Female Viking names are trending at the moment, and rightfully so. You may have searched for Viking girl names on Google and come across this article. The point of this piece is to bring you some information regarding Viking names for girls and talk about where their origins came from.
We will also share a few names with you and explain their meaning. After this article, you may find a new name for your baby girl. Without further ado, let us begin this piece.
Where Do Female Viking Names for Girls Come From?
There are many different origins of Viking names for girls. Some female warrior names come as “shield warriors” as part of Old Norse mythology. In Norse mythology, these were beautiful and brave maidens who chose which warriors would be saved or killed on the battlefield and served Thor. The names of these female Viking warriors were Gondul, Alruna, Herfjotur, Gunnr, Brynhildr.
Some female Viking goddess names originated from other older Viking names. You can take inspiration from Norse goddess names such as Hel, Sif, Skadi, Frigg, Idun, and Freja for your little one’s name.
Another thing that has provided some inspiration for Viking girl names is the popular TV series “Vikings.” Female Viking names used in the movie are Siggy, Lagertha, Helga, Aslaug, and Porunn.
What Are Some Popular Viking Names for Girls and Their Meaning?
We have selected some of the best female Viking names and looked into their origins and what they mean. If you like the idea of a Viking name for your baby girl, you may want to understand the meaning behind it. Here are some of our top names from Norse mythology and the Viking era.
Astrid
Astrid is in widespread use today and was a popular Viking name during the culture’s reign in ancient Scandinavian. It’s a beloved Viking girl name used by Scandinavian royalty, including Princess Astrid of Norway and Princess Astrid of Sweden, who eventually became Queen of Belgium.
The name means beautiful goddess, though some sources suggest it means Old Norse for “Strength of a Norse god.” Other famous Astrids include Strid Lindgren, the Swedish author of the “Pippi Longstockings” books, and renowned singer Astrid S.
Bodil
If you want your little girl to grow up to be a strong leader and a divine woman, why not consider naming her Bodil. It’s a unique old Norse name that means “fighting woman,” “battle woman,” or “commander.”
Freya
Freya was the wife of Odr and one of the most prominent Norse gods in Norse mythology. Some researchers suggest Odr was Odin and Freya or Friggs was his wife, though this doesn’t roll off the tongue quite as elegantly.
Freya’s name means “lady,” She was the goddess of war, love, beauty, and fertility.
Gertrud
This is an old Norse name popular throughout the Nordic countries and with a german meaning of “strength” or “spear.” Gertrud was a goddess who turned into a bird in Norse mythology, and we can’t forget that Shakespear’s Hamlet’s mom’s name is Gertrude.
There were also two saints called Gertrude; Saint Gertrude was the patron saint of cats, and Gertrude the Great was known for her gentleness and kindness; she was the patron saint of gardens and travelers.
Hilda
In Norse mythology, this name means “ready for battle,” “battle woman,” or “the fighter.” A shrinking violet cannot be named Hilda, that is for sure. The ancient Scandinavian word, “hildr,” meaning “battle, ” is an old Norse name-giving girls protection and strength in life.
It was also the name of a saint, Hilda of Whitby, who abbesses and founded the White Abbey in the seventh century.
Ingrid
The origins of this name come from Norse mythology, and its germanic meaning is “beautiful goddess.” Ing was an alternative name for Freya in Norse mythology, the goddess of beauty and fertility. One of the most well-known Ingrids was considered one of the world’s most beautiful women, and she was a Swedish film star, Ingrid Bergman.
Liv
This name means “protection” and shelter and comes from the old Norse word “hlif.” It has also come to mean “life” in modern Nordic countries. One of the most well-known Norwegian actresses and film directors is Liv Ullmann.
Randi
There are multiple possibilities for Randi’s meaning and origin. Some people say that its meaning is “loved by God,” deriving from the Old Norse name Ragnfrior while others claim it is a combination of two Old Norse words. The later part of the name means “beautiful,” while the former means “advice or counseling.”
Some other sources say “shrine or shield.” You choose the meaning that’s best for you.
Saga
The name Saga suggests a mystical ability to predict the future and means “seeing one” It comes from the Old Norse word “sja,” which translates to “to see.” Saga is the goddess of wisdom and prophecy in Norse mythology and is a prominent secret lore figure.
Tove
This name means “beautiful Thor” and comes from the Old Norse name Tofa. Others suggest that the Norse meaning is “dove.” Inspirational females named Tove include Swedish singer Tove Lo and the creator of the Moomnintroll, author Tove Jannson.
Thyra
The origins of the name Thyra are unclear. Some historians suggest that it comes from a word in Norse mythology, “ppor,” meaning “thunder.” Then, others say that it means “helpful” or “devoted to Thor.” No matter how you look at it, the real-life Thyra was an eighteenth-century Danish queen.
Ursa
This Norse mythology name has a Norse meaning of “wild’ or “female bear” and is diminutive of the famous name Ursula. It is a name that represents strength and power from the old age culture beliefs of the Vikings.
Viking Age Naming Traditions
Now that you have had some time to absorb the suggestion we mentioned above, it’s time to learn more about the traditions of naming Viking baby girls. The Vikings followed a few standard practices for giving their young names.
- After a relative – Ancient Scandinavian ancestors were revered by the Vikings, so naming their child after one was believed to pass on success and bless them with the deceased one’s luck.
- Similar to an Old Norse god – Including naming their child after the Vikings, this glorified their old Norse gods in a multitude of ways. They often would create a name for themselves by taking the elements of a Norse gods’ name and molding it into their own. If you want an example of this, you can look no further than the Viking names Thorgest and Thorald.
- After a sibling – The rest of each children’s name would often be the first letter of the kid’s oldest sibling. Even modern families who have children all with the same first letter follow this shared tradition. Scandinavian parents would also name children using the first element, such as Astrid, Ase, Aren, etc.
How Do You Choose a Strong Female Name from Norse Mythology?
Whether you want to choose a name from secret lore, Norse mythology, or one from the ancient seafaring Norse people, there is sure to be one that will fit your child’s present destiny perfectly. Old Norse mythology is filled with great names such as the god Thor or the sun goddess Sol or Sunna; both of these are great baby names for your little angel.
If you want your kid’s name to represent a mighty ruler or divine strength, you may want to use a name like Odin’s wife, Freya. These Norse names are popular names to give to your daughter.
What Is the History of Nordic Baby Girl Names?
Even though you may not realize it, names from Norse mythology and the Vikings are still popular today. Unfortunately, it’s less common to see female names than male names, and this is because males could leave runic inscriptions for archaeologists to find since they were the ones to go on more expeditions.
Minors in the Viking age were regularly named after gods such as Thorsten, Toke, or Thor. Some girls were given the name of a goddess. However, old Norse females’ names were connected with unique purity, strength, and peace qualities.
There is a byline commonly included in Viking names. In old Norse, it was common to hear first names and where the individual came from, or even one of their possessions could be strung to their title. An example of this is, they would call a man Ascot with the Red Shield instead of just plain Ascot.
They were unyielding, although you may not know much about Vikings. If you want to raise a powerful daughter, using an old Norse Viking name is a great idea.
Conclusion
If you are looking for female names and search somewhere in the Norse underworlds, you may not be looking in the right place. The Norse meaning of names often referred to characteristics, strengths, or powers.
Researchers have given English meaning to these names with runic inscriptions and helped us understand them better. Suppose you are someone who has an interest in a Norse goddess or are trying to decide which popular Viking names would be best for your daughter; it may be a good idea to find out the history behind it first.
