Gender: Masculine
Origin: Swedish/Norwegian
Meaning: “brother.”
The name, which in modern Swedish and Norwegian still means brother, is from an Old Nordic name, Bróðir meaning “brother.” It was originally bestowed on a second son. It was very common in the 19th-century, and is now considered rather dated in Scandinavia. There is a more unusual Latinized Danish form, Broderus. Its designated name-day is October 5. The name was borne by Bror von Blixen-Finecke (b.1886-1946) a key subject in the novel, (written by his wife Karen Von Blixen) Out of Africa. Other forms of the name include the Dutch Broder, German Bruder, the East Frisian Broer; the diminutive is Brörke (Credit goes to Capucine for suggesting the latter four variants).
The Frisian (and presumably also Dutch)form of this name is Broder; in this case, Bror is sometimes used as a short form.
A variant of Broder is Bruder (which is also the modern German word for “brother”).
An East Frisian variant is Broer and a diminutive of both Broder and Broer would be Brörke.
Thanks Capucine, edited and added
Bror is adorable. It seems like a term of endearment.
Bror is great!!
A guy in my class was called Hakon Broder, which I thought was awsome!
I love the recent feature of Scandinavian names!! Being from Norway I find it fantastic to see names I’m so used to in a slightly different way ^^
Bror is actually one of the boy names on the rise in Norway! A lot of old Nordic names are becoming more used in Norway now for both genders, which I think is really great! It gives us a break from Emilia and Sander and all those boy names ending in s… 🙂
Thanks Dearest. I think a lot of these Scandinavian names would be quite usable in the U.S. if more people knew about them. I have noticed quite a few Gunnars and Odins in the American BAs lately.
My Grandson, Bror Christopher, will be born tomorrow, October 5. I had already read the history of the name, but this is the first I had heard of the designated name-day. I’m very moved by reading this, and am much more accepting of the medically necessary induction. Welcome baby Bror!!! Your Grammy looks forward to meeting you!!!
Wow, that is a great coincidence. Congratulations on little Bror!