Viking Names found in Landnámabók

by Aryanhwy merch Catmael (Sara L. Uckelman)

© 1998-2003 Sara L. Friedemann; all rights reserved
© renewed 2005-2006, 2009, 2012 Sara L. Uckelman; last updated 20Jan12

The following is a list of masculine and feminine names taken from The Old Norse Name, by Geirr Bassi Haraldsson (a.k.a. Dr. G. Fleck), and augmented by Einar Arnórsson's Landnámabók Íslands. Fleck collected his data from three main sources, Landnámabók, the Íslendingasǫgur, and Snorri's Heimskringla. Some of these sagas are more trustworthy than others as historical sources; the names below have all been extracted from Lándnamabók.

The surviving versions of Landnámabók date from the second half of the 13th century or a little later, though it has been suggested that it was composed in an early form by Ari Þorgilsson (1068-1148). The initial settlement of Iceland largely took place between 870 and 930, but Landnámabók definitely mentions descendants significantly later than the actual settlement period, at least into the 11th century. [1] Names in blue are names of people who were part of the originally settlers of Iceland in the 9th century. This information was taken from Arnórsson. I have include some names which are found in Arnórsson which are not found in Fleck's pamphlet.

With two exceptions, I have used Fleck's spellings, which are normalized Old Norse spellings and do not reflect the spellings actually used in the manuscripts. The first exception is that where Fleck uses j, I have used i, because the use of j for the consonantal i wasn't introduced until the 18th century (Cleasby-Vigfusson xv). Modern scholars often use j to represent this use of i as a consonant when writing Old Norse, but medieval manuscripts used i. The second exception is when Fleck's spellings differ from Arnórsson's, I have used Arnórsson's, because he is more consistent in his normalizations.

The numbers are also taken from Dr. Fleck's work, but the names are re-sorted here in order of popularity.

I have started adding pronunciations for names found more than five times, as well as a pronunciation guide. These pronunciations have been supplied by the Academy of S. Gabriel in various past reports.

Masculine Names

Masculine names found 5 or fewer times

The following names were found 4 or 5 times: Arngeirr, Ármóðr, Ásbrandr, Áskell, Áslákr, Bergr, Brúni, Bryniólfr, Bǫdmóðr, Bǫrkr, Finnbogi, Galti, Geirr, Gellir, Gestr, Gnúpr, Grímólfr, Gríss, Guðleifr, Gunniǫrn, Gunnlaugr, Gunnólfr, Hallkell, Hákon, Hávarðr, Hermundr, Hialti, Hiǫrleifr, Hiǫrr, Hrafnkell, Hrani, Hreiðarr, Hróarr, Ingólfr, Ívarr, Karl, Kálfr, Kárr, Kiartan, Klængr, Koðrán, Kolgrímr, Kolr, Konáll, Mǫrór, Oddi, Otkell, Rauðr, Rúnólfr, Sigfúss, Skíði, Skúli, Skúmr, Steinarr, Steinmóðr, Steinrǫðr, Styrmir, Sumarliði, Svartr, Svertingr, Sæmundr, Teitr, Úlfar, Úlfheðinn, Valþiólfr, Vestarr, Vigfúss, Þórhaddr, Þorgestr, Þórormr, Þorviðr

The following names were found 3 times: Aðils, Arnbiǫrn, Arnmóðr, Ásmólfr, Bolli, Bǫlverkr, Dufþakr, Finni, Finnvarðr, Flóki, Gautr, Geiri, Geirrǫðr, Gils, Grani, Hafliði, Hafr, Hallgrímr, Halli, Haukr, Hálfdan, Hárekr, Hlǫðver, Hróðgeirr, Hrómundr, Hrærekr, Hórðr, Ísleifr, Ísrauðr, Jósteinn, Jǫkull, Karli, Kleppiárn, Kollsveinn, Máni, Niáll, Oddleifr, Pétr, Snæbiǫrn, Steinbiǫrn, Steinþórr, Svarthǫfði, Sveinungr, Sólmundr, Tanni, Tiórvi, Tyrfingr, Vermundr, Vestmaðr, Vébrandr, Végestr, Véþormr, Vífill, Þiðrandi, Þióðólfr, Þióðrekr, Þrǫstr, Ævarr, Ǫrlygr, Ǫlmóðr

