand Duke of Vladimir Vsevolod earned the nickname "Big Nest" for being the father of 12 children: 8 sons and 4 daughters.

King of England John (John) Plantagenet due to his short-sighted policy, he lost all his possessions in France and his authority among the English knighthood. For this he was given a mocking nickname - “Landless”. Also, due to the constant defeats of the king, they teased “Softsword” - "Soft Sword" It's interesting that this is so in medieval England called impotent. However, in the case of John the Landless, such an interpretation of the nickname is unfounded - the king had 2 legitimate sons and 9 bastards, as well as 6 daughters - 3 legitimate and 3 illegitimate. Evil tongues said that making children was the only thing the monarch was good at. John's authority was so low that not a single English ruler anymore called his heirs by this name.

King of Bohemia and Hungary Ladislav received the nickname "Pogrobok" because he was born 4 months after sudden death his father from dysentery.

In the XVII-beginning 18th century ruler of Japan was Tokugawa Tsunayoshi, popularly nicknamed the “Dog Shogun.” Tsunayoshi forbade the killing of stray dogs and ordered them to be fed at public expense. It is interesting that the dog’s diet under this shogun was much richer than the peasant’s diet. By decree of the ruler, street dogs could only be addressed as “noble master,” and violators were beaten with sticks. True, after the death of the shogun, his “dog lobby” ceased to operate.

French king Louis Philippe d'Orléans received the nickname “Pear” because over the years his figure began to resemble this particular fruit. In addition, the French word “lapoire” (“pear”) has a second meaning - “moron.” In general, it is not difficult to guess how much the French loved this king of theirs.

What do we know about the names that the Vikings gave to their children?

Names of defenders among the Scandinavians

Often, parents gave a name to their newborn that would embody the qualities that they would like to see when the child grows up and matures. For example, male names for boys who were supposed to become protectors of the family, clan and community:

• Beinir - Beinir (helper),
• Skúli - Skuli (defender),
• Högni - Högni (protector),
• Birgir - Birgir (assistant),
• Jöðurr - Yodur (protector),
• Uni - Uni (friend, satisfied).
• Eiðr - Eid (oath),
• Leifr - Leif (heir),
• Tryggvi - Tryggvi (faithful, reliable),
• Óblauðr - Oblaud (brave and brave),
• Ófeigr - Ofeig (not doomed to death, one might say happy),
• Trausti - Trausti (one who is trustworthy, reliable),
• Þráinn - Train (persistent),

Female names for girls, which also personified future protectors and helpers of the family and the entire clan:

• Bót - Bot (help, assistance),
• Erna - Erna (skillful),
• Björg - Björg (salvation, protection),
• Una - Una (friend, satisfied).

Of course, popular names for boys were names that meant physical and spiritual strength, courage, fortitude, endurance, that is, the qualities of a real man, a real warrior. And the owner of such a name must confirm it and have the same quality that his name meant.

Male names:

• Gnúpr - Gnup (steep mountain),
• Halli - Halli (stone, pebble),
• Kleppr - Klepp (mountain, rock),
• Steinn - Stein (stone),
• Múli - Muli (cape),
• Knjúkr - Knyuk (peak),
• Tindr - Tind (peak),
• Knútr - Whip (knot).

Female name: Hallótta - Hallotta (rocky). After all, girls could also be not only skilled housewives, but also excellent warriors.

When selecting and coming up with a name for the baby, parents were guided by various principles and desires for the future characteristics of their child, his destiny. For example, wishing a child love and good luck, a high position in society, they named their baby or baby accordingly. For example, happy parents could name their daughter like this:

• Ljót - Ljot (bright and light),
• Birta - Birta (bright),
• Dalla - Dalla (brightness),
• Fríðr - Frid (beautiful and beloved),
• Friða - Frida (beautiful),
• Ósk - Osk (desire, desired),
• Ölvör - Elver (lucky),
• Heiðr - Heid (glory).

The boys were called:

• Dagr - Dag (day),
• Teitr - Tate (cheerful),
• Dýri - Dyuri (dear and beloved),
• Ölvir - Elvir (happy),
• Harri - Harri (ruler),
• Sindri - Sindri (spark),
• Bjartr - Bjart (bright).

Such names were not just that, wishing happiness to their child and giving him an appropriate name, parents seemed to direct the child on the path of happiness and good luck, and the happy life of even one representative of the family clan could promise good luck for the whole clan as a whole.

The times during the Viking Age in the Scandinavian countries were not easy; almost every man became, whether he wanted it or not, a real warrior in order to protect his family, his clan, his clan, his community from encroachments on the native lands of strangers. There were few fertile lands in Norway, but everyone needed it, so conflicts and wars periodically arose between the clans.

Every boy with early years studied the military craft in order to be able to protect himself and his loved ones, his land, therefore, names for boys (and girls too, because some of them could become excellent warriors) were often given names that would characterize him as a glorious warrior.

In addition, by carrying out raids, the Vikings enriched themselves, bringing slaves and gold to the family from the raid. After several raids, you can become a merchant and significantly improve the situation of the whole family, because money was needed at all times, and silver Arab dirham coins were found in Scandinavia quite a bit of. Therefore, the war was not only defensive. In addition, at all times, men have been associated with protection and weapons. The man is a warrior! A warlike character and fighting spirit for a boy, and then for a man, were not negative characteristics at that difficult time.

