Cool male Viking names and their meanings

Choosing a Viking name for your baby boy is very on trend at the moment. If you want a name for your newborn that suggests strength, courage, bravery and is just all-round cool, then a male Viking name could be for you.

But, what name to choose and how do you know what it means? We’ve checked out some kick-ass male Viking names and their meanings. So, read on for our top cool male Viking names.

Classic Viking names
Where do male Viking names come from?
Viking boy names and their meanings
The cultural significance of classic Viking boy names
Unusual Viking boys names
How to pronounce Viking boys names
120 Viking boys names

Classic Viking names

So here are some of our favourite popular boys names in Scandinavia that have Viking origins.

• Arne 
• Bjørn
• Erik
• Harald
• Ivar
• Leif 
• Magnus
• Rune
• Thor
• Troels

Where do male Viking names come from?

Boy Viking names come from a variety of sources. Some male Viking warrior names derive from Norse mythology, with male Viking gods’ names being particularly popular.

Others are Viking pagan names, while others still are inspired by the natural world, such as  Bjørn and Ulf.

And of course, the popular TV series The Vikings and the Marvel superhero films have catapulted names such Loki and Thor into the public imagination. 

But whatever the origins, strong male Viking names are a great choice for your newborn.

So if you’re looking for some inspiration for your baby boy’s name, check out our favourite old Viking names for males, where they come from and what they mean.

And if fancy giving yourself a Viking name too, you can have some fun with our Viking male names generator. 

Viking boy names and their meanings

You may be looking for Viking male warrior names, Norse god names, or names that derive from the natural world. Whichever it is, we’ve checked out some good male Viking names and their meanings to inspire you.

Arne

This popular Viking name comes from the Old Norse word Ǫrn, which means “eagle”.  As well as being a beautiful bird, this name has connotations of being a high-flyer and successful in life.

Probably the best-known Arne is Arne Jacobsen, the Danish architect, who designed the iconic egg chair and Copenhagen’s Royal Hotel, a Mecca for minimalists and modernists.

Bjørn  

Do you want a name for your baby boy that has cuddly and cute connotations, but also suggests bravery and strength? Why not choose the name Old Norse name Bjørn (or Björn), which means “bear”? 

In Norse mythology, Bjørn Ironside was a legendary Viking chief, the King of Kattegat and son of Ragnar Loðbrok, while more contemporary Bjørns include the Swedish tennis player Björn Borg and the musician Björn Ulvaeus from Abba.

Erik

The Old Norse name Erik means “absolute ruler”. 

The explorer Erik Thorvaldsson, better known as Erik the Red due to the colour of his hair and beard, featured in the Icelandic sagas and founded the first Viking settlement on Greenland in the tenth century.

Frode 

Frode comes the Old Norse name Fróði, which means “wise clever and learned”. A good choice for a baby boy, we think!

Gorm

Gorm is an Old Norse name that means “he who worships god”. 

We know it’s a genuine Viking name as Gorm the Old had a rune stone carved and erected in memory of his wife Thyra at Jelling in Denmark. 

Gorm’s son Harald Bluetooth (see below) had a second larger stone carved and erected next to it to commemorate both his parents and his own conquest of Denmark and Norway.

You can still visit the Jelling Stones today – for more on these and other Viking sites in modern-day Denmark, click here.

Halfdan

The name Halfdan means literally “half Danish”, so could be a good choice for a baby boy with one Danish parent!

The Danish king Halfdan was one of the leaders who invaded England in 865–6 and captured the city of York.

Harald

Aptly meaning “lord and ruler”, Harald is the name of the Viking king Harald Bluetooth, who conquered Denmark and Norway and succeeded in converting Denmark to Christianity in the tenth century. 

Bluetooth technology was named after Harald as its inventors felt that Bluetooth would unite the world as Harald united the warring tribes of Denmark. The Bluetooth symbol is based on a merging of his runic initials, H (ᚼ) and B (ᛒ).  

Ivar

Meaning “bow warrior” or “archer”, Ivar is another name that has been made popular by the TV series The Vikings.

In Norse mythology, Ivar the Boneless was the son of Ragnar Loðbrok and his wife Aslaug, and went on to invade England and Ireland.

Knud

Knud, or Knut, means “knot”. “Knut the Great”, the eleventh-century king of Denmark, England and Norway, is best known for allegedly attempting to control the tides.    

Kåre

Kåre is a cute name with Old Norse origins that means “curly” or “curvy”. It makes a  good choice for a boy with curly hair!   

Leif 

The Viking name Leif means “beloved” or “descendant”, and aptly so since Leif Ericsson was the son of the famous Viking explorer Erik the Red (see above). Leif then went on to be an explorer himself, setting foot on America centuries before Columbus did.

