Names documented in Icelandic

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Documented languageCountry of recorded useLanguage origin

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147 names · Page 2 of 3. Origin labels follow the cited name sense; earlier roots and uncertain meanings are explained on each name page.

Hervör

From Old Norse Hervǫr the female equivalent to Old Norse Hervarðr, from Proto-Germanic *Harjawarō. Cognate with Old English Herewaru.

Gender: feminine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends R

Hilaríus

From Latin hilaris (“glad, happy”).

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 3 syllables
Ending: ends S

Hjálmar

From Old Norse Hjalmarr.

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends R

Hlér

From Old Norse hlér (“the sea”), Hlér (proper name, an alternate name of Ægir and namesake of the island Hlésey according to the Prose Edda), from Proto-Norse *ᚺᛚᛖᚹᚨᛉ…

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 1 syllable
Ending: ends R

Hörður

From Old Norse Hǫrðr.

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends R

Hrafnkell

Inherited from Old Norse Hrafnkell, from earlier Hrafnketill. hrafn (“raven”) + ketill (“kettle, cauldron”).

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends L

Hróðný

From Old Norse Hróðný. Composed of Hróð- + -ný.

Gender: feminine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends Ý

Hrólfur

From Old Norse Hrólfr, from Hróðólfr (which also yielded Icelandic Hróðólfur), from hróðr (‘proud’) + úlfr, -ólfr (‘wolf’), cognate with Old English Hruodwulf.

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends R

Hróný

Attested since the 17th century. Variant of Hróðný, from Old Norse Hróðný. Composed of Hró- + -ný.

Gender: feminine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends Ý

Hulda

From Swedish Hulda. From Old Norse Hulda (“secrecy, hiding”), see hulda.

Gender: feminine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends A

Iðunn

Inherited from Old Norse Iðunnr.

Gender: feminine
Syllables: 1 syllable
Ending: ends N

Ingibjörg

From Old Norse Ingibjǫrg.

Gender: feminine
Syllables: 3 syllables
Ending: ends G

Ingólfur

From Old Norse Ingólfr, combined from Ing and Ulf.

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 3 syllables
Ending: ends R

Ívar

From Old Norse Ívarr.

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends R

Jakobína

Borrowed from Danish Jakobine; corresponds to Jakob + ína.

Gender: feminine
Syllables: 4 syllables
Ending: ends A

Játvarður

From Old Norse Játvarðr, borrowed from Old English Ēadweard, from Proto-Germanic *Audawarduz. Doublet of Eðvarð.

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 3 syllables
Ending: ends R

Jensína

Borrowed from Danish Jensine; corresponds to Jens + -ína.

Gender: feminine
Syllables: 3 syllables
Ending: ends A

Jódís

From Old Norse Jódís, equivalent to jór (“horse”) + dís (“fairy”).

Gender: feminine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends S

Jón

From Old Norse Jónn, Jón, contraction of earlier Jóann, from Latin Iōannēs, from Ancient Greek Ἰωάννης (Iōánnēs), from Hebrew יוֹחָנָן (Yōḥānān).

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 1 syllable
Ending: ends N

Jónatan

Borrowed from Hebrew יְהוֹנָתָן (Yəhonatan), יוֹנָתָן (Yonatan, literally “whom the Lord gave”).

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 3 syllables
Ending: ends N

Jósefína

Borrowed from Danish Josephine, Josefine, from French Joséphine, from Joseph + -ine. Equivalent to Jósef + -ína.

Gender: feminine
Syllables: 4 syllables
Ending: ends A

Júlíus

Borrowed from Latin Iūlius.

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends S

Kaðlín

From Old Norse Kaðlín, from Middle Irish Caitlín, from Old French [Term?]. Doublet of Katrín and Karen.

Gender: feminine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends N

Kári

From Old Norse Kári (“gust of wind”), related to kárr (“curly-haired”), from a Proto-Germanic root related to *kreukaną (“to fold up, wrinkle”).