Names of Viking warriors and warriors

For example, there were such male names on the theme of a strong and courageous, glorious warrior:

• Hróðgeirr - Hrodgeir (spear of glory),
• Hróðketill - Hrodketill (helmet of glory),
• Bogi - Gods (bow),
• Hróðmarr - Hrodmar (renown of glory),
• Hróðný - Hrodnya (youth of glory),
• Hróðolfr - Hrodolf (wolf of glory, maybe a glorious wolf),
• Hróðgerðr - Hrodgerd (fence of glory),
• Brandr - Brand (sword),
• Hróðvaldr - Hroðvald (power of glory),
• Geirr - Geir (spear),
• Eiríkr - Eirik (very powerful and strong),
• Darri - Darri (throwing spear),
• Broddi - Broddi (point),
• Egill - Egil (blade),
• Gellir - Gellir (loud or sword),
• Gyrðir - Gyurdir (girt with a sword),
• Klœngr - Kleng (claw),
• Naddr - Nadd (point or spear),
• Oddi - Oddi (point) or Oddr - Odd (also point),
• Vígi - Vigi (fighter),
• Óspakr - Ospak (not peaceful, warlike),
• Vigfúss - Vigfus (warlike, eager to fight and kill),
• Ósvífr - Osvivr (merciless),
• Styrmir - Styurmir (formidable, even stormy),
• Sörli - Sörli (in armor),
• Þiðrandi - Tidrandi (looker, observer),
• Styrr - Styur (battle),
• Ulf - Ulf or Wulf (wolf)
• Uggi - Ugg (scary),
• Agnarr - Agnar (diligent or formidable warrior),
• Einarr - Einar (a lone warrior who always fights alone).
• Öndóttr - Andott (terrible).
• Hildr - Hild (female name, means battle). Often Hild was integral part various female names.

Names that symbolized protection:

• Hjalmr - Hjalm (helmet),
• Ketill - Ketil (helmet),
• Hjalti - Hjalti (sword hilt),
• Skapti - Skafti (weapon hilt),
• Skjöldr - Skjold (shield), Ørlygr - Erlyug (shield),
• Hlíf - Khliv (female name, meaning shield),
• Brynja - Brynja (female name, meaning chain mail).

Sig— and Sigr—meant victory or battle. There were quite a few compound names with this component, both male and female:

• Sigarr - Cigar (warrior of victory or battle, combat),
• Sigbjörn - Sigbjörn (battle bear),
• Sigfúss - Sigfus (ardent bright battle),
• Sigfinnr - Sigfinn (Finn of battle, warlike Finn),
• Sigvaldi - Sigvaldi (ruler or ruler of victory),
• Siggeirr - Siggeir (spear of victory),
• Sigsteinn - Sigstein (victory stone),
• Sigtryggr - Sigtrygg (victory is certain),
• Sighvatr - Sighvat (victory of the brave),
• Sigurðr - Sigurd (guardian of victory, perhaps guardian of battle),
• Sigmundr - Sigmund ( hand of victory),
• Signý - Signy (female name, meant new victory),
• Sigrfljóð - Sigrfljod (female name, meaning: girl of victory),
• Sigþrúðr - Sigtruda (also a female name, meaning: strength of battle),
• Sigrún - Sigrun (feminine name, meaning: rune or secret of battle or victory).

Name - amulet

Very often, both in Scandinavia of the Viking Age and in Kievan Rus, children were called amulets in order to protect the child from evil forces. In those early days, names denoting certain animals and birds were quite numerous. Some named their children after the animal so that the child would inherit its properties from it, for example, speed of reaction, dexterity, grace and others. In this case, this animal, the bird, even became a talisman and protector of the child from evil forces and twists of fate for the rest of his life. Pagan beliefs spoke of the close connection between man and all living things, Live nature was in harmony with humans for a very long time, people drew strength from plants and animals. There was such a symbolic connection between a person and the animal whose name he bears.

Male animal amulets names:

• Ari - Ari or Örn - Ern (eagle),
• Birnir and Björn - Birnir and Björn (bear),
• Bjarki - Bjarki (bear cub),
• Ormr - Orm (serpent),
• Gaukr - Gauk (cuckoo),
• Brúsi - Brusi (goat),
• Hjörtr - Hjort (deer),
• Hreinn - Hrein ( reindeer),
• Haukr - Hauk (hawk),
• Hrútr - Hrut (ram),
• Mörðr - Murd (marten),
• Hrafn - Hrafn, Hravn (raven),
• Ígull - Igul (hedgehog),
• Svanr - Svan (swan),
• Ulf - Ulf or Wulf (wolf)
• Refr - Rav (fox),
• Hundi - Hundi (dog),
• Starri - Starry (starling),
• Valr - Val (falcon),
• Uxi - Uxi (ox),
• Ýr - Ir (tourist).

Female animal amulets names:

• Bera or Birna - Bera or Birna (bear),
• Rjúpa - Ryupa (rock partridge),
• Erla - Erla (wagtail),
• Mæva - Meva (sea gull),
• Hrefna - Hrevna (crow),
• Svana - Svana (swan).

The birch tree is also considered a strong name-amulet, therefore both men and women were called by the name of the birch: Birkir or Björk - Birkir or Björk (birch). And in Russian beliefs it was also believed that the birch tree could be not only female, but there was also a male gender: birch trees.

There were also such amulets as names:

• Heimir - Heimir (who has a house),
• Ófeigr - Ofeig (who is not doomed to death).

Viking nicknames

Not always a name given to the child at birth, remained with him for the rest of his life. Very often, Vikings received names and nicknames that were more suitable for them, which were more appropriate for them as adults. Such nicknames could complement the name, or could completely replace it. Nicknames in adulthood could be given to a Viking in accordance with his character, his occupation, his appearance (they could give a name based on his hair or eyes at the birth of a child as well), according to his social status and even his origin.

Nicknames that could have been given by parents at birth or by acquaintances, friends or fellow tribesmen in adulthood:

• Atli - Atli (rough),
• Kjötvi - Kjotvi (fleshy),
• Floki - Floki (curly, curly),
• Kolli - Collie (hairless),
• Fróði - Frodi (wise, learned),
• Greipr - Grape (the one with large and strong hands),
• Forni - Forni (ancient, old),
• Hödd - Hödd (a woman with a very beautiful hair),
• Grani - Grani (mustached),
• Höskuldr - Höskuld (gray-haired),
• Hösvir - Khosvir (gray-haired),
• Kára - Kara (curly),
• Barði - Bardi (bearded),
• Narfi - Narvi (thin and even skinny),
• Krumr - Krum (stooped),
• Skeggi - Skeggi (bearded man),
• Loðinn - Lodin (shaggy),
• Hrappr or Hvati - Hrapp or Hvati (fast, ardent),
• Rauðr - Raud (red),
• Reistr - Reist (straight and high),
• Lúta - Luta (stooped),
• Skarfr - Skarv (greedy),
• Gestr - Guest (guest),
• Sölvi - Sölvi (pale),
• Glum - Glum (dark-eyed),
• Hörðr - Hörd (a person from Hördaland in Norway),
• Snerrir - Snerrir (difficult, complex),
• Sturla - Sturla (impatient, emotional, restless).
• Gauti or Gautr - Gauti or Gaut (Gaut, Swede),
• Hálfdan - Halfdan (half-dan),
• Höðr - Höðr (a person from Hadaland in Norway),
• Smiðr - Smid (blacksmith),
• Skíði - Skidi (skier),
• Sveinn - Svein (youth, guy, boy, servant),
• Gríma - Grima (mask, helmet, night, possibly a name for a witch, sorceress or healer),
• Gróa (Gró) - Gro (plant worker, healer, healer, woman who dealt with herbs),
• Huld, Hulda - Huld, Hulda (secret, veil or even elven maiden).

