Norwegian Names – Female

Last October I compiled a list of masculine Norwegian names for you, but with one thing and another, I haven't been able to make the female counterpart until now. Well, here it is!

Norwegian names have a really unique feel to them, and though I tried to find the most authentic ones, many of the names on this list are not necessarily Norwegian in origin, even if they're used in Norway.  "What does that mean?" you ask. Well, take the name Maiken on this list, for example. It's a Danish and Norwegian diminutive of Maria, which is a form of Mary, which is, of course, a well-known name taken from English translations of the Bible. The reason I didn't list a meaning for Maiken when I put it on the list, is because Mary may mean "sea of bitterness," "rebelliousness," "wished-for child,"  "beloved," or "loved," depending on who you ask. When names are vague like that, or pass through four or five variations before what makes it to this list (like Katja, which came from Katya, which came from Yekaterina, which came from Katherine, which may have come from the name of the Greek goddess Hecate), I don't feel qualified to nail down a simple meaning for you, and left it blank, instead.

But you didn't come here to read about the evolution of names. You came here to find one for your woefully nameless lady character. So here you go! However, just in case Norwegian names aren't quite what you're going for, here's a few other lists of very different ethnicities that might prove more helpful.

• Male and Female English Names
• Male and Female Hebrew Names
• Male and Female Irish Names

Now, let the Norwegian names begin!
​
A
Agathe – good
Agnes – chaste
Agnetha – chaste
Ågot – good
Aina – the only one; always
Alfhild – elf; battle
Alva – elf
Anja – favor; grace
Annbjørg – eagle; help; save; rescue
Annelie – ?
Annette – favor; grace
Anniken – favor; grace
Arnbjørg – eagle; help; save; rescue
Åse – god
Asta – god; beautiful; beloved
Astrid – god; beautiful; beloved
B
Beata – blessed
Benedikte – blessed
Bente – blessed
Bergliot – protection; help; light
Berit – ?
Birgit – ?
Birgitta – ?
Birgitte – ?
Bjørg – help; save; rescue
Bodil – remedy; battle
Borghild – fortification; battle
Brit – ?
Brita – ?
Brynhild – armor; protection; battle

