Norwegian Boy Names
Norwegian boy names mix three worlds: the Old Norse names of the Viking Age, classic Christian names in Scandinavian spelling, and today’s short, stylish favorites. This list of 90+ Norwegian names for boys covers all three, with meanings and origins, so you can find something that sounds genuinely Nordic without being hard to spell.
Norwegian spelling uses the letters æ, ø and å; we’ve kept them where they belong (Bjørn, Håkon). If you’re looking for a daughter’s name, see our Norwegian girl names, and for family names, Norwegian last names. The Norwegian names hub and our list of Swedish boy names offer more Scandinavian ideas.
Popular Norwegian boy names today
These names regularly appear near the top of Statistics Norway’s (SSB) annual baby-name lists. Many are international, but Norwegians favor the Scandinavian spellings.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Jakob | Supplanter, “held by the heel” | Hebrew |
| Emil | Rival, eager (from the Roman Aemilius) | Latin |
| Noah | Rest, comfort | Hebrew |
| Oliver | Olive tree; possibly from Old Norse Áleifr | Latin / Norse |
| Filip | Lover of horses | Greek |
| Lucas | From Lucania; “light” | Latin |
| Liam | Short for William, “resolute protector” | Irish / Germanic |
| Aksel | Scandinavian form of Absalom, “father of peace” | Hebrew |
| Theodor | Gift of God | Greek |
| Isak | He will laugh | Hebrew |
| Henrik | Ruler of the home | Germanic |
| Oskar | Possibly “god spear” (Old Norse Ásgeirr) or “deer lover” (Irish) | Norse / Irish |
| Ludvig | Famous warrior | Germanic |
| Johannes | God is gracious | Hebrew |
| Elias | My God is Yahweh | Hebrew |
| Magnus | Great | Latin |
| Mathias | Gift of God | Hebrew |
| Kasper | Treasurer | Persian |
| Sander | Short for Alexander, “defender of men” | Greek |
| Tobias | God is good | Hebrew |
| Martin | Of Mars, the Roman god | Latin |
| Kristian | Follower of Christ | Greek |
| Jonas | Dove | Hebrew |
| Adrian | From Hadria, a Roman town | Latin |
Old Norse boy names with Viking roots
Norwegian law has long encouraged names with local roots, and these Old Norse names never really went out of style. Many honor animals, weapons or the god Thor. For more, see Viking boy names.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Bjørn | Bear | Old Norse |
| Arne | Eagle | Old Norse |
| Tor | Thor, god of thunder | Old Norse |
| Leif | Heir, descendant | Old Norse |
| Knut | Knot | Old Norse |
| Ulf | Wolf | Old Norse |
| Håkon | High son, chosen son | Old Norse |
| Sigurd | Victory guardian | Old Norse |
| Harald | Army ruler | Old Norse |
| Gunnar | Warrior (gunnr, “war”) | Old Norse |
| Ivar | Bow warrior (from yew-wood bows) | Old Norse |
| Ragnar | Counsel warrior | Old Norse |
| Torbjørn | Thor’s bear | Old Norse |
| Asbjørn | God bear | Old Norse |
| Øystein | Island stone, or luck stone | Old Norse |
| Egil | Edge (of a blade) | Old Norse |
| Frode | Wise, learned | Old Norse |
| Vidar | Possibly “wide warrior”; a son of Odin | Old Norse |
| Eirik | Ever ruler, sole ruler | Old Norse |
| Halvard | Rock guardian | Old Norse |
| Snorre | Onslaught, attack | Old Norse |
| Sverre | Swinging, whirling (Old Norse sverrir) | Old Norse |
| Brage | Poetry; Bragi, the god of poetry | Old Norse |
| Audun | Wealth + friend | Old Norse |
| Eilif | Ever heir, “ever-living” | Old Norse |
| Vegard | Sanctuary guardian | Old Norse |
| Einar | Lone warrior | Old Norse |
| Steinar | Stone warrior | Old Norse |
| Torstein | Thor’s stone | Old Norse |
| Gaute | From Gautr, a Geat; also a byname of Odin | Old Norse |
| Yngvar | Warrior of Yngvi (the god Freyr) | Old Norse |
| Njål | From Irish Niall, possibly “champion” | Old Norse / Irish |
Classic Norwegian boy names (dad and grandpa names)
These were everywhere in 20th-century Norway. Some feel dated at home, but they sound fresh and distinctive in the US.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Ole | Norwegian form of Olav, “ancestor’s descendant” | Norse |