Names for sorcerers, magicians, witches They also gave unique ones, based on their occupation.

• Kol - translated means black and even coal.
• Finna or finnr - translated means Finn or Finn (in ancient times they were considered good magicians, sorcerers, witches and sorcerers).
• Gríma - translated means mask, night.

In ancient times, the Vikings gave names and nicknames to those who practiced witchcraft and magic. in different ways combined the above-mentioned parts, for example, female names: Kolfinna and Kolgríma - Kolfinna and Kolgrima or male names: Kolfinnr or Kolgrímr - Kolfinn or Kolgrim.

Viking names after gods

The Vikings adhered to the ancient pagan belief of Asatru (loyalty to the Aesir), according to which there was a pantheon of gods who were ordinary people, but became gods for their heroism and perseverance, thanks to physical and spiritual strength. The Vikings and ancient Scandinavians took the gods as an example and wanted to be like them, as brave, strong, and beautiful, so the names were often associated with the gods, with the names of the main gods. Children in the Viking Age, in those distant pagan times, were called names that were associated with one or another god, thereby entrusting the fate of their child to him.

The following female names were dedicated to the god Yngvi - Frey:

• Inga - Inga,
• Freydís - Freydis (dis of Frey or Freya),
• Ingunn - Ingunn (satisfied, Ingvi's friend),
• Ingileif - Ingileiv (heiress of Ingvi),
• Ingigerðr - Ingigerd (protection of Ingvi),
• Ingvör (Yngvör) - Ingver (in charge of Yngvi),
• Yngvildr - Ingvild (battle of Yngvi).

Male names in honor of the gods:

• Ingi - Ingi,
• Ingimundr - Ingimund (hand of Ingvi),
• Freysteinn - Freystein (Freyr's stone),
• Ingimarr - Ingimar (glorious Ingvi - in the instrumental case),
• Ingjaldr - Ingjald (ruler with the help of Ingvi),
• Ingolfr - Ingolf (Ingvi the wolf),
• Ingvarr (Yngvarr) - Ingvar (warrior Yngvi).

In Iceland, and even in the Scandinavian countries (Denmark, Norway, Sweden), their children were most often dedicated to the god Thor.

Male names in honor of the god Thor:

• Torov - Thorir (male name, in honor of Thor),
• Þóralfr (Þórolfr) - Toralv or Thorolf (Thor's wolf),
• Þorbrandr - Thorbrand (Thor's sword),
• Þorbergr - Torberg (rock of the god Thor),
• Þorbjörn - Torbjorn (Thor's bear),
• Þorkell - Thorkell (Thor's helmet),
• Þorfinnr - Thorfinn (Thor Finn),
• Þórðr - Thord (protected by Thor),
• Þórhaddr - Torhadd (hair of the god Thor),
• Þorgeirr - Thorgeir (Spear of Thor),
• Þórarinn - Thorarin (hearth of the god Thor),
• Þorleifr - Thorleif (heir of Thor),
• Þorsteinn - Torstein (Thor's stone),
• Þóroddr - Thorodd (the tip of Thor),
• Þormóðr - Tormod (bravery of the god Thor),
• Þorviðr - Torvid (Thor's tree),
• Þórormr - Tororm (serpent of the god Thor),
• Þorvarðr - Thorvard (guardian of the Thors).

Female names in honor of Thor:

• Torova - Torah (female name, in honor of Thor),
• Þorleif - Thorleif (heiress of Thor),
• Þordís, Þórdís - Thordis (disa of the god Thor),
• Þórodda - Torodda (the tip of Thor),
• Þórarna - Thorarna (the eagle of the god Thor),
• Þórhildr - Thorhild (Battle of Thor),
• Þórný - Tornu (young, dedicated to Thor),
• Þórey - Torey (luck of the god Thor),
• Þorljót - Torljot (light of Thor),
• Þorvé, Þórvé - Torve (sacred fence of Thor),
• Þórunn - Torunn (Thor's favorite),
• Þórelfr - Thorelv (river of the god Thor),
• Þorvör - Torver (knowing (power) of the Torah).

Children could also be dedicated to all the gods in general. For example, Ragn in translation meant power, gods. Vé - the meaning in translation was as follows: pagan sanctuary, sacred. Both male and female names were formed from these words:

• Ragnarr - Ragnar (male name, meaning: army of the gods),
• Ragn(h)eiðr - Ragnade (female name, meaning: honor of the gods),
• Végeirr - Vegeir (sacred edge),
• Véleifr - Veleiv (heir sacred place),
• Végestr - Vegest (sacred guest),
• Ragnhildr - Ragnhild (female name, meaning: battle of the gods),
• Vébjörn - Vebjörn (sacred bear or bear sanctuary),
• Reginleif - Reginleif (female name, meaning: heiress of the gods),
• Vésteinn - Vestein (sacred stone),
• Vébrandr - Vebrand (sword sanctuary),
• Védís - Vedis (female name: sacred disa),
• Véfríðr - Vefrid (female name: sacred protection),
• Véný - Venu (female name: sacred and young).