Loki

The name Loki actually means “airy”, but has now become synonymous with the trickster god or god of mischief from Norse mythology.

Played by a menacing Tom Hiddlestone, Loki in the Marvel Thor and Avengers films is a mischievous character, who causes trouble for his adopted brother Thor.

Magnus

Magnus means “great” so is certainly a good option for a baby boy’s name.

In Viking mythology, Magnus was the son of Ragnar and there are several Scandinavian kings with the name, including Magnus Barefoot and Magnus the Good.

Odin

The Viking name Odin means “frenzy”, “rage” or “poetic inspiration”.

In Norse mythology, Odin was the god of war, poetry, and magic, and was considered one of the strongest gods. So, Odin was strong, cultured and wise – a pretty inspiring name for a baby boy!

Ragnar

Meaning “warrior”, “judgement” or “keeper of the fort”, Ragnar is an Old Norse name that has regained popularity due the legendary ninth-century Viking leader Ragnar Loðbrok from the TV series The Vikings.

His many adventures include fighting a dragon, killing a snake and setting off to invade Britain with just two ships.

Rune

Rune is a Viking name that means “secret” and can be given to both boys and girls, though it’s more usual as a male name.

Well-known people named Rune include the Danish musician and DJ, Dune RK and the Norwegian actor Rune Temte (Bron-Char in the Captain Marvel movie). 

Little known fact – Rune is also the middle name of the Swedish tennis player Björn Borg! 

Sigurd 

Of Norse origins, the name Sigurd means “guardian of victory”. In Norse mythology, the legendary Viking warrior Sigurd Snake-in-the-eye killed a dragon and is thought to have been king of Denmark in the ninth century.

Skade

A niche choice we know, but if your baby boy is born with dimples why not consider calling him Skade?

It means “with a cleft chin” – which was considered a good omen in Old Norse times! 

Thor

With its origins in Norse mythology, the name Thor means “strength, thunder and war”. The god of war, thunder and lightening, Thor was the son of Odin and a popular god. 

The name has seen a rise in popularity since the Thor and Avengers films, in which the god was played by muscle-bound heart-throb Chris Hemsworth.

Troels

The name Troels means “Thor’s arrow” and is most popular in Denmark, though the Norwegian variation Truls is also in use.

Probably the best-known Danish Troels is the politician Troels Lund Poulsen, currently Denmark’s Minister for Economic Affairs.

Trygve 

The Viking name Trygve comes from the Old Norse word tryggr, that means  “true” and “trustworthy”  – great attributes for a baby boy!

Ulf

If you want a name that suggests cuddly, clever and athletic, how about the Viking name Ulf, which means “wolf” in Old Norse?

Famous Ulfs include the Swedish chess player Ulf Andersson and the Nobel price winner Ulf von Euler.

The cultural significance of classic Viking boy names

Traditionally Vikings were often named after a dead relative or ancestor – usually one that had lead a successful, prosperous life. This was because parents hoped that the good fortune of their ancestor would be passed down to the young boy.

Also, naming children after gods, such as Thor, Ragnar or Odin, was thought to bring divine protection to the newborn child.

Naming a boy Lief or Erik, after an imminent explorer, was popular too, as parents believed that it would give their boys courage and an adventurous spirit!

Today, however, names with Viking origins are not particularly popular choices for Scandinavian parents. 

The exception is Erik, which is still the most common boys name in Sweden, though it’s not in the top ten of names that have been given in recent years.

During the twentieth century, Viking names with more gentle or natural origins, such as Björn (meaning “bear”) and Arne (meaning “eagle”) were popular, but these too are less common now.

Twenty-first century choices tend to be more international. For more on what Scandinavian parents are calling their baby boys today, see Cool Swedish boy names and their meanings and Cool Danish boy names and their meanings.

Unusual Viking boys names

And if you’re looking for something really different, how about an unusual Viking boys name?

If your son is above average size, you could choose Njal, which means “giant”. Or if he’s feisty, what about Roar, which means “fame and spear” or Ødger, which means “wealth and spear”?

Alternatively, you could just opt for the simple, self-explanatory Sune, which means “son”.

How to pronounce Viking names

Of course, no-one really knows how the Vikings pronounced their names as their are no recordings, but many sources agree that the closest pronunciation today is modern Icelandic.

This is because many of the Viking tales that we know today were first written down by the Icelandic scholar Snorri Sturluson in the Prose Edda in the 13th century.

When proounving Viking names, remember that the main emphasis is usually on the first syllable of the word, and the r sound is always rolled.

For some more useful tips on how to pronounce Viking names, check out this video.

120 Viking boys names

See also:
The coolest, craziest Viking hairstyles
Cool female Viking names and their meanings
Viking tattoos and their inspirations