- Origin: Faroese
- Meaning: “flake.”
- Gender: Female
From the Faroese word for “flake,” referring to a snowflake.
Source
Flykra
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Category Archives: Faroese Names
Eimyrja
- Origin: Old Norse
- Meaning: “embers.”
- Gender: Female
- Pron: (i-MEER-yah)
From the Old Norse word for “embers,” in Norse Mythology, this was the daughter of the jötunn known as Logi (fire), the latter who is considered the personification of fire, a long with his wife Glöð (glowing embers). He fathered another daughter Eisa (glowing ember), both of whom were said to be stunningly beautiful.
Its status as a given-name in most Scandinavian countries is a relic from the past but may appeal to parents drawn to authentic early Nordic names.
Sources
Eisa
- Origin: Old Norse
- Meaning: “glowing ember.”
- Gender: Female
- I-sah
The name comes directly from the Old Norse word meaning “glowing ember.” In Norse Mythology, this is the name of one of the beautiful daughters of Logi (fire), and Glöð (glowing embers).
Later, it came to be associated as a pet form of Elizabeth or a German form of Aise (short form of any Nordic name beginning in the Egg-, Agi– element.)
Note: the name can also be an Arabic form of Jesus.
Sources
Gǫndul, Göndul
- Origin: Old Norse
- Meaning: “magic, magic wand; magical animal werewolf.”
- Gender: Female
The name is either derived from the Old Norse gandr (magic wand; magic staff), or the Old Norse gǫndul meaning, “magical animal; werewolf.”
In Norse Mythology, this is the name of one of the Valkyries. She appears in several early sources, including the Heimskringla, in which it is written:
“Gǫndul and Skögul sent out / to choose among kings.”
Their presence seals Hákon’s fate, and they greet him after death — both destroyers and honour-givers.”
In the Poetic Edda, specifically Hákonarmál, she is again one of the Valkyries who welcome Hákon to Valhalla, confirming her dual role as harbinger of death and divine escort.
In the Norse sagas and Skaldic poetry, gǫndul can also function as a kenning (poetic metaphor) for “valkyrie” or “battle-witch,” used interchangeably with other names like Skögul, Hildr, and Mist.
Its rarely used these days in Nordic countries, but whose to say it won’t become popular with the rise of other Norse myth names. However, in modern Icelandic, it may sound a touch to close to the Icelandic slang term, göndull (cock, dick, penis), which yes, shares the same etymology as the name, referring to a staff or a wand, but other Nordic languages wouldn’t have the same associations.
Sources
Orvar
- Origin: Old Norse
- Meaning: “arrows.”
- Gender: Male
Örvar (modern spellings often drop the umlaut to Orvar) is an Old Norse name meaning “arrow.” It comes from the Old Norse noun örvar (plural of ör “arrow, dart”).
The name is best known from the legendary Icelandic saga hero Örvar-Oddr (“Arrow-Odd”), a famous 13th-century saga recounting the adventures of a far-traveling archer and warrior.
The name was used across the Norse world and carried into later Scandinavian naming traditions
Its designated name-days are July 8th in Finland and September 18th in Sweden.
Notable bearers include Swedish football player, Orvar Bengmark (1930-2004) and Icelandic musician, Örvar Þóreyjarson Smárason (b. 1977).
Other forms include:
- Ørvar (Faroese, Norwegian)
- Orvar (Finnish, Icelandic, Scandinavian)*
- Örvar (Icelandic)
- Orwar (Swedish)
*Note: I use this term to designate Danish, Norwegian, Swedish)
Sources
Embla
- Origin: Old Norse
- Meaning: unknown
- Gender: feminine
- EM-blah
The name appears in Norse Mythology as the name of the first woman, who has a husband named Ask. They are attested to in the Poetic Edda and the Prose Edda.
The name Embla itself may derive from the Proto-Norse *elm-la (elm tree), the Proto-Norse *Ambilō (vine) or the Proto-Norse eim + la (firemaker) and it has even been connected with the Germanic root word, amal (work).
It is first attested to in Sweden in 1882, in Norway in 1900, and in Iceland after 1950, however, it may have been in use in Medieval times as well.
Between 2010 and 2016, this was among the most popular female names in Iceland. In Iceland, it peaked at #8 in 2016 . It is currently the 96th Most Popular Female Name in Norway (2023).
Sources
Walburg, Walburga, Walpurga
- Origin: Anglo-Saxon
- Meaning: “powerful fortress.”
- Gender: feminine
The name was born by an 8th-century Anglo-Saxon female saint who did missionary work in Germany. It is composed of the Anglo-Saxon element, weald (power) and burg (fortress). Her feast day was celebrated on May 1st and the day before is called Walpurgisnacht (St. Walpurgis’ Eve).
In German-speaking countries, the name is most common in Bavaria and Austria, more so at the turn of the 20th-century.
In the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling, this is the name of the mother of Sirius Black.
The name spread in use across Europe, especially in Nordic and Germanic countries. Other forms include:
- Wealburh (Anglo-Saxon)
- Valpurga (Catalan, Italian)
- Valburga (Czech, Hungarian, Portuguese, Spanish)
- Valborg (Danish, Norwegian, Swedish)
- Walburga (Dutch, German, Polish)
- Walburg (English)
- Valba, Valbe (Estonian)
- Valli (Estonian)
- Valbjørg (Faroese, Norwegian)
- Vappu (Finnish)
- Valpuri (Finnish)
- Gauburge (French)
- Walburge, Valpurge (French)
- Waldeburg (German, archaic)
- Walpurga (German)
- Valbjörg (Icelandic)
- Válbor (Sami)
- Várbu (Sami)
A common German short form is Wally, while a Swedish nickname is Bojan.
Italian masculine forms are Valburgo, Walburgo, Walpurgo and Valpurgo.
Sources
- https://dmnes.org/name/Walburg
- https://www.behindthename.com/name/walburga
- https://www.nordicnames.de/wiki/Valborg
- https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walburga_(Vorname)
- https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valborg_(namn)
- https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valpurga_(nome)
- https://historiska.se/nomina/?nomina_name=valborg
- https://snl.no/Valborg
Tollak
- Origin: Norwegian
- Meaning: “Thor’s play.”
- Gender: Masculine
The name is derived from the Old Norse, Þórleikr, which is composed of the elements Þór (Thor) and leikr (play).
A notable bearer is American musician, Tollak Ollestad.
Other forms include:
- Torlak (Danish, Norwegian, Swedish)
- Torleik/Thorleik (Danish, Norwegian)
- Torlek (Danish)
- Tollakur, Torlakkur (Faroese)
- Þorlákur, Þorleikur (Icelandic)
- Thorlacius, Torlacus (Late Latin)
- Þollak, Þórleikr (Old Norse)
- Tallak, Tollek (Norwegian)
Sources
Thurstan, Torsten
Photo by Erik Mclean on Pexels.com
- Origin: Old Norse
- Meaning: “Thor’s stone.”
- Gender: masculine
Both names are derived from the Old Norse male name, Þórsteinn, literally meaning “Thor’s stone.” The name is attested as early as the 5th-century in Medieval Scandinavia and appears in the Norse saga, Draumr Þorsteins Síðu-Hallssonar.
It was transported to England by Anglo-Saxon & Norse settlers, the Anglo-Saxon form being Thurstan, and remained prevalent even after the conquest of the Normans, who themselves also used the name due to their original Norse heritage. Thurstan was borne by an 11th-century Bishop of York. Thurstan is the progenitor of the English surnames Thurston and Dustin.
Torsten appeared in Germany’s Top 100 Most Popular Male Names between 1960 and 1978, and peaked at #6 between 1964-68. While Torstein was in and out of the Norwegian Top 100 Male Names between 1947-1991, peaking at #84 in 1948. It’s original Old Norse form of Þórsteinn ranked in at #46 in Iceland’s Top 100 Male Names in 2012.
Forms include:
- Turstin (Anglo-Norman, French)
- Thurstan (English)
- Tórstein (Faroese)
- Torstein, Thorstein (Faroese, Norwegian)
- Toro, Torro (Finnish, Scandinavian)
- Torste,Torsti (Finnish)
- Toutain (French, archaic)
- Torsten (German, Scandinavian)
- Thorsten (German, Scandinavian)
- Torstene, Torsteni (Greenlandic)
- Þórsteinn (Icelandic, Old Norse)
- Turstino (Italian, Spanish)
- Turstanus, Tursteinus, Turstinus (Late Latin)
- Twyste (Middle Low German)
- Tostein (Norwegian)
- Dorste (Sami)
- Toste (Scandinavian)
- Tosten, Thosten (Swedish, archaic)
Sources
Osborn, Espen, Asbjørn
Photo by Robert Anthony Carbone on Pexels.com
Osborn and Asbjørn are both composed of the Norse elements áss (god) & bjǫrn (bear), essentially meaning “divine bear.” Osborn is the modern Anglo-Saxon equivalent of Osbeorn, the latter of which was prevalent in Anglo-Saxon England and survived into the Norman period as Osbern, later developing into the common English patronymic surnames of Osbourne & Osbourn. Its Scandinavian equivalents still survive today in the forms of Esben (Danish), Espen (Danish, Norwegian) and still Asbjørn (Norwegian); and Asbjörn & Esbjörn (Swedish).
Osbeorn was borne by the son of Siward of Northumbria (circ. 11th-century CE) and one of the fallen of the Battle of the Seven Sleepers in Scotland. It was also borne by Osbern de Crépon (circ. 11th-century CE), one of the stewards of the Duke of Normandy. There are several other famous Anglophone personages who bear it as a surname and forename.
Asbjørn appeared in the Norwegian Top 100 Male Names between between 1945 & 1967, it peaked at #35 in 1946-7, while Espen appeared in the Top 100 in Norway between 1957-2004, peaking at #8 in 1982.
The designated name-day for Asbjörn is May 10th in Sweden.
General Scandinavian diminutive forms used in all Norse countries are Ebbe, Bjarne & Bjarni.
Short forms in English include Oz(z), Ozzie & Ozzy.
Other forms include:
- Osbeorn (Anglo-Saxon)
- Esbern (Danish, Faroese)
- Asbjørn (Danish, Norwegian)
- Esben, Espen (Danish, Norwegian)
- Ausburn (English)
- Osbourn (English)
- Osbern (French, archaic)
- Auber (French, archaic)
- Ásbjörn (Icelandic)
- Osberno (Italian)
- Sberno (Italian)
- Ásbjǫrn (Old Norse)
- Asbjörn/Esbjörn (Swedish)
Sources
- https://www.nordicnames.de/wiki/%C3%81sbi%C7%ABrn
- https://www.behindthename.com/name/a10sbjo19rn
- https://www.behindthename.com/name/osborn
- http://old.thisted-gymnasium.dk/klassiker/Navnenes%20kulturhistorie.htm
- https://www.ssb.no/en/befolkning/statistikker/navn
- https://www.ssb.no/a/navn/guttermange/asbjz2rn.gif
- https://www.dst.dk/da/Statistik/emner/befolkning-og-valg/navne
- https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osbern
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osbern