Name in honor of glorious ancestors

There were also family names, one might say, the predecessors of surnames. Children often received names in honor of their deceased ancestors, whose spirit was reborn in a new member of his own clan, with this name the child entered the world of his clan, his family, his clan and tribe. The Scandinavians believed in the transmigration of souls, but this could only happen within one family, among blood relatives and descendants. The name was given only to those relatives who had already died, otherwise one might get into trouble. Naming a child after an existing, living relative was strictly prohibited.

The northern peoples themselves are placed in difficult conditions by nature, so for a long time they have become accustomed to living harmoniously and solving problems amicably. And the tradition of giving children certain names comes from the distant past, which is why so many of them are not just beautiful and sonorous, but also ancient. Let's get acquainted with male and female Scandinavian names, their meaning and origin.

general information

Like many other nationalities, Scandinavians believe that the name given to a person at birth will largely determine his fate and endow him with certain qualities. Therefore, they make their choice very responsibly. Most of the Scandinavian names are associated with the mythological views of the northerners, many variants come from the names of objects of the animal and plant world, often there are two parts, each of which brings its own shade of meaning.

For men

The inhabitants of the north, proud Vikings, led a dangerous life, full of bloody wars and magnificent feasts, where wine flowed like a river. To some, such a world may seem barbaric, to others - filled with romance. In any case, such traditions could not but affect male Scandinavian names, each of which endowed its owner with certain character traits. Here are some examples:

• Agmund - protector from punishment.
• Alfgeir - elf spear.
• Anders is brave.
• Ansgar is the spear of the Aesir, the supreme deities of the Scandinavian pantheon who inhabit Asgard. At their head was the great Odin.
• Bernt is fearless.
• Vardy is a devoted friend who can help in any situation.
• Westgeir means western spear. There was also a Scandinavian male name, Westmar, meaning “land of the West.”
• Georg is a land owner.
• Goody is a good guy.
• Dyarvi is a daredevil.
• Ingemar - earned his fame in battles.
• Olaf is the heir.
• Steinmod is a stone that bestows courage.
• Eyvind is the wind that brings happiness.

These are the male northern names, but it should be noted that this is by no means a complete list of them. Scandinavians are amazingly inventive, which is why their names for boys are unusual, beautiful, and noble.

Mighty animal theme

Often, the primary source of Scandinavian male names were representatives of the fauna world, who earned respectful treatment in the creation of fearless northerners. Here are some examples:

• Arnbjorn - eagle and bear, a person named so was endowed with courage, fearlessness, and readiness to go into battle with the strongest enemy.
• Arnulf is the wolf eagle, also the name of a true warrior, seasoned in battle and ready to risk his life.
• Asbjorn is the bear of the Aesir, the animal was revered in the north as a powerful companion of the gods, sometimes even Odin appeared in his guise.
• Audulv - a rich wolf, consists of two roots - “aud” - prosperity, “ulv” - wolf.
• Bjorn is just a bear, but Vebjorn is a name meaning "holy bear."
• Valgard - protection of the falcon.
• Grinolf is a green wolf. Gunnulv is a wolf who takes part in battles. Ingovolv - the king's wolf.
• Jon is a dove.
• Kjarval is a peaceful whale.
• Orm is a snake.
• Svan is a snow-white swan.
• Ulvbjorn - wolf-bear.
• Hauk is a hawk bird.

It was believed that such names endowed the boy with valor and courage, which, of course, could help him become a real warrior and take his place in the halls of Valhalla after a heroic death in battle. Now times have changed, so such old Scandinavian names are not held in high esteem, they have given way to more modern European options.

Beautiful options for girls

Of course, women in the north are no less hardy than men, so often the meaning of their names also came from animals or birds, for which the struggle for existence is a common state. Here are examples of female Scandinavian names:

• Adela is noble.
• Astrid is a divine beauty.
• Benedicta is a shrine.
• Brynhild is a warrior.
• Vigdis is the deity of war.
• Ingeborga - rushing to the rescue.
• Inga is domineering.
• Kia is a believer.
• Rebecca is alluring, leading into a trap.
• Svanhild, Svanhild - the battle of the swan.
• Susanna is a noble lily.
• Freya is the ruler.
• Hilda - battle, battle.

The names are very diverse and unusual. It should be noted that the barbaric pagan traditions turned out to be so strong that even the adoption of Christianity could not change the traditional Scandinavian female names; they retained their relevance. The Church, seeing that the northerners categorically refused to name their children in honor of the saints, resorted to a trick: some Scandinavian heroes were canonized, so their names were included in the name books. Until now, in Norway and Denmark, girls are sometimes called very beautifully and unusually. Some of the options were even used by Slavic peoples.

Sound options for real men and true ladies

Among the names of Scandinavian origin, there are many beautiful, modern ones that can be used to name boys, not even necessarily northerners. There are quite a few examples, some of them are presented in the table.

These are the variants of the names of men and women that came from the Scandinavian countries. They sound beautiful, have a worthy meaning, so they are often used not only in the north, but also in Europe, America and even Russia. Many Scandinavian names have a formidable, warlike meaning associated with religion or battle. It is possible to note such a feature of the names - the presence of one or two syllables, three and more complex variants are extremely rare.

For the strongest women

In the list of beautiful Scandinavian names there are many that sound very unusual, for example, Auda, which means “prosperity”. It is interesting that even the variations for girls among the proud northerners are imbued with the spirit of war, physical strength and weapons. Here are some examples:

• Arnkatla - eagle helmet.
• Asgerda - protection of the deity.
• Bera is a bear.
• Sigga is a winner.
• Una is a lucky girl.
• Frigga is the wife of the supreme god Odin.

These are some female names in Scandinavia.

Features of construction and use

Regardless of the gender of the newborn, it fell to the father to name him, but often the child’s name contained two components at once, from the father and from the mother. Even modern variations have managed to preserve their beauty and originality, since the northerners did not follow the beaten European path, but preferred to honor age-old traditions. That is why names such as Birgitta - towering, Vigdis - under the protection of the goddess of war, Ylva - she-wolf, Henrika - a zealous housewife, housekeeper, Hulda - keeping a secret - have been preserved.

However, Scandinavian names do not always have such a long history and deep meaning. Some residents of Denmark and Sweden call their daughters Anna, Maria, Christina, Elisabeth, Eva - these options are popular all over the world.

