It's no wonder there's been such a revival in interest about Norse mythology. The religion was widespread in Scandinavia during the age of the seafaring warriors and explorers the Vikings, whose age lasted from about 793 to 1063 A.D. Viking colonists and travelers expanded as far and wide as Iceland to Turkey, and have influenced cultures throughout the world with technological developments like their remarkable longships, not to mention their influence over our language.
Old Norse is the mother of all the current Scandinavian languages, but it's also been hugely influential in English due to their early settlements in England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. Today English-speakers use old Viking words on a daily basis without even realizing it — words as common as "skirt," "cake," and "smile" have Viking roots.
Similarly, Old Norse religion was once commonplace in Scandinavia until it was displaced by Christianity in the 12th century (although some elements continued to survive as folklore). A pagan religion that worshiped a pantheon of gods, Old Norse religion starts with a creation myth: It begins in a deep abyss and simply some elements — fire and ice — which eventually come together to create an early giant Ymir. The ice also eventually produces a cow, which nourishes the Ymir, and who also licks the ice, uncovering the first god, Buri, the original Aesir god. A couple of ice-and-giant generations later, and only then do we meet the fist Norse god most of us are familiar with — Odin. It's fascinating stuff, and the stories only get more interesting and complex from there.
For anyone with family ties to Scandinavia — or even folks who just find the stories fascinating — it's reasonable to want to name a baby after these myths. For other culturally specific baby names, check out these Greek name ideas, and these other baby names inspired by global mythology.
THOR
From the Old Norse, meaning "thunder," Thor is perhaps the most recognizable name from Norse mythology. An honorable, loyal warrior, Thor has incredible strength and is known for his powerful hammer. This is a cool, unusual name choice for a baby boy.
ODIN
Odin is a complicated character from Norse mythology. The ruler of the Aesir tribe, he is also a wanderer and seeker of wisdom. He finds a balance in extremes by being a god of both war and poetry.
FREYA
A preeminent Norse goddess who brought a divining magic called seidr to the gods (and humans), Freya — whose name means "lady" — is associated with fertility, beauty, death, and love. Originally spelled "Freyja," this name is becoming increasingly popular as a girl's name.
AESIR
Aesir is the name of the primary pantheon of the Norse gods (the other tribe are the Vanir). Most of the gods we associate with the Norse myths are a part of the Aesir. While not traditionally a baby name, we think it would make a great name for either a boy or a girl.
MIMIR
In Norse mythology, Mimir is a counselor, sage to the gods, and wise person. It is unclear from the texts whether he was a god himself or not, but he was known for helping the gods retain their traditions.
LOKI
The trickster figure of Norse mythology, Loki is a shape-shifter who doesn't seem to care much about what other gods think of him. A free spirit, and a great name for a baby who may express some of these qualities as well.
RUNE
The first writing system used by the Nordic peoples, the word "rune" means both "letter" and "mystery." Each rune has a mystical significance as well as a literal meaning. While a nontraditional name, we think it is beautiful for a child of either gender.
SINDRI
Sindri, sometimes spelled Sindra or Sindre, is the "red-gold roofed hall," a form of heaven which is said to appear after Ragnarok, a large battle that destroys the world. It's a boy's name meaning "sparkling."
JERA
Jera, also spelled Jeran, is the old Norse rune for "harvest" or "good year" and then signified prosperity or rewards. While an unusual name for a baby, we think that Jera or Jeran would be lovely as a baby name for either gender.
SIBYL
Sif, or Sybil, is the name of the golden-haired goddess associated with the Earth. She is considered beautiful, and may have been a prophetess. Not much is known about her from Norse myth other than her loveliness.
ASGARD
Asgard is the name of the world of the Norse Aesir gods and goddesses. It connects to the world of humans through a rainbow. While a nontraditional baby name, we think it would be a beautiful gender neutral name.
BEYLA
It sounds like a variation on "Bella," but in Norse mythology, "Beyla" was one of Freyr's servants. She has a small role in the mythology, but is associated with being a patron of bees and the natural Earth in general.
LYR
Lyr is another place name that would make a great name for a baby, in this case, probably a girl. In Norse mythology, Lyr is the name of Menglad’s hall in Jotunheim, but we think it's a pretty name, and one that would almost certainly be one-of-a-kind in her class.
TYR
Tyr was a Norse god of war, but more importantly, of justice and the law. An unusual name for a boy, but easy for English-speakers to pronounce, and we think it would sound really cool — and make a kid definitely stand out from his classmates.
VILI
Meaning "will," Vili is a brother of the more-famous Odin, and helped him create the sun, moon, and stars, making him one of the earliest gods in the Viking mythology. We think this would be a cool name because it isn't as immediately recognizable as Odin, but still has a Nordic vibe.
VALHALLA
Valhalla is the famous hall of the afterlife for Norse heroes fallen in battle. The roof is made of shields, and the rafters of spears. It would make an unusual name for a girl, although it could be easily shortened to the more recognizable "Val."
EDDA
"Edda" is the Old Norse term for two 13th century literary works, one book of prose and another of poetry, that are a primary source text we use for our knowledge of the Viking gods and goddesses today. We think it would make an unusual and pretty name for a girl.
VE
Ve is Odin and Vili's other brother, who also helped create the worlds. Although a minor character, Ve means "temple," and we think it would be a cool name for a baby boy — we love an unusual, short name!
SOL
Sol is a classic name among Jewish people of Spanish origin (from the Latin word for "sun"), but it's also the name of the goddess of the sun in Old Norse. Due to this, we think that "Sol" would be a great name for either a boy or a girl.
VALI
Vali is a minor Norse god who managed to avenge the death of the god Baldur when he was only one day old. Those are some big shoes for a little baby to fill, but we think that makes it a cool name for either a boy or a girl.
