The naming convention in the Scandanavian countries was to give a newborn the name of an honorable relative (usually recently dead) or of an heroic saga character. This made some names fairly common. To differentiate one "Svein" from another a patronymic was used. The father's name (or, occasionally, the mother's if the father was unknown or had disowned them) would have "son" or "daughter" appended to it and used as a name. For instance, a boy named Svein, Thorstein's son, would be named Svein Thorsteinsson and a girl named Hildr, Thorstein's daughter, would be Hildr Thorsteinsdatter. This means that a period first name can be had by dropping the "son", "sson", "datter" or "sdatter" from the patronymic. Women generally did not change their names as a result of marriage.
A person would usually pick up a nickname sooner or later. It could
be for something he did, somehow he looked or somewhere he lived. For
instance, King Magnus Barelegs wore a kilt instead of trousers. When a
complimentary nickname was given, friends would gather and have a party.
Insultory nicknames generally appeared through usage and seldom were wanted
by the individual so named (and never celebrated). Nicknames cause a lot of
confusion in the Sagas for the neophyte reader, especially when one
translator translates the nickname and another doesn't. For instance King
Harald Sigurdarson (remember him from 1066?) was also called Harald
Hardraddi, which in some versions has been translated to Harald the Stern.
Here we have three names but only one person. Another example is Helgi
Sigmundson (from the Lay of Helgi and Sigrun) who was later born again as
Helgi Haddingjaskati, which means Helgi Hadding's killer. Here, again, we
have one person (or two, depending on your religion) with up to three names,
depending upon the translator.
These names were collected from English translations of the Sagas
and I have retained the spelling and translation used by the translator.
more recent translations. Repeats of names from the same period have been
removed but repeats from different dates have been retained. The Vikings
named their horses, houses, farms and animals; some of those names are
included here.
The names are divided by object names (houses, farms, female, male, swords, etc.) and within each division by date (in chronological order). Within each division, the names are presented in alphabetical order.
The Scandanavians of 800-1040 (the Viking Age) had a culture rich in traditions, arts and customs. I wish well to anyone from that period.
House name period for 1010 (taken from GUNNLAUG'S SAGA ORMSTUNGU) Grenjar Farm name period for 1205 (taken from JONS SAGA HELGA) Oddi Names with no definative gender period for pre-800 (from PROSE EDDA) (These names are typically male, but this was not explicit in the text) Bikki Gudny Name with no definative gender period for 1010 (from HALLGRIM PETURSSON) (This name is typically female, but this was not explicit in the text) Hungerda Bird names period for pre-800 (taken from PROSE EDDA) Randver (Hawk's name) Female names period for pre-800 (taken from PROSE EDDA) Brynhildr Fenja Grimhildr Gudrun Gjukisdatter Hildr Hjordisa Eylimsdatter Menja Svanhildr Sigurdsdatter Female names period for 800 (taken from VOLSUNGAKVIDA HIN FORNA) Borghild of Bralund Sigrun Hognisdatter Female names period for 800 (taken from VOLUNDARKVIDA) Bodvild Nidudsdatter Hervor All-wise Olrun