Modern tendencies

Interestingly, the culture of the name has been preserved to the greatest extent in Iceland, where there is a naming committee that strictly monitors how babies are named and can prohibit the use of a particular foreign name. In this country, it is highly desirable to use the ancient variations that were mentioned back in folk epic. But Swedes and Norwegians often turn to borrowings from England and France.

So, we learned that most of the Scandinavian names date back to those times when people believed in formidable gods and magical connection man with an animal - totem. This is why so many boys and girls have a direct connection with some kind of patron animal, most often endowed with strength, power and courage. Of course, modernity has invaded the traditions of naming children, so beautiful-sounding ancient names are becoming less and less popular, giving way to pan-European ones.

The era of the Normans can be called the middle of the 9th - beginning of the 11th century, which was characterized by expansion and invasion of various countries for the purpose of easy money. The main type of fishing of the ancient Scandinavians was continuous raids on a number of European countries and ancient Russian lands. Despite this, they were good shipbuilders, successful traders and experienced sailors. The culture of these peoples had a significant influence on further development a number of countries modern Europe and Ancient Rus'. Many Old Norse names are as popular today as they were centuries ago.

A little about the life history of the ancient Normans

The vast majority of Vikings were free pagan peasants of Norwegian, Danish and Swedish origin. The geographical location of Scandinavia with harsh climatic conditions did not allow development agriculture sufficiently. Therefore, the main type of livelihood of these peoples was hunting and fishing. It was the sea that was the source of food for the Vikings. By the beginning of the 8th century, sea voyages had become a way of life for the ancient Scandinavians. Shipbuilding and navigation gradually developed, thanks to which the Vikings made long journeys. sea ​​travel. By that time, trade began to actively develop in Europe. At the same time, merchants from different countries began to import their goods from distant places, including by sea.

The ships, bursting at the seams with various goods and riches, did not go unnoticed by the Varangians, and they very quickly began to rob various merchants at sea. By the beginning of the 9th century, the Varangians began to raid a number of countries Western Europe. The history of the Vikings as sea conquerors dates back to the 790s AD. e., when Norman ships first approached the English coast. This was one of the first major invasions for the purpose of robbery and robbery. Subsequently, raids became a way of life for the Vikings. Moreover, they settled many islands in the northern seas, which served as bases for rest and sharing the loot. Armed attacks by the Vikings were carried out from sailing longships, which made up the majority of the Norman fleet. Several thousand robbers could take part in attacks at the same time.

What were the ancient Scandinavians like?

The history of the Vikings is shrouded in many myths and legends, thanks to which a strong opinion has been formed about them. For example, in the minds of contemporaries, all Normans are huge people with long white hair, and they are also wild and bloodthirsty. In fact, it was rare that a Viking’s height exceeded 170 cm, and as for hair, we can say that there were indeed quite a lot of fair-haired Varangians, but among them there were a considerable number of dark-haired people, and even red-haired ones. Few people know, but the Varangians were hospitable people because they believed that a guest in the house was God in the house.

In addition, many foreigners joined their tribes, so subsequently there were many people from different countries among them.

The Normans were excellent gunsmiths, and for making military weapons used various technologies. We can say with confidence that the Viking sword was no worse than a Damascus steel blade in terms of strength and sharpness. The history of many peoples is in one way or another intertwined with the Scandinavian pagans, since the Normans subsequently began to settle throughout the world. Their roots can be found in the territory of modern Russia, North America and even Africa.

The Scandinavian warriors had one feature, which was the complete destruction of everything that was not related to their religion. They destroyed churches and temples of “dissidents” to the ground, while not feeling pity for either the holy fathers or the parishioners. This largely explains the reason why the ancient inhabitants experienced animal horror at the sight of the Varangians, whom they called merciless and cruel killers.

Norman culture

As we have already said, the Vikings were excellent shipbuilders and sailors, skilled gunsmiths, warriors and hunters. Development of various areas economic activity these peoples kept pace with the times. However, due to their belonging to the pagans, their writing was extremely poorly developed, so everything that happened was passed on by word of mouth. This is how the famous Scandinavian sagas appeared, from which you can learn a lot about the history of the ancient Normans.

Only by the beginning of the 11th century did the Vikings begin to develop writing and the first historical records, which were recorded using the well-known runic script. Runes were used as written symbols, and were also actively used in applied magic. They were carved on stones and carved on tablets, and were also used to make protective amulets and divinations. Runic writing is often found in the history of Romano-Germanic and Slavic peoples. With their help, they subsequently began to record the names of the Vikings, the origin and meaning of which we will consider further.

Origin of Scandinavian names

Scandinavian names have their origin and rich history. Let's start with the fact that they were given by the father of the family to a newborn child. He also had the right to accept this baby or refuse him altogether. The children born were given names that had a direct connection with the ancestors of the family. It was common among the Normans to mix common nouns with nicknames. For example, the meaning of the name Ingrid is “beautiful,” which indicates the presence of the god of fertility. Sigrid is a name that confirms a person’s talent and giftedness. People with this name have an unconventional type of thinking and are non-trivial.

The Viking names given to the father at birth were not consistent. They could be replaced during life by another, when a person’s character and a number of distinctive features had already been formed. Viking names, the list of which is quite large, can be divided into one-part and two-part.

One-part ones may indicate human qualities or his character (Vagni ─ calm, Dyarvi ─ brave, Magni ─ strong, Sverre ─ heavy, Tryggvi ─ loyal). Other Viking names speak about the external characteristics of a person (Bruni ─ strong, Raud ─ red, Lodinn ─ covered with hair). There are also many names that designate animals (Bersi ─ bear cub, Bjorn ─ bear, Orm ─ snake, Ulv ─ wolf), inanimate objects or phenomena (Brand ─ sword, Koll ─ coal, Skjeld ─ shield, Frost ─ frost, Una ─ wave ).

Two-part Scandinavian names have a complex structure. They can contain the names of gods, contain a mythological meaning or characterize a warrior (Audun ─ a rich wave, Asgeir ─ the spear of the Aesir, Grinolf ─ a green wolf, Sigurd ─ protected by victory, Steinulf ─ a stone wolf, Thorbrand ─ the sword of Thor).

