Norwegian Names – Male

If you've been following me here or on Twitter for very long, you probably know how much I love names... and on this website that love has manifested itself in the occasional compiling of names lists for writing purposes. "After all," I thought, "Wouldn't it be nice to live in a world where finding character names didn't involve whipping out the bookmarked baby name website every time a new character sprang forth?"

And thus—fueled by my passion for names, and practical writerly puruits, I formed a new excuse to look at that bookmarked baby name website—all so you don't have to. Today's list is male Norwegian names, hailing from that beautiful land of fjords and viking history, but if you're looking for female names, this is the post for you.

However—if the unique Scandinavian flavor of Norwegian names isn't really your thing, (or your characters'), then maybe one of these other lists is. Either way, I hope you found this post helpful for that chronic occurrence of a writer's life: the naming of characters.

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

A
Aage – ancestor; father
Adolf – noble wolf
Adrian – from Hadria
Åge – ancestor; father
Agnar – awe; terror; edge of a sword; warrior
Aksel – my father is peace
Albert – noble; bright
Albin – white; bright
Aleksander – defending men
Alex – defending men
Alexander – defending men
Alf – elf
Alfred – elf; counsel
Alv – elf
Amund – edge of a sword; awe; terror; protection
Anders – manly; masculine
Andor – eagle; thunder
Andreas – manly; masculine
Anton – ?
Arne – eagle
Arnfinn – eagle; person from Finland
Arnt – eagle power
Aron – ?
Arthur – bear; man; king
Arvid – eagle; tree
Asbjørn – god; bear
Åsmund – god; protection
August – great; venerable
Axel – my father is peace
B
Baard – battle; peace
Bård – battle; peace
Bernhard – bear; brave; hardy
Bernt – bear; brave; hardy
Bertil – bright; famous; ruler
Bjarne – bear
Bjoern – bear
Bjørn – bear
Brynjar – armor; warrior

C
Cai – ?
Caj – ?
Casper – treasurer
Christian – a Christian
Christoffer – bearing Christ; to bear; carry
Clemens – merciful; gentle
D
Dag – day
Dagfinn – day; person from Finland
Dan – a Dane; or God is my judge
E
Edvard – rich guard
Edvin – rich friend
Eilert – edge of a sword; brave; hardy
Einar – one; alone; warrior
Eindride – one; alone; to ride
Eirik – ever; always; ruler
Eivind – island; good fortune
Emanuel – God is with us
Emil – rival
Endre – one; alone; to ride
Enok – dedicated
Erik – ever; always; ruler
Ernst – serious
Esben – god; bear
Espen – god; bear
Even – island; good fortune
F
Finn – person from Finland
Folke – people
Frans – Frenchman
Fredrik – peaceful ruler
Fritjof – thief of peace
Frode – learned; wise
G
Geir – spear
Georg – farmer; earthworker
Gerhard – spear; brave; hardy
Gøran – farmer; earthworker
Gregers – watchful; alert
Gudbrand – god’s sword
Gudmund – god; protection
Gunnar – war; warrior
Gunne – war
Gustav – staff of the Goths; or guest; glory
H
Haakon – high son; descendant
Håkon – high son; descendant
Haldor – Thor’s rock
Halfdan – half Danish
Halvard – rock guardian
Halvdan – half Danish
Hanne – ?
Hans – ?
Harald – army; power; ruler
Håvard – high; guardian; defender
Helge – holy; blessed
Hemming – shape
Henrik – home ruler
Herleif – army; son; descendant
Herman – army man
Hjalmar – helmeted warrior
Holger – island; spear
I
Inge – ancestor
Ingvar – ancestor; warrior
Isak – he will laugh; he will rejoice
Ivar – yew; bow; warrior
J
Jakob – supplanter
Jarle – chieftan; nobleman; earl
Johan – form of John
Johannes – form of John
Jonatan – YAHWEH has given
Jone – form of John
Jørg – farmer; earthworker
Jørgen – farmer; earthworker
Jørn – farmer; earthworker
Josef – he will add
K
Kåre – curly; curved
Karl – man; army; warrior
Karsten – a Christian
Kasper – treasurer
Kennet – handsome; born of fire
Ketil – kettle; cauldron; helmet
Kjell – kettle; cauldron; helmet
Kjetil – kettle; cauldron; helmet
Klaus – victory of the people
Knut – knot
Konrad – brave; counsel
Kristen – a Christian
Kristian – a Christian
Kristoffer – bearing Christ; to bear; carry
L
Lars – from Laurentum
Lasse – from Laurentum
Laurits – from Laurentum
Leif – descendant; heir
Leiv – descendant; heir
Leo – lion
Linus – flax
Loke – to break
Lorens – from Laurentum
Ludvig – famous; war; battle
Lukas – from Lucania
M
Magnus – great
Markus – form of Mark
Mathias – gift of YAHWEH
Mats – gift of YAHWEH
Matteus – gift of YAHWEH
Mikael – who is like God?
Mikkel – who is like God?
N
Niklas – victory of the people
Nils – victory of the people
O
Odd – point of a sword
Oddmund – point of a sword; protection
Øivind – island; good fortune
Ola – ancestor’s descendent
Olaf – ancestor’s descendant
Olav – ancestor’s descendant
Oskar – deer friend
Osvald – god; ruler
Otto – wealth; fortune
P
Peder – stone
Peer – stone
Per – stone
Petter – stone
R
Ragnar – advice; army
Ragnvald – advice; counsel; power; ruler
Ralf – counsel; wolf
Reidar – nest; home; warrior
Rikard – brave power
Roald – fame; ruler
Rudolf – fame; wolf
Runar – secret lore; warrior
Rune – secret lore
S
Salomon – peace
Sander – defending men
Sebastian – from Sebaste
Severin – stern
Sigmund – victory; protector
Sigurd – victory; guardian
Simen – he has heard
Sindre – small; trivial; or sparkling
Snorre – attack; onslaught
Søren – stern
Stefan – crown; that which surrounds
Stein – stone
Steinar – stone warrior
Sten – stone
Stian – wanderer
Svante – blessed people
Sven – boy
T
Tallak – Thor’s play
Thor – thunder
Thorbjørn – Thor’s bear
Thore – Thor’s warrior
Tor – thunder
Torkel – Thor’s cauldron
Torleif – Thor’s descendant
Torsten – Thor’s stone
Torvald – Thor’s ruler
Trygve – trustworthy
U
Ulf – wolf
Ulrik – prosperity; power
V
Valentin – strong; vigorous; healthy
Valter – ruler of the army
Vidar – wide; warrior
Viggo – war
Viktor – victor; conqueror
Y
Yngvar – ancestor; warrior

​Names taken from Behind the Name.