The most beautiful Norwegian names: popular Nordic first names
Norway has close historical ties with Sweden, while its language is closely related to Old West Norse, which was mainly spoken in Iceland. This is still reflected today in the list of the most common Norwegian names. The first names that are most popular with parents range from names with Old Norse origins to modern names from the Swedish language.
What makes Norwegian names special?
Norway has always been subject to different historical influences. It has particularly close ties with the other mainland Scandinavian countries, but the linguistic roots it shares with Iceland are still evident today.
Because Danish was spoken in Norway for a long time, the list also includes popular Danish first names. Norway was also part of the Kalmar Union with Sweden for some time, which is why many Swedish first names can still be found as well in Norway today.
The most popular Norwegian names from 2020
Would you like to know which names are fashionable in Norway? Here you can find the most popular Norwegian first names that parents gave their children in 2020.
The top 10 boy names 2020:
- Jakob/Jacob – the God-protected
- Emil – the eager one
- Noa/Noah – the comforting one
- Oliver – the peaceful one
- Filip/Filipp/ Philipp/Phillip – the horse lover
- William – the protective ruler
- Lucas/Lukas – the shining one
- Liam – protective ruler
- Henrik – the ruler/lord of the house
- Oskar/Oscar – divine spear
The top 10 girls’ names 2020:
- Nora/Norah – the shining one from the north
- Emma – the tall one
- Ella – the radiant/beautiful one
- Maja/Maia/Maya – the higher one
- Olivia – the peaceful one
- Emilie – the eager one
- Sofie/Sophie – the wise one
- Leah/Lea – the ruler/lioness
- Sofia/Sophia – the wise one
- Ingrid – the beautiful goddess
Source: https://www.ssb.no/navn/
Female names ending in -a or -ah are also popular in Norway. There is a higher variance in the most popular male baby names, which is also reflected in the spellings.
Norwegian names for boys
Scandinavian names for boys show the diversity of the Norwegian language through their different variants and spellings. Instead of one standard language, there are two equally important language variants and many different dialects.
- Aksel/Axel – Father of peace
- Theodor – gift of God
- Elijah – “my God is Yahweh”
- Kasper/Casper – steward of the treasures
- Aleksander/Alexander – the protector
- Theo – gift of God
- Iver – the warrior
- Ulrik – the rich ruler of the hereditary court
- Sverre – wild man
- Mikkel – “Who is like God?”
Norwegian names for girls
Norwegian baby names for girls often end in an A or E sound, which gives them a soft and pleasant sound. At the same time, Norwegian girls’ names can sound unfamiliar if you are not from the north yourself. Due to international influences, however, popular names such as Maria or Sara are also among the most popular options elsewhere.
- Selma – the beautiful view
- Sara – the princess
- Frida – the peaceful one
- Live – the protective/living one
- Amanda – the lovely one
- Agnes – the pure/saint
- Maria – Sea Star
- Oline – the ancestress
- Ellinor – the light of God
- Oda – female form of Odin
Unisex names from Norway
There are also names in Norway that are used in a gender-neutral way. We have put together a selection of beautiful Norwegian unisex names for you here.
- Finn – Finnish/blonde
- Sölve – light/pale
- Jone – gracious/kind
- Kirstan – anointed
- Kristan – anointed
Norwegian names with meaning
Norwegian names in particular, which originally come from Old West Norse and later Old Norwegian, are usually derived from a word with a special meaning. We have compiled a list of some common Norwegian names with meanings for you here. If you’re looking for more old or meaningful Scandinavian first names, take a look at our article on Icelandic names.
- Haakon: Norwegian king
- Tormod: The bold one
- Jarl: Nobleman (former aristocratic title)
______ - Lykke: The lucky one
- Unni (Sami roots): The little one, the modest one
- Torid: The beautiful one