Names of Old Norse gods

Let's look at the names of some Viking gods, since they are directly related to the formation of the names of the ancient Scandinavians and their culture. Supreme God of all the pagan Vikings there was One ─ Wotan, the owner of the Asdgardian palace of Valhalla and everything that happens on earth and the universe. He patronized artisans and farmers, warriors and sailors, and also revealed the secrets of runic art and knowledge of the world.

Among the highest aesir gods, Tiu-Tyr, the god of justice and law, who patronized justice, was also highly revered by the Vikings. God Thor the Thunderer was the all-powerful protector of all people and many gods for the Vikings. Tor-Tunar is the son of Odin and the Earth Goddess Erda. Thor owned Mjolnir, a magical hammer that could hit absolutely anything and return after being thrown to its owner's hand. The Vikings worshiped Thor with special zeal, and his divine presence could often be found in their names.

The wife of the Thunderer Thor was the golden-haired goddess Sif. Their three children, the goddess Trud and her brothers Modi and Magni, were also revered by the Vikings. The goddess Frigg (Fria) patronized the hearth and order in the house. Also among the gods, the ancient Scandinavians revered Freya ─ the goddess of eros, physical well-being and magic; Frey, who patronized material well-being, peace and prosperity; Njord, the father of Freya and Frey, to whom the sea elements and wind were subordinate. It also influenced the well-being and prosperity of all people.

Religious roots of the origin of Old Norse names

Often the meaning of a name has to do with belonging to various deities and religious background. As a rule, these are names consisting of two or more parts, one of which is in one way or another connected with pagan gods. For example, let's take Ingvar ─ a name that literally means “warrior of the god Yngvi,” where Yngvi is one of Frey’s divine names.

Viking female religious names are as follows : Asne ─ God's news; Astrid ─ God's power; Asveig ─ God's road; Gudrun ─ divine mystery; Thorgerd ─ divine protection (protection of the god Thor); Thorhild ─ divine battle (Torah).

Religious Viking male names are listed below. The name Aswald literally means "divine power." Names in which the main name is the name of the god Thor: Thorstein, Torbjorn, Torvar, Tormod, Thorgisl, Torbrand, Torfred, Thorarinn mean “stone”, “bear”, “army”, “courage”, “hostage”, “sword”, “world”, “hearth” respectively. The names Freygeir and Freyvar are the “spear” and “army” of the goddess Freya.

About some famous Vikings

The Old Scandinavian Viking king Harald Fairhair (as the monarch was nicknamed according to the custom of the Varangians) managed to unite small Norman tribes among themselves into single state. In the Battle of Stavangereg in 885 he was seriously wounded, but after recovery he retained power over the Varangians for many years.

The famous Vikings, whose names were Olaf and Haakon, were kings of the Norman lands - the beginning of Christianity in the Norwegian state is associated with them. Haakon the Good is considered the first Norwegian king, under whom the Vikings began to forget their pagan roots and became Christians. Although it is believed that it was Olaf I Trygvesson (reigned 995-1000) and St. Olaf (1015-1028), in whose honor many churches of the Norwegian state were built, who established the Christian faith.

How the Christian faith influenced the change in Scandinavian names

After Christianity appeared in a number of Scandinavian countries, the names of the Vikings were still preserved for a long time. However, thanks to a decree that was issued by the church clergy, the Scandinavians had to name their children according to the Christian calendar, which included the names of saints. Thus, the descendants of the Varangians began to be called by ancient Greek, Jewish and ancient Roman names, which were characteristic of Christians and over time acquired euphony, becoming completely “native” to the Scandinavian peoples.

As for surnames, they are derived from given names, but with the addition of particles. Therefore, Scandinavians bear such original surnames as Larsen, Amudsen, Hansen, Johansen, Nielsen, Christiansen, Carlsen and a number of others.

Male Old Norse names

We have already said that the ancient Viking names received at birth were subsequently changed to others that corresponded to the human essence. Since the children did not show themselves in any way at birth, they could be named as follows:

• Beinir or Bergir - names that meant “helper in everything”; Yoddur, Skuli ─ “protector of the clan”; Leiv ─ “heir”; Oblaud ─ “daredevil”; Ofeig ─ “long-liver, not doomed to death, living happily”; Train ─ “persistent”; Tryggvi ─ “faithful, devoted.”

Of course, the parents could assume that the born son would be a brave warrior and protector, but the person could choose another path, becoming, for example, a merchant or a hunter, then he received a different name:

• Frodi ─ “peaceful or kind”; Helgi, which literally meant "holy, unsinful"; Kolbjörn ─ “black, charcoal bear”; Alv ─ “elf”; Vestein ─ “holy stone”; Webbrand ─ “holy weapon”; Vardi ─ “friend”; Guest ─ “welcome guest” and others.

Warriors and defenders were given formidable and sonorous names, since the Vikings believed that if warriors died on the battlefield, they would definitely end up in Asgard and be the faithful servants of Odin:

• Brand ─ “sharp sword”; Vegeir ─ “spear of saints”; Webbrand ─ “holy sword”; Gunnar ─ “battle sword”; Dyarvi ─ “brave”; Rorik ─ “mighty glory”; Sigvald ─ “victorious power”; Hjarti ─ “lord of the sword”; Einar ─ “warrior of happiness.”

Female names of the ancient Scandinavians

Viking female names were also chosen by the father at the birth of his daughters. Girls were supposed to benefit the family. The feminine principle was revered by the ancient Scandinavians. Newborn girls could be named as follows:

• Erna ─ “craftswoman, skillful”; Bjerg ─ “guardian, protector”; Una ─ “satisfied”; Bot ─ “assistant”; Guda ─ “good, kind”; Gerd is a “home protector.” However, a too militant father could give his daughter the name Hild, which meant “battle.”

Of course, none of the parents of Viking girls dreamed that the grown-up beauty would become a warrior and carry out raids for the purpose of robbery. Therefore, women's names carried a completely different meaning. They could indicate parental hope for happy life their child or simply selected beautiful and euphonious:

• Frida - “beautiful, beloved”; Yolver ─ “happy”; Osk ─ “desired”; Eidr ─ “glorious”; Dalla, Birta ─ “bright”; Ljot ─ “light”.