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends I

Katrín

From Ancient Greek Αἰκατερίνη (Aikaterínē), *Ἑκατερίνη (*Hekaterínē), of debated meaning, possibly from ἑκάτερος (hekáteros, “each of the two”), or from the name of the goddess…

Gender: feminine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends N

Kiljan

Borrowed from Irish Cillian, a saint’s name, first used in Iceland by Halldór Kiljan Laxness (1902-1998) after his conversion to Catholicism.

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends N

Kjartan

19th century, borrowed from Icelandic Kjartan. From Old Norse Kjartan, shortening of Mýrkjartan, from Old Irish Muirchertach (literally “mariner”), from muir (“sea”) + certach…

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends N

Knútur

From Old Norse Knútr.

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends R

Kristján

Borrowed from Latin Chrīstiānus.

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends N

Lára

Borrowed from Latin Laura, from the feminine form of laurus (“laurel tree”).

Gender: feminine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends A

Ljótur

From Old Norse Ljótr, probably from Proto-Germanic *leuhtaz and originally meaning “bright”.

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends R

Logi

From Old Norse logi (“flame”)

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends I

Loki

Borrowed from Old Norse Loki, where further etymology is shown. From Old Norse Loki.

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends I

Magnús

a male given name from Latin, equivalent to English Magnus

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends S

Mjölnir

From Old Norse Mjǫllnir, likely from Proto-Norse *ᛗᛖᛚᛞᚢᚾᛃᚨᛉ (*meldunjaʀ), from Proto-Germanic *meldunjaz, from Proto-Indo-European *meldʰ-n- (“lightning”).

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends R

Mörður

From Old Norse Mǫrðr, from mǫrðr (“marten”) (modern Icelandic mörður), from Proto-Germanic *marþuz. It remained in use as a personal name in Iceland until at least the 13th…

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends R

Neptúnus

Borrowed from Latin Neptūnus.

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 3 syllables
Ending: ends S

Níelsína

From Níels + -ína, likely adapted from Danish Nielsine.

Gender: feminine
Syllables: 3 syllables
Ending: ends A

Nikulás

From Ancient Greek Νικόλαος (Nikólaos), from νίκη (níkē, “victory”) + λαός (laós, “people”).

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 3 syllables
Ending: ends S

Njáll

From Old Norse Njáll, from Old Irish Níall.

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 1 syllable
Ending: ends L

Óðinn

From Old Norse Óðinn, from Proto-Germanic *Wōdanaz.

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 1 syllable
Ending: ends N

Ólafur

From Old Norse Óláfr.

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 3 syllables
Ending: ends R

Olga

Borrowed in the 19th century from Old East Slavic О́льга (Ólĭga), name of a Kievan knyaginya (Saint Olga of Kiev), a medieval form of Helga, Old Norse heilagr (“holy;…

Gender: feminine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends A

Ólöf

From Old Norse Álǫf.

Gender: feminine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends F

Órækja

From Old Norse Órœkja, probably originally a nickname. From the common noun órækja (“a negligent or slovenly person”).

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends A

Össur

From Old Norse Ǫzurr, probably from Proto-Germanic *Andaswaruz.

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends R

Óvína

Borrowed from Danish Ovine, from Ove + -ine.

Gender: feminine
Syllables: 3 syllables
Ending: ends A

Páll

From Old Norse Páll, from Latin Paulus.

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 1 syllable
Ending: ends L

Ragnar

From Old Norse Ragnarr.

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends R

Rín

From Old Norse Rín, from Proto-Germanic *Rīnaz.

Gender: feminine
Syllables: 1 syllable
Ending: ends N

Ríta

Borrowed from Italian Rita, diminutive of Margherita.

Gender: feminine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends A

Röskva

From Old Norse Rǫskva, archaic form Vrǫskva.

Gender: feminine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends A

Rúrik

Borrowed from English and Scandinavian languages. The popular serial novel The Gunmaker of Moscow by American author Sylvanus Cobb, Jr., available in Icelandic translation as…

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends K