Norse Girl Names
121 norse girl names with meanings, U.S. popularity, and audio pronunciation on every page.
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Norse names come with cold air in them — sea, iron, long winters, and women in the old stories who were never once decorative. If you want a daughter’s name with that kind of backbone, Norse girl names deliver it without a shred of fuss. Freya is the headline act, the Norse goddess of love and war, and she has gone from obscure to unmissable in barely fifteen years of American birth records. Thora is drawn straight from Thor and sounds like a woman who would not be argued with. Ingrid is Scandinavian steel with a film-star gloss on top, and Frida descends from the Old Norse word for peace, which is a rather lovely counterweight to the rest.
The softer, stranger end of this list is where the surprises live. Nori and Elli are tiny and modern-sounding despite very old roots, Ari works as a two-syllable name that refuses to be fussy, and Erika is the feminine of a name carried by Norse kings. Then there is Wednesday, which is not a joke at all — the day is named for Odin, and a certain television character has pushed it onto real birth certificates. For rarities, Randi, Kolbi and Halle each appear only a handful of times a year. We catalogue 97 girl names of Norse origin.
Every name below opens to its full page — a sourced meaning, the saga or Old Norse root behind it, its U.S. popularity, and a clear audio pronunciation so you can hear it before you fall for it.
Norse Girl Names
Freya#176 in the U.S.Noble woman; lady — from Old Norse Freyja, from freyja meaning 'lady, mistress'▶Halle#596 in the U.S.From Old English heall meaning 'hall' or 'manor house,' used as a place-name and surname meanin▶Ari#614 in the U.S.Lion; from Hebrew ari▶Nori#1013 in the U.S.Law or rule (Japanese: nori/noru); also edible seaweed in Japanese culinary tradition; or a sho▶Ingrid#1092 in the U.S.Beautiful; from Old Norse Ingridr, composed of Ing (Norse fertility god) + fridr (beautiful, be▶Brenda#1139 in the U.S.Sword; from Old Norse brand (sword, blade) or possibly the feminine of Brendan (Irish: prince)▶Erika#1142 in the U.S.Ever powerful or eternal ruler; Scandinavian/Germanic feminine of Erik, from Old Norse ei (ever▶Frida#1252 in the U.S.Peace; beloved; from Old Norse Fríða (beautiful, beloved) or a short form of names containing O▶Wednesday#2425 in the U.S.day of the Norse god Woden/Odin▶Elli#2974 in the U.S.A diminutive of Eleanor or Ellen, ultimately from the Greek Helene meaning torch or shining lig▶Borghild#3092 in the U.S.Borghild is an Old Norse woman's name from borg ('fortification, stronghold, protection') and h▶Randi#3103 in the U.S.Shield wolf or admirable; a Scandinavian feminine name from Old Norse Ragnfridr meaning beautif▶Skylee#3106 in the U.S.A creative spelling of Skylee or Skylie, combining Sky (from Old Norse ský meaning cloud) with ▶Valborg#3426 in the U.S.Valborg is a Scandinavian name from Old Norse/Germanic roots — val (linked to 'ruler' or 'the s▶Auda#4232 in the U.S.Auda comes from the old Germanic and Norse element 'aud,' meaning wealth, riches, or good fortu▶Kelce#4814 in the U.S.Spelling of Kelsey — from Old English, 'Cenel's island', or Norse 'ship-victory'; routes layere▶Kolbi#4819 in the U.S.K-/-i spelling of Colby — from Old Norse, 'Koli's settlement' or 'the dark/coal farm'; here for▶Thora#4995 in the U.S.From Old Norse Thora — a feminine form linked to Thor, the thunder god — 'thunder; of Thor'▶Jersei#5064 in the U.S.-ei spelling of Jersey — from Old Norse, 'Geirr's island' or 'the grassy island' (a Channel Isl▶Gunhild#5175 in the U.S.Gunhild is a genuine Old Norse name built from two war words: gunnr, 'war,' and hildr, 'battle.