Often Viking women's names could be directly related to the animals that they believed were their patrons:

• Ryupa ─ “mountain partridge”; Bera, Birna ─ “bear”; Hrefna ─ “crow”; Meva ─ “seagull”.

Quite often, newborn girls were given names that are associated with the god Frey:

• The name Inga, which has come down to our times, means “winter,” which is popular among many Slavic peoples; Freydis ─ “disa of Freya”; Ingileiv meant "heiress"; Ingimudri - literally "hand of the goddess Freya"; Ingver - “knower of the gods” and others.
• The names of women were also popular: Aud, which meant “rich, wealthy”, Gudgerd ─ “well protected”, Rannveig ─ “swift, fast, running”, Rind ─ “protector of the weak, the hearth”, Solveig ─ “sun ray”, Svanveig ─ “swan road”, Una ─ “sea wave”, Helga meant “holy”. The name Helga later took on the form "Olga" among the Slavs.

Correspondence of some Viking male names to modern ones

• Manahegni, Manaedur ─ Alexander. The name comes from two words: “manna” ─ person and “edur” ─ “protection, to protect.”
• Skuli, Hegni ─ Alexey, which means “protector”.
• Resqui ─ Valery, “cheerful.”
• Konunglegur ─ “royal”, corresponds to the meaning of the name “Basily”.
• Tiedwald consists of the words “to own” and “people” ─ Vladimir.
• Siungur, Vakkin ─ Gregory.
• Ragnademulus ─ “god” and “judged” ─ Daniel.
• Bondur ─ “farmer” ─ Egor.
• Hakon ─ “high birth” ─ Sergei.
• Soknheid corresponds to the name Yaroslav.

In conclusion, we note that the Vikings attached great importance to the naming of children, especially for newborn boys. As a rule, each clan had a number of names, which they called their children in the same way as their ancestors. The boy received the name of a deceased senior member of the clan or an older brother who died in battle, as well as his father. The Varangians believed that with the birth of boys, dead warriors were reborn in them. If there were several male children in the family, then the eldest of them certainly became the heir, and he also received the name of the most famous and brave deceased relative in the male line.

Among the ancient Vikings, the father decided everything in families. Therefore, an illegitimate child could receive the name of a famous ancestor in his father’s family, even if there were half-brothers - legitimate children of the head of the family. During the times of the pagan faith, the head of the family had practically no division into legitimate and illegitimate children. But with the advent of Christianity in the Scandinavian countries, only those born in an official marriage approved by the church were considered natural children.

Origin of female Scandinavian names

Scandinavian female names, depending on their origin, can be divided into native national ones, originating from the ancient Germanic language, and borrowed names adapted to the languages ​​of Scandinavia - mainly European Christian names.

The ancient names of the Scandinavians were not much different from nicknames, so it was often the nickname that served as a personal name. A nickname could be given to a child soon after birth, or throughout life - if it suited the owner more, it replaced the previous name. In any case, the nickname indicated some characteristic of the owner: character trait, external sign, origin, occupation, etc. (Luta - “stooped”, Adamina - “red-haired”, Ida - “hardworking”). Another group of ancient names are amulets. The tradition of using such names goes back to the pagan customs of naming in honor of animals, birds and plants to form a symbolic connection between the owner and a living being. Among the Scandinavians, the names Bjork - “birch”, Birna - “bear”, Ilva - “she-wolf”, Hrevna - “crow”, etc. were also often used as amulets. Names wishing for a good fate, a happy and bright life were also often used: Birta - “bright” ", Heidr - "glory".

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Origin of new names

Over the centuries, the Scandinavian name book has been replenished with new names of various origins: English and French, German and Russian. Scandinavia did not escape the fashion for short and derivative forms of full names, which were formed from both Scandinavian and borrowed names. For example, the name Kirsten (from the Greek Christina) has several analogues: Karsten, Kirstin, Kirston, from the Scandinavian name Singrid the variants Siri, Sir, Ser are formed, from the Spanish Dolores - Dorthy.

Beautiful and popular Scandinavian female names

Beautiful Scandinavian female names are filled with the deepest meaning. They emphasize the divine feminine nature, purity, sublimity: Astrid is the “goddess of beauty,” Dagmara is the “bright maiden,” Oletta is “winged, sublime,” Quinby is “feminine.” Some sonorous names are associated with characters from ancient Germanic mythology: Gerda is a beautiful giantess, mistress of mountain streams, Irpa is one of the Scandinavian goddesses, Tyra is the daughter of Thor. Among the ancient names there are many beautiful options: Innesta - “who came out of the stream”, Solveig - “sunbeam”, Svanveig - “swan road”, Ernestina - “storyteller”, Edda - “poetry”.

For several centuries now, the popular names of Scandinavian women have been the original national names with pagan roots, derived from the name of the god of fertility Ingwe: Inga (“powerful”), Ingeborg (“protected by Ing”), Ingrid (“beautiful like Ing”), as well as Freya , Alva, Ursulla. IN Lately The fashion for short names has become more frequent: Liv, Moya, Nora. Among European names, the most popular are Elsa, Alice, Karina, Alina, Olivia, Ella.

Modern traditions

Today, Scandinavians are increasingly choosing popular European names of different origins for their daughters, new names are short and derivative forms of full names. Old Christian names adapted to Scandinavian languages ​​are still relevant. Ancient, native national names have not gone out of use, but are used less frequently.

The distant past firmly connects the history of our homeland with Scandinavian female names. Their sonority, severity and special charm refer to the era of formation, immersed in gray times. Russian statehood, the images of the first rulers and rulers of the earth are resurrected. Some Scandinavian female names are popular in our country even now.

Regions of Scandinavia on the map

Scandinavia is a region in northern Europe that includes three countries - Sweden, Norway and Denmark. In a broader, historical and cultural sense, Scandinavia also includes Finland, Iceland and the islands of the North Atlantic. The Scandinavian languages ​​(Swedish, Norwegian and Danish) have a common origin - the Old Norse language, which explains the closeness of many Scandinavian female names and the similarity of their meanings.