| Olav | Ancestor’s descendant; name of Norway’s patron saint | Norse |
| Per | Norwegian form of Peter, “rock” | Greek |
| Lars | From Laurentius, “from Laurentum” | Latin |
| Nils | Scandinavian form of Nicholas, “victory of the people” | Greek |
| Hans | Short for Johannes, “God is gracious” | Hebrew |
| Jan | Short form of Johannes | Hebrew |
| Kjell | Cauldron, helmet (Old Norse ketill) | Norse |
| Svein | Young man, boy | Norse |
| Rune | Secret lore, rune | Norse |
| Geir | Spear | Norse |
| Odd | Point of a weapon | Norse |
| Trond | From Þrándr, possibly “to thrive” | Norse |
| Terje | Thor’s spear (Þórgeirr) | Norse |
| Stein | Stone | Norse |
| Ståle | Steel | Norse |
| Tore | Thor | Norse |
| Espen | Form of Asbjørn, “god bear”; the fairy-tale hero Askeladden | Norse |
| Anders | Scandinavian Andrew, “manly” | Greek |
| Jens | Danish-Norwegian form of Johannes | Hebrew |
Modern and trendy Norwegian boy names
Short, two-syllable names with Nordic spelling are in fashion in Oslo and Bergen right now.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Sindre | From Sindri, a dwarf in Norse myth; possibly “sparkling” | Norse |
| Vetle | Little one, from Old Norse vetr (winter) or vættr | Norse (uncertain) |
| Even | From Eyvindr, “island + victor” or “island + Wend” | Norse |
| Sondre | From Sindri, “sparkling” | Norse |
| Mikkel | Scandinavian Michael, “who is like God?” | Hebrew |
| Iver | Variant of Ivar, “bow warrior” | Norse |
| Storm | Storm | Norwegian |
| Birk | Birch tree | Norwegian |
| Eskil | God’s cauldron (Ásketill) | Norse |
| Syver | Norwegian form of Sigurd, “victory guardian” | Norse |
| Torvald | Thor’s ruler | Norse |
| Villiam | Norwegian spelling of William | Germanic |
Sami boy names
The Sami are the Indigenous people of northern Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia. Sami names are often local forms of Christian names, and Norway’s naming law explicitly protects them.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Ánde | Sami form of Anders (Andrew) | Sami |
| Máhtte | Sami form of Mathias | Sami |
| Niillas | Sami form of Nils (Nicholas) | Sami |
| Áilu | Sami form of Olav | Sami |
| Jovnna | Sami form of Jon (John) | Sami |
| Heaika | Sami form of Henrik | Sami |
| Biera | Sami form of Per (Peter) | Sami |
| Ovlla | Sami form of Ole | Sami |
Tips for choosing a Norwegian boy name
- Decide how you’ll handle ø and å. Outside Norway, Bjørn often becomes Bjorn or Bjoern and Håkon becomes Hakon or Haakon (the spelling used by Norway’s kings). Pick the version you’ll use on documents.
- Check the English pronunciation. Some names change sound in English: Odd is a proud name in Norway but may draw jokes elsewhere, and Even is pronounced “EH-ven.”
- Look to the sagas. Names like Snorre, Egil and Sigurd come straight from Old Norse literature. Our Norse god names list adds mythological options.
- Try a nature name. Storm, Birk and Stein are simple and very Norwegian. See nature boy names for more.
- Honor family with a double name. Norwegians often combine names, like Per Kristian or Knut Erik, which is an easy way to include a grandfather’s name.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most popular boy name in Norway?
In recent years Jakob, Noah, Emil, Lucas, Oliver and Filip have been at or near the top of Statistics Norway’s lists, with Aksel, Isak and Ludvig close behind.
What are traditional Norwegian boy names?
Olav, Ole, Per, Lars, Knut, Nils, Bjørn, Arne and Håkon are classic Norwegian names that have been used for generations.
What Norwegian name means bear?
Bjørn means bear, and Torbjørn (“Thor’s bear”) and Asbjørn (“god bear”) build on it.
What Norwegian boy name means wolf?
Ulf means wolf in Old Norse. See our names that mean wolf for many more.
Does Norway have rules about baby names?
Yes. Norway’s Name Act regulates names, but it has become much more liberal; most first names are now accepted as long as they aren’t likely to harm the child.