Kjarsdatter Swanwhite Hladgud Female names period for 970 (taken from VATNSDAELA SAGA) Mjoll Thordis Ingimundsdatter Vigdis Female names period for 1010 (taken from GUNNLAUG'S SAGA ORMSTUNGU) Dylla Helga Thorsteinsdater Ingbjorg Jofridr Gunnarsdatter Kormlad Sigridr (the proud) Thorgerdr Egilsdatter Thuridr Female names period for 1015 (taken from NJAL'S SAGA) Astrid Bergthora Hallgerda (the vile) Hildigunna Rannveig Thorhalla Female names period for 1025 (taken from OTTARS THATTR SVARTA) Astrid Olafsdatter Female names period for 1205 (taken from JONS SAGA HELGA) Ingun Female names period for 1215 (taken from GUDMUNDAR SAGA DYRA) Arnthrud Fornadottir Gudrun Onundsdatter Ingibjorg Gudmundsdatter Female names period for 1215 (taken from PALS SAGA BISKUPS) Herdis Ketilsdottir Thora Female names period for 1250 (taken from THORLAKS SAGA IN YNGRI) Halldora Brandsdotter Ragnheid Thorhallsdottir Horse names period for pre-800 (taken from PROSE EDDA) Goti Gray Male names period for pre-800 (taken from PROSE EDDA) Atli Budison Erpr Jonakrson Fafnir Hreidmarson Fridleif Shieldson Frodi Gjuki Gotthorm Gjukisson Gunnar Gjukisson Hamdir Jonakrson Hedin Hjarrandson Hjalnek Hjarrand Hogni Gjukisson Hreidmar Jonakr Jormunrek Randver Regin Hreidmarson Shield Sigmund Sigurdson Sigurd Sigmundson Sorli Jonakrson Tjolnir Male names period for 800 (taken from VOLSUNGAKVIDA HIN FORNA) Bragi Hognison Dag Hognison Helgi Sigmundson Helgi Hjorvardson Hodbrodd Hogni Sigmund Male names period for 800 (taken from VOLUNDARKVIDA) Egil Kjar Nidud Slagfid Thakkrad Volund Male names period for 930 (taken from EGILSSAGA) Adils Alfgeir Athelstan (King England) Egil Gudrek Hring Olaf (King of Scots) Thorolf Male names period for 970 (taken from VATNSDAELA SAGA) Anir Bowswayer Horse-Bjorn Raumson Jokull Ingimundson Ketill Ormson Orm Shell-sherd Raum (nickname) Thorstein Ketillson Male names period for 1010 (taken from GUNNLAUG'S SAGA ORMSTUNGU) Atli Audun Bergfinn Egil Skallagrimsson Eric Eric HACONSON Eric the Victorious Gunnar Hlifson Gunnlaug Illugison Gunnlaug Snake-tongue Hrafn Onundson Hrafn Illugi Hallkelson Kogla-tosti Olaf Kvaran Olaf Ericson Olaf the Swede Olaf Peacock Olaf Hauskuldson Onund (of Mossfell) Sigtrygg Silkbeard Sigurd Hlodverson Sigurd Skuli Thorsteinson Svein Haconson Thorir Thorkel Thororm Thorstein Egilson Thorvard Male names period for 1010 (taken from HALLGRIM PETURSSON) Eric Grim Gunnlaug Helga Hrafn the Skald Hrafn Onundson Olaf Thorkell Hallkellson Thorkell Swarthy Male names period for 1015 (taken from NJAL'S SAGA) Annund Asbrand Thorleikson Aunund Eylif Aunundson Flosi Solmundson Geir Gizur the White Grim Gunnar Hamondson Helga Helgi Hrapp Kari Kettle Kol Thorsteinson Kolskegg Lambi Mord Njal Sigfus Sigtrygg (King) Sigurd Skarphedinn Njalson Thorbrand Thorleikson Thord Thorgrim Easterling Thorkell Thorleik Thrain Sigfusson Tjorvi Male names period for 1025 (taken from OTTARS THATTR SVARTA) Olaf Haraldsson Olaf Eiriksson Ottar Sighvat Thardarson Male names period for 1030 (taken from THE SAGA OF S. OLAF) Afrafasti Arnljot Gellini Gauka Thorir Gelli Thorkelson Olaf (K. of Norway) Tharand (the White) Thorar Thorir Thorodd Snorrison Male names period for 1050 (taken from ISLENDINGS THATTR SOGUFRODA) Halldor Snorrason Harald Sigurdarson Male names period for 1100 (taken from SIGURD JORSALAFARA'S SAGA) Eystein Magnusson Gilli-Christ Magnusson Halkell Huk Harold Gilli Magnus Barelegs Ottar Brighting Sigurd Magnusson Male names period for 1205 (taken from JONS SAGA HELGA) Audun Bjarni Bergthorsson Bjorn Gilsson Gisl Gisli Finnsson Gjafvald Harald Sigurdarson Hrein Styrmisson Illugi Isleif Grimsson Isleif Hallsson Jon the Blessed Jon the Black Ketil Thorsteinsson Klaeng Thorsteinsson Kol Magnus Bareleg Magnus the Good Olaf the Quiet Olaf (King) Saemund Sigfusson Sigurd Woolstring Svein (King) Teit Isleifson Vilmund Thorolfsson Male names period for 1215 (taken from GUDMUNDAR SAGA DYRA) Brand Erlend of Myrka Falki Dalksson Galm Grimsson Gudmund Tassason Gudmund the Excellent Gudmund Arason Hakon Thordsson Halli Nikulasson Hamund Onundson Hauk Klaeng Kolbein Tumason Leif Nikulasson Nikulas Bjarnarson Nikulas Runolfsson Olaf Tarry-cheek Onund Thorkelsson Runolf Nikulasson Runolf Turncoat Sighvat Soxolfson Snorri Soxolf Fornason Starkad Svein Jonsson Thord of Laufas Thord Onundson Thorfinn Thorgrim of Modruvellir Thorodd Longnose Thorstein Thorvald of Baegisa Thorvald Tjorvi Urda-Stein Vigfus Onundson Male names period for 1215 (taken from PALS SAGA BISKUPS) Amund Arnason Atli the Priest Harald Maddadarson Male names period for 1250 (taken from THORLAKS SAGA IN YNGRI) Arnthor Einar Jonsson Eystein Halldor Jonsson Jon Loptsson Orm Jonsson Pal Jonsson Saemund the Learned Saemund Jonsson Sigurd Jonsson Thorlak Thorhallsson Thorstein Jonsson Male names period for 1265 (taken from STURLUNGA SAGA) Erlend Paunch Gaut (of Mel) Hakon the Old Hrafn Oddsson Magnus Hakonson Sturla Thordarson Thorir Mouth Sword names period for pre-800 (taken from PROSE EDDA) Dains-Leif Gram Hrotti Refill Sword names period for 930 (taken from EGILSSAGA) Long
Here are my source references: (in alphabetical order of Saga name) EGILSSAGA from the year 930 (+- 10 years) can be found in "Translations from the Icelandic", W.C.Green, Cooper Square Pub., N.Y., 1966 GUDMUNDAR SAGA DYRA from the year 1215 (+-5 years) can be found in "The North Men Talk", J.Simpson, J.M.Dent&Sons, 1965 (Aldine Press) GUNNLAUG'S SAGA ORMSTUNGU from the year 1010 (DURING REIGN OF ETHELRED) HALLGRIM PETURSSON from the year 1010 (DURING REIGN OF ETHELRED) "Translations from the Icelandic", ISLENDINGS THATTR SOGUFRODA from the year 1050 (+-5 years) and JONS SAGA HELGA from the year 1205 (BY MONK GUNNLAUG LEIFSSON) "The North Men Talk" NJAL'S SAGA from about the year 1015 (this is just a guess) and OLDER EDDA from before the year 800 can be found in "Translations from the Icelandic", OTTARS THATTR SVARTA from the year 1025 (+-5 years) and PALS SAGA BISKUPS from the year 1215 (+-5 years) can be found in "The North Men Talk" PROSE EDDA from before the year 800; SAGA OF GUNNLAUG SNAKE-TONGUE from before the year 800; and SIGURD JORSALAFARA'S SAGA from the year 1100 (+-15 years) "Translations from the Icelandic", STURLUNGA SAGA from the year 1265 (+-5 years) can be found in "The North Men Talk" THE SAGA OF S. OLAF from the year 1030 (DURING REIGN OF KNUT) "Translations from the Icelandic", THORLAKS SAGA IN YNGRI from the year 1250 (+-5 years) can be found in "The North Men Talk" VATNSDAELA SAGA from the year 970 (pre Olaf; 970 is accurate) "Translations from the Icelandic", VOLSUNGAKVIDA HIN FORNA from before the year 800 (POETIC EDDA) and VOLUNDARKVIDA from before the year 800 (POETIC EDDA) can be found in "The North Men Talk" YOUNGER EDDA from before the year 800 can be found in "Translations from the Icelandic",