Naming traditions among the ancient Scandinavians

The Old Norse language belongs to the Germanic language branch, and for a long time, until the 9th century, this language was spoken by all the peoples of Scandinavia. Most Old Norse literary works were written in Old Icelandic.

IN early middle ages The naming traditions of the ancient Scandinavians differed little from similar traditions among other European peoples: there was practically no difference between a nickname and a personal name. Single-compound names are most often a definition of some quality of a newborn or an adult: “strong”, “small”, “beloved”, “hairy”, etc. There were also abstract names - “battle”, “rock”, “bear” ", "wolf", etc.

Most of the Old Norse naming vocabulary consisted of two-part names. A similar tradition existed not only among the ancient Germanic tribes, but also among the Celts and Slavs. Two-part Scandinavian names are no different in structure from Slavic ones, such as Svyatoslav, Vyacheslav, Vsevolod. The most common Old Norse “building blocks” of names: “deity”, “wolf”, “bear”, “eagle”, “raven”, “heir”, “pledge”, “protection”, “fence”, “glorious”, “friend” "", "world", "beautiful", "strong", "forest", "mystery", "rune", "sword", "helmet", "spear".

Names constructed in this way turned out to be sonorous and long, consisting of four or more letters. Their meaning amazes with the strength and menacing meanings. Even female names impress with their energy and severity. You can verify this from the list below.

List of Old Norse female names and their meanings:

• Arnfasta - fast eagle;
• Arnkatla – eagle + helmet;
• Arleg – eagle + fire;
• Arnleif – eagle + heir;
• Arnora – eagle + Thor;
• Audhelga – prosperity + wealth;
• Auda – prosperity;
• Aldis – elf + maiden;
• Alev – ancestor + descendant;
• Astrid – deity + beautiful;
• Asgerda – deity + protection;
• Bera - she-bear;
• Bergdis – help+virgin;
• Borga – protection;
• Bothilda – medicine + battle;
• Gerd – protection;
• Inga is a short form of the name of the god of fertility;
• Ingeborga – the name of the god of fertility + help;
• Ingrid – name of the god of fertility + beautiful;
• Kata – joyful;
• Kolla – joyful;
• Lyuva - sweetheart;
• Rowdy – red;
• Rune - secret, rune;
• Saldis – sun + goddess;
• Sigga - victory;
• Svana – swan;
• Tura - Thor, the thunder god;
• Tobba – Thor+keep;
• Torfrida – Thor+beautiful;
• Thorgrima - Thor + helmet;
• Thorhilda – Thor+battle;
• Labor – Valkyrie, daughter of Thor and Sif;
• Una - to be happy;
• Fasti – strong;
• Folki - people;
• Freya - ruler;
• Frida – beautiful;
• Frigg is the name of Odin's wife;
• Halla - rock;
• Helga – sacred, holy;
• Edda is a great-grandmother.

Acceptance of Christianity and names

The father gave the name to the newborn, thereby making the naming process a recognition of the child's right to life. Two-part names could contain parts of the father's and mother's names.

The Scandinavian name book was very rich, so Christian names did not take root well. The Scandinavians ignored them even after baptism, they either kept them secret or used pagan nicknames. The Christian church could not come to terms with this and tried to displace pagan names using a variety of methods.

The simplest one turned out to be the most effective: over time, the church canonized several Scandinavian saints, their names were included in the calendar and, accordingly, gradually began to spread widely.

In Iceland, Christianization took place peacefully, so Christian concepts were included in the elements of two-part names.

Modern Scandinavian girl names

It should be noted that Scandinavian culture has always stood out for its pronounced originality. There is even a special type of crossword puzzle - a scanword puzzle, which differs from a traditional crossword puzzle in the large number of intersections of words vertically and horizontally. Images and photographs can be used instead of letters. One of the favorite questions of scanword readers is the question about the meaning of Scandinavian female names, which most often have a significant number of letters. These are names like:

• Agnetha is a saint;
• Adeline – noble;
• Astrid – beautiful;
• Birgitta – sublime;
• Borgilda – benefit + maiden;
• Brünnhilde is a female warrior in armor;
• Vigdis - goddess of war;
• Wilhelm - protected by a helmet;
• Gerda – protection;
• Guda – kind;
• Goodhild - good fight;
• Ilva is a she-wolf;
• Ingrid - protection of the king;
• Inga – domineering;
• Matilda – strong in battle;
• Ranghilda - battle of defenders;
• Svanhilda – the smitten swan;
• Sigrid is a wonderful victory;
• Sigrun - the secret of victory;
• Siri is a wonderful victory;
• Solveig - a ray of sunshine;
• Ulla - prosperity, power;
• Ulrika – prosperity, power;
• Frida – peaceful;
• Helga is a saint;
• Henrika – housekeeper;
• Hilda - battle;
• Hulda – keeping a secret;
• Erica is the ruler.

You can see more lists on Wikipedia.

Modern naming traditions in Scandinavia

Meanwhile, in modern Sweden and Denmark, the most common female names are not of Scandinavian origin. Their source is either the church calendar or the cultures of other peoples.

In Sweden, the most popular female names are Elizabeth, Margareta, Eva, Karin, Emma, ​​Sarah. Only one name of Old Norse origin - Ingrid - is among the top ten common names.

In Denmark, the picture is similar: among the most common are Anna, Kristen, Suzanne, Maria, Marianne, Karen, Camilla, Charlotte, Louise, Emma, ​​Maya, Isabella, Clara, Laura. From the Scandinavian ones - Inga, Inger, Freya.

In Norway and Iceland the situation is somewhat different; in these countries, traditional Scandinavian names are still popular. Thus, in Norway, out of 10 common female names, they were of “domestic” origin - Inga, Liv, Ingrid, Solveig, Astrid, Björg.

In Iceland, names mentioned in ancient sagas are still in use, and the choice of name is regulated by the Icelandic Naming Committee. There is an official list of accepted names, and all foreign names are strictly selected for compatibility with the Icelandic language.

Common Icelandic girl names of Scandinavian origin include: