If you're a lover of European history, you might enjoy the tales of the vikings, known for their ferocious fighting spirit. Vikings are also popular in current movies and television and thus viking names are an excellent source of less commonly known names that may become more prominent in the future.
Viking Boy Names and Meanings
Viking names come from several Scandinavian cultures such as the Norwegians, the Swedes and the Danish. Many viking names are based on the person's profession or position as a fighter.
- Aric (aar-ih-k) - "eternal ruler"
- Arkyn (aar-khin) - "eternal king's son"
- Brynjar (brin-yahr) - "armored warrior"
- Cuyler (kiel-ehr) - "archer"
- Destin (des-ten) - "determined"
- Dustin (dus-ten) - "Thor's stone"
- Egil (ee-yeh-gil) - "respect" or "horror"
- Einar (eye-nahr) - "one who fights alone"
- Frey (fray) - "lord"
- Frode (fruw-dah) - "wise" or "clever"
- Garth (gahr-th) - "an enclosed space"
- Geir (gayr) - "spear man"
- Gudbrand (good-brant) - "divine sword"
- Gudmund (good-moond) - "god protects"
- Gunnar (guhn-nar) - "army"
- Hagen (hah-gen) - "highest son"
- Haldor (hahl-dawr) - "rock of Thor"
- Halvar or Halvor (hahl-vahr) - "defender of the rock"
- Jarl (yahr-al) - "chieftain"
- Kåre (kehr) - "has curly hair" or "very large"
- Herleif (her-leaf) - "descendent of a warrior"
- Hjalmar (hyal-mahr) - "fighter wearing a helmet"
- Holger (hawl-ger) - "island of spears"
- Njal (nj-al) - "giant"
- Ødger (ed-ger) - "wealth and spear"
- Osmond (ahz-mend) - "divine protection"
- Roar (ruw-aar) - "fame and spear"
- Ronald (rahn-old) - "wise ruler"
- Rune (ruw-n-eh) - "secret lore"
- Sten (stehn) or Stein (steen) - "stone"
- Sven (sv-en) or Sveinn (sv-ei-nn) - "boy"
- Trygve (trig-vah) - "trustworthy"
- Ulrik (ul-rick) - "noble ruler"
- Viggo (vee-goh) - "battle"
Famous Male Viking Names
Some of the most famous viking warriors, kings and explorers have names that would be an excellent choice for a young boy.
- Erik (ehr-ick)- A famous explorer known as Erik the Red who founded the first viking settlement in Greenland and was the father of Leif Ericsson.
- Harald (hah-r-ald)- The name of many kings of Norway and Denmark throughout history.
- Ivar (eye-vahr) - Name of Ivar Ragnarsson, or "Ivar the Boneless," who was the son of Ragnar Sigurdsson and who raided England in the 9th century according to legend. The name means "archer." Popularized in the History Channel television series Vikings.
- Knut (kn-ud) - Name of a Dane prince who became "Knut the Great", king of Denmark, England and Norway in the 11th century. The name means "knot."
- Leif (layf) - Leif Ericsson was a famous viking who found North America centuries earlier than Christopher Columbus. The name means "beloved" or "descendent."
- Magnus (maeg-nahs) - The name of many Norwegian, Swedish and Danish kings. It means "great" or "mighty" in Latin.
- Ragnar (rag-nahr) - Name of a famous viking warrior of legend, Ragnar Lothbrok Sigurdsson, popularized in the History Channel television series Vikings.
- Sigurd (see-gurd) - Sigurd Snake-in-the-Eye was a legendary viking in the 9th century who was the son of Ragnar Sigurdsson. The name means "guiding the victory." Also a character in the History Channel television series Vikings.
- Uhtred (oof-tred) - Uhtred the Bold, popularized in the Netflix series The Last Kingdom and the Saxon stories books by Bernard Cornwell. The real Uthred was earl of Northumbia (Northern England) in the 11th century. The name means "pre-dawn counsel."
Viking Boy Names From Norse Mythology
Many of the names of the gods in Norse mythology can be unusual and unique choices if you're looking for a viking-themed name for a boy. The gods played a strong role in viking culture and beliefs.
- Balder (bal-durr) - God of purity and light
- Bragi (braa-jhiy) - God of poetry and mythology, means "poet"
- Freyr (frey-ur)- God of fertility and the harvest
- Heimdall (hame-dahl) - Guardian god of Asgard, the Norse home of the gods. Also a character in the Marvel Thor movies.
- Loki (low-key) - God of mischief and trickery. Also a character in the Marvel Thor movies.
- Njord (ny-ord)- God of the sea and wealth
- Odin (oh-deen) - God of war, wisdom, death and art. Also a character in the Marvel Thor movies.
- Thor (thore or tore) - God of thunder and lightning. Popularized as the main character in the Marvel Thor and Avengers movies.
- Tyr (teer) - God of war and justice
- Ve (vay) - One of two twin brothers of Odin
- Vidar (vee-dahr)- God of revenge and silence
- Vili (vill-ee) - One of two twin brothers of Odin
Male Viking Names Based on Animals
Animals feature heavily in Viking culture and mythology. These names come from animals commonly encountered by vikings as well as their mythological counterparts.
- Arne (aar-neh)- "eagle"
- Arvid (ahr-vid) - "tree of the eagle"
- Bjørn (Biy-rn) - "bear"
- Fenrir (fen-rir )- A giant wolf in Norse mythology
- Fiske (fis-keh) - "fish"
- Hati (haht-ee) - One of two wolves in Norse mythology who chase the sun and moon
- Hugin (hoo-gin) - One of Odins' two ravens, means "thought"
- Munin (moo-nin) - One of Odins' two ravens, means "memory"
- Ralph (ralf) - "wise as a wolf"
- Randolph (ran-dahlf) - "wolf shield"
- Skoll (skohl) - One of two wolves in Norse mythology who chase the sun and moon
- Tarben (tahr-ben) or Torben (tawr-ben) - "bear of Thor"
- Ulf (oolf) - "wolf"
Choosing a Viking Name for Your Son
When considering a viking name for your little boy, make sure you're comfortable with the spelling and pronunciation. Since many of these names are not as common, you may need to be prepared to help others learn how to say them. Make sure you're comfortable with the meanings as well, as you want your new little fighter to learn to be as courageous and daring as the vikings without the more warlike aspects of this fascinating culture.