C
Carina – ?
Cathrine – ?
Cecilie – blind
Christin – a Christian
D
Dagmar – day; maid
Dagny – day; new
Dagrun – day; secret lore
Dorothea – gift of God
E
Ebba – wild boar; bear; brave; hardy
Edith – wealth; fortune; war
Eir – mercy
Elin – torch; corposant; moon
Elisabet – my God is an oath; my God is abundance
Elisabeth – my God is an oath; my God is abundance
Elise – my God is an oath; my God is abundance
Ella – ?
Ellinor – ?
Else – my God is an oath; my God is abundance
Embla – elm?
Emilie – rival
Erika – ever; always; ruler; heather
Erle – feminine form of Jarl; Jarl means chieftain; nobleman; earl
Erna – serious
Eva – to breathe; to live
F
Frida – peace
Frøya – lady
G
Gerda – enclosure
Grete – pearl
Grethe – pearl
Gro – to grow
Gry – dawn
Gudrun – god’s secret lore
Gull – god
Gunda – war
Gunn – war
Gunnhild – war; battle
Gunnvor – cautious in war
H
Hanna – favor; grace
Hanne – favor; grace
Hedda – battle; combat; war
Hedvig – battle; combat; war
Hege – holy; blessed
Heidi – noble; kind; sort; type
Helen – torch; corposant; moon
Helena – torch; corposant; moon
Helene – torch; corposant; moon
Helga – holy; blessed
Hella – holy; blessed
Henrike – home ruler
Hilda – battle
Hilde – battle
Hildegard – battle; enclosure
Hildur – battle
Hjørdis – sword goddess
Hulda – hiding; secrecy; sweet; lovable
I
Ida – work; labor
Ina – ?
Inga – ancestor
Inge – ancestor
Ingebjørg – ancestor; help; save; rescue
Ingegerd – ancestor; enclosure
Inger – ?
Ingrid – Ing is beautiful
Ingvild – ancestor; battle
Irene – peace
J
Jacobine – supplanter
Janne – YAHWEH is gracious
Jannicke – YAHWEH is gracious
Johanna – YAHWEH is gracious
Johanne – YAHWEH is gracious
Jorunn – horse; love
Josefine – He will add
Judit – woman from Judea
K
Kaia – ?
Kaja – ?
Kamilla – ?
Karen – ?
Kari – ?
Karin – ?
Karina – ?
Karine – ?
Karla – ?
Karolina – ?
Katarina – ?
Katja – ?
Katrine – ?
Kine – a Christian
Kirsten – a Christian
Kjellfrid – kettle; beautiful
Kjersti – a Christian
Kjerstin – a Christian
Klara – clear; bright; famous
L
Laila – holy; blessed
Lea – weary; mistress; ruler
Lene – ?
Lina – ?
Linn – ?
Lis – my God is an oath; my God is abundance
Lisbet – my God is an oath; my God is abundance
Lise – my God is an oath; my God is abundance
Liss – my God is an oath; my God is abundance
Liv – protection; life
Lotte – ?
Lovise – famous; war; battle
M
Magda – of Magdala
Magnhild – mighty; strong; battle
Maiken – ?
Maja – ?
Malene – of Magdala
Malin – of Magdala
Maren – of the sea
Margit – pearl
Margrethe – pearl
Mari – ?
Marie – ?
Marit – pearl
Marte – the lady; the mistress; master
Marthe – the lady; the mistress; master
Martine – feminine form of Martin
Mathilde – strength in battle
Meta – pearl
Mette – pearl
Mikaela – who is like God?
Milla – ?
Mona – ?
Monika – ?
N
Nanna – daring; brave
Natalie – Christmas day
Nathalie – Christmas day
Nora – ?
O
Oda – wealth; fortune
Olga – holy; blessed
Øydis – good fortune; island; goddess
P
Pauline – small; humble
Pernille – ?
Pia – pious; dutiful
R
Ragna – advice; counsel
Ragnhild – advice; counsel; battle
Rakel – ewe
Randi – advice; counsel; beautiful
Rebekka – join; tie; snare
Regine – queen
Reidun – nest; home; to wave; to billow
Renate – born again
Runa – secret lore
S
Selma – ?
Sigfrid – victory; beautiful; fair
Signe – victory; new
Signy – victory; new
Sigrid – victory; beautiful; fair
Sigrun – victory; secret
Silje – blind
Siri – victory; beautiful; fair
Siv – bride
Solfrid – sun; beautiful
Solveig – sun; strength
Sølvi – ?
Sonja – wisdom
Stina – ?
Stine – ?
Storm – storm
Sunniva – sun gift
Susann – lily; rose; lotus
Susanne – lily; rose; lotus
Svanhild – swan; battle
Sylvi – ?
Synne – sun gift
Synnøve – sun gift
T
Tanja – ?
Tea – gift of God
Terese – ?
Thea – gift of God
Theresa – ?
Therese – ?
Thora – thunder
Thyra – holy; thunder; strength
Tine – a Christian
Tone – thunder; new
Tora – thunder
Torbjørg – Thor’s protection
Torborg – Thor’s protection
Tordis – Thor’s goddess
Torhild – Thor’s battle
Toril – Thor’s battle
Torny – thunder
Torø – thunder
Tove – thunder; beautiful
Trude – spear of strength
Tuva – thunder; beautiful
U
Ulla – ?
Ulrikke – prosperity and power
Unn – to wave; to billow; to love
Ursula – little bear
V
Vanja – ?
Vera – faith; true
Veslemøy – little girl
Vibeke – war
Viktoria – victory
Viola – violet
Vivi – ?
Y
Ylva – she-wolf
Yvonne – yew?

​Names taken from Behind the Name.