▶Oliver#5241 in the U.S.From Oliver — Latin oliva, 'olive tree' (a symbol of peace), or Old Norse Aleifr, 'ancestor's d▶Arna#5300 in the U.S.From Old Norse orn, 'an eagle' (the feminine of Arne); also Hebrew, 'cedar' (a form of Arnona);▶Brendia#5347 in the U.S.Brendia is an elaborated form of Brenda, which comes from the Old Norse brandr, 'sword' or 'fla▶Skylie#5403 in the U.S.Modern blend of Sky/Skye ('the sky'; the Isle of Skye, 'cloud island') with a -lie ending (echo▶Bergen#5451 in the U.S.From the Norwegian city Bergen — Old Norse, 'the meadow among the mountains' (berg, 'mountain')▶Ragna#5459 in the U.S.Ragna is an Old Norse woman's name from the element regin, meaning 'counsel' or 'the ruling pow▶Iceland#5489 in the U.S.From the country Iceland — 'the land of ice' (Old Norse Island, 'ice-land') — a Nordic island n▶Riven#5558 in the U.S.From the English word riven, 'split apart, torn, rent' (from Old Norse rifa); also a modern Riv▶Solveig#5569 in the U.S.From Old Norse — variously sól/salr, 'sun/house/hall', plus veig, 'strength' — 'the strength of▶Fraya#5658 in the U.S.A spelling of Freya — from Old Norse Freyja, 'a lady, a noblewoman' (the goddess of love and be▶Rune#6332 in the U.S.From Old Norse run, 'a secret; a rune' (the ancient mystic letters); used for both sexes; here ▶Saga#6333 in the U.S.From Old Norse — 'a story, a saga; a seeing one' (also the name of a Norse goddess associated w▶Trust#6350 in the U.S.From the word trust — 'firm belief, faith, confident reliance' (from Old Norse traust, 'help, c▶Nalda#6351 in the U.S.Nalda is best read as a short form of Ronalda - the feminine of Ronald - or of another -alda na▶Aarika#6370 in the U.S.A spelling echoing Erika — the feminine of Eric, from Old Norse, 'ever-ruler; eternal ruler' (a▶Dagny#6426 in the U.S.From Old Norse dagr, 'day', plus ny, 'new'; 'a new day; bright as the day'▶Signe#6582 in the U.S.From Old Norse Signy — sigr, 'victory', plus ny, 'new'; 'a new victory'▶Aisla#6619 in the U.S.A spelling of Isla/Ailsa — Isla from a Scottish island and Norse for 'island', Ailsa from the r▶Copeland#6665 in the U.S.From an English surname and place name — from Old Norse kaupa-land, 'bought land; purchased lan▶Corey#6667 in the U.S.From a surname, variously the Irish O Comhraidhe and the Norse Kori; linked to senses 'a hollow▶Corie#6668 in the U.S.A spelling of Corey/Cory — from a surname, variously Irish and Norse, linked to 'a hollow; a ra▶Dusty#6680 in the U.S.A pet form of Dustin — from Old Norse Thorsteinn, 'Thor's stone', via the surname; also read as▶Edda#6681 in the U.S.Variously the Old Norse edda ('a great-grandmother'; the title of the medieval Icelandic Eddas)▶Erykah#6702 in the U.S.A spelling of Erica — a feminine of Eric, from Old Norse, 'ever-ruler; eternal ruler; ever-powe▶Jersie#6751 in the U.S.A spelling of Jersey — from the Channel Island Jersey (a Norse name, possibly 'Geirr's island' ▶Kelby#6773 in the U.S.From an English/Norse surname and place name — variously 'a farm by the spring' and 'the dwelli▶Gerda#6782 in the U.S.Gerda comes from Old Norse Gerdr, from gardr, 'enclosure, stronghold', suggesting protection; i▶Asta#7616 in the U.S.A Scandinavian short form of Astrid — from Old Norse, 'divinely beautiful' (ass, 'god', + frith▶Gudrun#8720 in the U.S.From the Old Norse Gudrun, 'god's secret lore; divine rune' (gud, 'god', + run, 'secret/rune');▶Hagen#9116 in the U.S.From the Germanic/Norse — variously 'of the enclosed pasture/hedged enclosure' and 'a young haw▶Eryka#9312 in the U.S.Eryka is a stylized spelling of Erica, the feminine of Eric, from Old Norse Eirikr — ei, 'ever,▶Solvi#9443 in the U.S.From the Old Norse — variously sol, 'sun', and salr, 'house/hall', with vig, 'strength', hence ▶Sula#9451 in the U.S.Variously from the Old Norse sol/sula, 'sun', an Arabic 'peace/comfort', and a short form of Ur▶Toryn#9473 in the U.S.A form of Torin — variously an Irish name ('chief') and a Norse name (linked to Thor, 'thunder'▶Ashby#9602 in the U.S.From the Old Norse/English — aesc, 'an ash tree', + by, 'a farm/settlement', hence 'the ash-tre▶Astryd#9604 in the U.S.A spelling of Astrid — from the Old Norse ass, 'a god', + frithr, 'beautiful/fair', hence 'divi▶Colbi#9662 in the U.S.A spelling of Colby — from the Old Norse, 'the coal/dark settlement' (Koli, 'coal/dark', + by, ▶Kelcey#9870 