The following names were found 2 times: Alrekr, Arinbiǫrn, Arnaldr, Arnoddr, Arnríðr, Auðólfr, Álfgeirr, Áli, Áni, Árni, Ási, Bárekr, Beinir, Biartmarr, Biólan, Biǫrnólfr, Bótólfr, Brǫndólfr, Dagr, Dálkr, Eiðr, Eindriði, Endriði, Erlendr, Erlingr, Erpr, Friðleifr, Fróði, Gamli, Geirleifr, Geirólfr, Geirsteinn, Geirþiólfr, Gísl, Glædir, Gormr, Greniaðr, Grettir, Grímkell, Griótgarðr, Guðrøðr, Gyrðr, Hafþórr, Haki, Hallgeirr, Hamall, Hásteinn, Hávarr, Hergils, Herrøðr, Hersteinn, Hlenni, Hreinn, Hrifla, Hrolleifr, Hrosskell, Hrói, Hrútr, Ingimundr, Ísólfr, Kaðall, Kali, Ketilbiǫrn, Kniúkr, Knǫttr, Kolbiǫrn, Kolskeggr, Kvistr, Kýlan, Lambi, Leiðólfr, Ormarr, Ósvaldr, Páll, Sámr, Skapti, Skarpheðinn, Skefill, Skiǫldúlfr, Skopti, Skorri, Skæringr, Snǫrtr, Sóti, Starkaðr, Starri, Stórólfr, Styrbiǫrn, Tindr, Úlfliótr, Valbrandr, Váli, Verliði, Véleifr, Vésteinn, Viðarr, Víkingr, Þorfiðr, Þorgautr, Þórálfr, Ǫgmundr, Ǫndóttr

The following names were found once [3]: Aðalsteinn, Afavldr, Alfarinn, Arnis, Arnkell, Arnlaugr, Arnliótr, Arnsteinn, Arnþórr, Áskr, Auðr, Ádám, Ásgautr, Ásrøðr, Ásvaldr, Ávaldi, Ávaldr, Ávanger, Barði, Bauger, Bálki, Bekan, Briningr, Biarnheðinn, Biálfi, Biólfr, Blæinger, Bogi, Bragi, Brandi, Brattr, Breiðr, Broddr, Brúsi, Darri, Drafli, Dufnall, Dufniall, Dugfúss, Dýri, Eldgrímr, Eldiárn, Elfráðr, Elliðagrímr, Eyfrǫðr, Eyiarr, Eylaugr, Eymundr, Eyþiófr, Fálki, Finngeirr, Fleinn, Forni, Freysteinn, Freyviðr, Friðmundr, Fǫstólfr, Garðarr, Gaukr, Gautrekr, Gálmr, Geitir, Giafvaldr, Gripr, Guðþormr, Gufi, Gunnvaldr, Guttormr, Hafgrímr, Hafliótr, Hallaðr, Hallfreðr, Hallgils, Hallormr, Harðnefr, Harri, Háleygr, Hálfr, Háls, Heggr, Herfinnr, Hergrímr, Herlaugr, Hiallkárr, Hiálmólfr, Hiǫrtr, Hnaki, Holti, Hólmkell, Hraði, Hrafsi, Hrollaugr, Hrossbiǫrn, Hróðmarr, Hróðólfr, Hundi, Hundólfr, Húnbogi, Húnrøðr, Hvati, Hyrningr, Hæringr, Hængr, Hǫggvandill, Ingvarr, Játmundr, Játvarðr, Jófreiðr, Jólgeirr, Jósurr, Kalman, Kiaran, Kiǫtvi, Klaufi, Klyppr, Knǫrr, Kormákr, Kóri, Krumr, Kúgaldi, Melpatrikr, Móðólfr, Mǫttull, Naddoddr, Nagli, Narfi, Nefsteinn, Nereiðr, Nikolás, Nikulás, Oddbiǫrn, Oddgeirr, Oddmar, Óblauðr, Óli, Órækia, Óspakr, Ósvífr, Ótryggr, Patrekr, Ragi, Ragnarr, Rauðúlfr, Raumr, Ráðormr, Reistr, Reyrketill, Roðrekr, Rǫgnvaldr, Rǫnguðr, Saxi, Sigarr, Sigfastr, Sigtryggr, Sigvaldi, Skagi, Skamkell, Skati, Skálpr, Skialdbiǫrn, Skiálgr, Skorageirr, Skólmr, Smiðkell, Smiðr, Sokki, Stafngrímr, Steinfiðr, Steini, Styrkárr, Styrr, Súlki, Svanr, Svarðkell, Svartkell, Svávarr, Sveinn, Sæbiǫrn, Sæmingr, Sǫkkólfr, Sǫlgi, Sǫlvarr, Sǫxólfr, Torráðr, Tryggvi, Úlfkell, Vaði, Vestliði, Vébiǫrn, Véføðr, Vékell, Véþorn, Vilbradr, Vilgeirr, Vígbióðr, Víglundr, Vígsterkr, Þangbrandr, Þengill, Þióðarr, Þióstarr, Þióstólfr, Þorgnýr, Þorliótr, Þórhalli, Þrasi, Þráinn, Ǫgurr, Ǫngull

Feminine Names

Feminine names found 5 or fewer times

The following names were between 3 and 5 times: Arnbiǫrg, Arndís, Arngerðr, Arnkatla, Arnleif, Auðr, Álfgerðr, Ásgerðr, Ásný, Ásvǫr, Bergþóra, Biǫrg, Dalla, Finna, Friðgerðr, Geirhildr, Geirlaug, Geirríðr, Gerðr, Guðlaug, Guðný, Hallfríðr, Hallkatla, Hróðný, Ingunn, Ísgerðr, Járngerðr, Jófríðr, Jóra, Jóreiðr, Oddný, Otkatla, Ragnheiðr, Ragnhildr, Riúpa, Signý, Valdís, Vilborg, Þióðhildr, Þórey, Þorlót

The following names were found 2 or fewer times [2]: Aldís, Arneiðr, Arnfríðr, Arngunnr, Arnþruðr, Álfdís, Álfeiðr, Ása, Ásbiórg, Áshildr, Ásleif, Ásta, Bera, Bergdís, Bergliót, Birna, Biargey, Biollok, Bót, Bótey, Bryngerðr, Dagrún, Dís, Dýrfinna, Eðna, Eirný, Eydís, Eyia, Fastný, Fiórleif, Fregerðr, Geirbiórg, Geirný, Giaflaug, Grélǫð, Gríma, Guðbiǫrg, Guðleif, Gunnvǫr, Hafþóra, Hallbiǫrg, Halldís, Hallvǫr, Heiðr, Heimlaug, Herríðr, Herþrúðr, Hervǫr, Hildigunnr, Hiálmgerðr, Hiálp, Hrefna, Hrafnhildr, Húngerðr, Iðunn, Ingigerðr, Ingríðr, Ingileif, Ingvǫldr, Jódís, Kaðlín, Katla, Ketilríðr, Kiǫlvǫr, Kolgríma, Melkorka, Miǫll, Móeiðr, Myrgiol, Mýrún, Mæva, Niðbiǫrg, Oddbiǫrg, Oddfríðr, Oddlaug, Oddleif, Ormhildr, Ósk, Rafǫrta, Reginleif, Salbiǫrg, Snælaug, Sólveig, Steinvǫr, Svana, Svanlaug, Sæhildr, Sæuðr, Sǫlvǫr, Tófa, Úlfeiðr, Úlfhildr, Úlfrún, Védís, Vélaug, Véný, Vilgerðr, Ýrr, Þióðgerðr, Þorfinna, Þorgríma, Þórelfr, Þorleif, Þórodda, Þórvé, Þórvǫr, Þraslaug, Ægileif, Ǫndót

References & Notes

Arnórsson, Einar, ed. Landnámabók Íslands (Reykjavík: Helgafell, 1948).

Cleasby, Richard and Guðbrandr Vigfusson. "The Alphabet", In: An Icelandic-English Dictionary. 2nd ed. Oxford: Clarendon. 1957. p. xv.

Fleck, G. (aka Geirr Bassi Haraldsson), The Old Norse Name, Studia Marklandica (series) (Olney, Maryland: Yggsalr Press, 1977).

[1] Sverrir Jakobsson. "What is the source value of Landnámabók? And when is it thought to have been used?". Vísindavefurinn 2.12.2005. (cited 20.6.2006).
http://visindavefur.hi.is/svar.asp?id=5451

[2] Originally the name <Elína> was listed here. I have removed the name because it is not the name of a Norse person. The reference is to "Elína dóttir Burislafs konungs úr Gǫrðum austan" 'Helena daughter of Burislav, king of Scandinavian Russia'. There is no evidence <Helena> was adopted into use by the Scandinavians until after the Viking era.

[3] Originally the names <Meldún> and <Mýrkiartan> were listed here. I have removed these names because they are not the names of Norsemen; according to Talan Gwynek, "Old Norse Forms of Early Irish Names" (http://www.ellipsis.cx/~liana/names/drafts/irish-norse.html), <Meldún> is from Scotland, and <Mýrkiartan> is from Ireland. There is no evidence that either of these names were adopted into use by the Norse.