in the U.S.A spelling of Kelsey — an English place/surname, variously 'from the ship's island' (Old Norse)▶Revna#10080 in the U.S.From the Old Norse hrafn, 'a raven' (a bird of wisdom and the god Odin); a Scandinavian name; r▶Skailynn#10146 in the U.S.A modern blend of Skye/Skai (the Scottish isle, or 'the sky') with the -lynn suffix (from Lynn,▶Tatumn#10164 in the U.S.A spelling of Tatum — from the Old English, 'Tata's homestead' (from Tata, 'cheerful/bringer of▶Tayte#10167 in the U.S.A spelling of Tate — from the Old Norse teitr, 'cheerful; glad; bringer of joy'; used for both ▶Vaila#10179 in the U.S.From Vaila, a small Shetland island (of Old Norse origin, variously linked to 'a hill/strong');▶Willoughby#10194 in the U.S.From the Old Norse/English, 'a farm/settlement by the willow trees' (welig, 'willow', + by, 'a ▶Rinda#10324 in the U.S.Rinda most often functions as a clipped, rhyming short form of mid-century favorites like Rhond▶Astri#10333 in the U.S.A Scandinavian short form of Astrid, from the Old Norse Astridr, 'divinely beautiful; fair godd▶Valda#10468 in the U.S.Valda comes from the Old Norse and Germanic element vald, 'power, rule,' the same root behind n▶Hulda#10951 in the U.S.Hulda has two roots. In Hebrew it is Huldah ('weasel' or 'mole'), the name of a biblical prophe▶Tora#10991 in the U.S.In Old Norse, Tora is a feminine name tied to the god Thor ('thunder'). Separately, in Japanese▶Torryn#10992 in the U.S.A respelling of Torin/Toren, a name of Irish/Norse roots often linked to 'chief' (and to the go▶Audyn#11190 in the U.S.A modern spelling near Auden ('old friend,' from the Old English Ealdwine) and echoing the Nors▶Korrie#11634 in the U.S.A form of Corrie or Cory, traced either to the Gaelic 'coire' ('hollow, cauldron' -- a rounded ▶Ericia#11761 in the U.S.Ericia is a feminine form of Eric, from Old Norse Eirikr, 'ever-ruler' or 'eternal ruler' (ei, ▶Loki#11765 in the U.S.The name of Loki, the shape-shifting trickster god of Norse mythology (also the Marvel characte▶Aricka#12334 in the U.S.Aricka is a spelling variant of Erica, the feminine of Eric, from the Old Norse Eirikr, meaning▶Hela#12607 in the U.S.From Hel/Hela, the Norse goddess who rules the realm of the dead, her name tied to the conceale▶Jerica#12681 in the U.S.Jerica reads as a blend of a Je- opening with Erica, itself the feminine of Eric, from the Old ▶Errica#13206 in the U.S.Errica is Erica with a doubled r, a stylistic respelling. Erica is the feminine of Eric, from O▶Siri#13240 in the U.S.Siri is a Scandinavian short form of Sigrid, from the Old Norse Sigridr — sigr, 'victory,' plus▶Skyah#13276 in the U.S.Skyah is an elaborated spelling of Sky or Skye. The English word sky comes from Old Norse sky, ▶Ymir#13383 in the U.S.From Old Norse Ymir, the primordial being of Norse cosmology — a giant, and a male figure, from▶Freyah#14001 in the U.S.A respelling of Freya, from Old Norse Freyja — 'lady, noblewoman'. In Norse myth Freyja is the ▶Halla#14015 in the U.S.Halla is a short, warm name that lives in more than one tradition. In Arabic, Hala (also spelle▶Jerrica#14178 in the U.S.A modern blend of Jerry (from Gerald/Jerome) and Erica (feminine of Eric, Old Norse, 'ever-rule▶Awilda#14404 in the U.S.Awilda is the name of Alwilda (also Awilda), a legendary Scandinavian princess said to have tur▶Darbie#14562 in the U.S.Darbie is a feminine-styled spelling of Darby, a surname and place name from the English town o▶Rhona#14754 in the U.S.Rhona is a Scottish feminine name, most often linked to the Hebridean island of Rona (from Old ▶Ronna#14913 in the U.S.Ronna is a feminine form of Ron or Ronald, from the Old Norse Rognvaldr ('ruler's counsel'), an▶Nanna#15005 in the U.S.From the Old Norse Nanna, of uncertain meaning (variously 'brave; daring' or 'mother'); the Nor▶Tyrah#15065 in the U.S.Tyrah is a respelling of Tyra, a Scandinavian name derived from the Norse god Tyr (a god of war▶Brendalee#15155 in the U.S.Brendalee joins Brenda to the tag-name Lee. Brenda comes from an Old Norse word for sword or, b▶Ailsa#15313 in the U.S.Ailsa is a Scottish girl's name taken from Ailsa Craig, a granite island in the Firth of Clyde;▶Brendalyn#15582 in the U.S.A modern coinage pairing Brenda (from the Old Norse brandr, 'sword; blade') with the fashionabl▶Brendy#15643 in the U.S.Brendy is a variant spelling of Brenda, whose origin is debated: it may come from the Old Norse▶Branda#15808 in the U.S.Branda is a variant of Brenda, a name of Old Norse origin (from Brandr, related to brandr 'swor▶Darbi#15808 in the U.S.Darbi respells Darby, an English place-and-surname name from Old Norse 'djúr' ('deer') and 'bý'▶Inge#16173 in the U.S.Inge is a German and Scandinavian name derived from Ing (or Yngvi), an old Norse fertility god,▶Idun#16229 in the U.S.From the Old Norse Idunn, 'the rejuvenating one; ever-young' (linked to id, 'again', + unna, 't▶Jordis#17036 in the U.S.Jordis is a Scandinavian name from Old Norse roots — the -dis element means 'goddess' — most of▶Terica#17112 in the U.S.Terica is a coined blend that joins Terri — a short form of Teresa — with Erica, the feminine o▶Rigby#17119 in the U.S.From the English surname Rigby, of Old Norse roots, 'ridge farm' or 'settlement on a ridge.' Fa▶Disa#17178 in the U.S.Disa is a Scandinavian name from Old Norse, tied to the dis, a female guardian or goddess spiri▶Shelbee#17250 in the U.S.Shelbee is a -bee spelling of Shelby, an English place- and surname generally traced to Old Nor▶Sif#17340 in the U.S.From the Old Norse Sif, 'kinship; a relation; affinity/bond'; the golden-haired Norse goddess o▶Sigrun#17406 in the U.S.From the Old Norse Sigrun, 'victory rune' (sigr, 'victory', + run, 'rune/secret'); a valkyrie w▶Valyrie#17565 in the U.S.A modern respelling that echoes Valkyrie — the Norse maidens who chose the slain for Valhalla —▶Ingri#18031 in the U.S.Ingri is a clipped Scandinavian form of Ingrid, which joins the name of the Norse god Ing (or Y▶Ran#18263 in the U.S.From the Old Norse Ran, 'robbery; theft; plunder'; the Norse sea-goddess who catches drowned sa▶AslaugFrom the Old Norse Aslaug, 'god-dedicated woman; betrothed to god' (ass, 'a god', + laug, 'a be▶BrynhildFrom the Old Norse Brynhildr, 'armored/bright for battle' (brynja, 'armor', + hildr, 'battle');▶EirFrom the Old Norse Eir, 'mercy; help; protection'; the Norse goddess of healing and medicine, t▶FriggFrom the Old Norse Frigg, 'beloved; love' (from a root meaning 'to love'); the queen of the Nor▶FullaFrom the Old Norse Fulla, 'bountiful; fullness/abundance' (linked to full, 'full'); the Norse g▶GefjonFrom the Old Norse Gefjon, 'the giver; the generous one' (from gefa, 'to give'); the Norse godd▶HildrFrom the Old Norse Hildr, 'battle'; a valkyrie who chooses the slain, and the root of many Nors▶IdunnThe Old Norse spelling of Idun, 'the rejuvenating one; ever-young'; the goddess who keeps the g▶NottFrom the Old Norse Nott, 'night'; the Norse goddess and personification of the night, who rides▶SigynFrom the Old Norse Sigyn, 'victory-friend; victorious girlfriend' (sigr, 'victory', + vina, 'fr▶SkuldFrom the Old Norse Skuld, 'debt; obligation; that which shall be; the future' (from skulu, 'sha▶UrdFrom the Old Norse Urdr, 'fate; that which has become; the past' (the source of 'wyrd'); the el▶VerdandiFrom the Old Norse Verdandi, 'becoming; that which is happening; the present' (from verda, 'to ▶
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Frequently Asked
What are popular Norse girl names?
Freya is far and away the most used in the U.S. right now, followed by Halle, Ingrid, Erika and Frida.
How do you pronounce Norse girl names?
Old Norse spelling does not map neatly onto English, so names such as Freya and Thora are often said several different ways. Each name page carries a spoken audio version so you can pick one with confidence.
Are Norse names the same as Scandinavian names?
They overlap but are not identical. Norse names trace to Old Norse, the language of the Viking Age sagas, while modern Scandinavian names include later Christian and European imports as well.