Published on 10/14/2020 00:53 By Georgia Stone
Edited by | Fact-checked by
As your little angel steps in your life, gleaming with happiness and hope, it’s time to name your baby girl according to the Icelandic traditions.
Iceland, popularly known as the Land of Fire and Ice, is the home to some of the most active volcanoes, geysers, and largest glaciers in Europe. Vikings were the first to settle in this pristine white ice-covered island, and hence the language has Gaelic and Nordic roots.
When it comes to selecting names, Iceland has unusual rules. Firstly Icelanders don’t have family names.
Secondly, nobody can take their spouse’s name upon marriage. Thirdly, when selecting baby names, Iceland sticks to a limited list of approved names. It’s a big deal to select your child’s name in Iceland, as every name should behold the Icelandic tradition and be approved by the naming committee.
When Icelanders name their daughters, usually, the last name gains the suffix ‘dóttir’ (daughter), while the male Icelanders use the suffix ‘son’. The most common and traditional Icelandic form uses patronymic references, but in today’s world of gender equality, several Icelandic names are using matronymic references as well.
Ancient Icelandic Girls’ Names
From the strange encounter with the Elves to the famous Santa Clause, history and mythology play a pivotal role in determining female names in Iceland. Here are some Icelandic female names bearing the country’s rich cultural history.
1. Aðalbjörg: derived from Old Norse, meaning “noble protection”. The bearer of the name resembles a strong woman.
2. Álfdís: meaning “divine woman” or “immortal woman”.
3. Andrea: a feminine version of Andrew, meaning “the defender of humanity”.
4. Ása: this name means “goddess”.
5. Embla: according to Norse mythology, Embla was the first female on Earth. It reportedly comes from the word “elm”.
6. Elisabet: one of the most popular Icelandic female names meaning “the one who is deeply in love with God”.
7. Elva: meaning “river” or “elf”, according to Norse mythology. Also spelled “Elfa”.
8. Eydís: in the old Norse form, this name represents the goddess of good fortune. Often spelled “Eydis”.
9. Friðrika: the Icelandic female name for a peaceful ruler.
10. Gunndís: Icelandic female name depicting the battle goddess.
11. Halldora: in Norse mythology, this female name means “Thor’s rock” — Thor being the god of thunder.
12. Helga: one of the most popular names throughout Scandinavia, this Icelandic female moniker means “holy”.
13. Inga: referring to the Germanic god of fertilityIng, meaning “Ing’s protection”.
14. Katrín: the Icelandic form of Catherine, meaning “pure”. It is a popular name for a baby girl.
15. Kristjana: meaning the follower of Jesus Christ. It is the Icelandic form of Kristina.
16. Ljótunn: represents a girl who fills everyone’s life with purity and light.
17. Matthildur: this common name represents a woman who is strong and mighty.
18. Ragnheiður: represents a woman who is good at giving advice.
19. Rún: a name meaning “rune”.
20. Salka: the Icelandic version of Sarah, meaning “princess”.
21. Sigríður: means “beautiful victory”. You may see it shortened to Sigrid, which is a common name elsewhere in Scandinavia. It’s consistently one of Iceland’s most popular girls’ names.
22. Sigurbjorn: meaning “victorious soldier”. If you want to see your girl grow to be a strong woman, give her this unique name.
23. Sigurdís: in Norse mythology, this name refers to the goddess of victory.
24. Silja: it is an Icelandic name for girls pronounced “see-lee-a”, which means “blind” or “blinded by beauty”.
25. Snædís: a popular female name meaning “snow goddess” or “snow fairy”.
26. Snæbjörg: meaning “snowy rock”.
27. Sóldís: an Icelandic female name meaning “sun goddess”.
28. Thordis: meaning “she who is the woman of Thor”.
29. Thórunn: meaning the love of Thor.
30. Ylfa: in the old culture, this girls’ name means “she-wolf”.
Unique Icelandic Female Names
In Icelandic culture, names bear the rich history of the land; hence the Icelandic female names are already pre-approved by the naming committee. Here are some unique female names which are gorgeous for your baby girl.
31. Alda: this Icelandic female name means “wave”.
32. Analía: meaning “charming” or “gracious”, this is one of the approved Icelandic names for girls in Iceland.
33. Atla: a great name for a child with strong willpower. In the old Norse form, Atla refers to the Gothic form of Attila.
34. Arna: meaning “a mountain of strength”, this is one of the more popular Icelandic female names.
35. Bryndís: aptly fitting a little girl having a brave heart, the name means “strong armor”.
36. Eva: it is a notable alternative for “Eve” in Icelandic form, meaning “life”.
37. Elsie: name meaning “pledged to God”.
38. Freyja: pronounced the same way as Freya, references the Norse goddess of the same name.
39. Isabella: one of the most popular names worldwide, this means “the one who is pledged to God”.
40. Valgerður: a unique Icelandic female name meaning “the ruler” or “protection”.
Popular Girls Names In Iceland
Are you bored with the legacy and ancient Icelandic names? From Abigael and Birta to Móeiður and Sara, these popular names of Iceland are a hit. See this list of modern-day Icelandic girls’ names, each portraying a beautiful meaning.
41. Abigael: meaning “father’s joy” or “the leader of the dance”.
42. Birta: it refers to someone who has a vibrant and bright aura.
43. Brynhildur: one of the most popular names, this refers to an armoured warrior woman.
44. Drífa: Icelandic name referring to snow.
45. Emilía: this name means “one who excels”. It is one of the approved Icelandic names for females.
46. Emma: one of the most popular names for girls all over the world meaning “universal” or “whole”.
47. Guðrún or Gudrun: meaning “God’s secret love”. This is consistently the most popular girls’ name in Iceland.
48. Hildur: refererring to Hild, one of the Valkyrie.
49. Harpa: a popular Icelandic girls’ name meaning “harp”.
50. Hjordis: it refers to a sword maiden.
51. Hrefna: represents the raven, or means “one who is as beautiful as the raven”.
52. Idunn: referring to the goddess of spring and nature, meaning “one who is active in love”.
53. Lilith: in the old Norse form, it means the person of the night.
54. Margrjet: it is an English translation for Margaret, which means “pearl.”
55. Móeiður: see things which are bright and clear.
56. Sara: a variation of Sarah meaning “princess”. It is one of the most popular names for girls.
Icelandic Baby Girl Names Inspired By Nature
In a country with such a stunning natural landscape, it’s no surprise that Icelandic names based on nature are perfect for your baby girl.
57. Björk: a common name in Iceland that means “birch”, in reference to one of the country’s native tree species.
58. Dagbjört: meaning “daylight” or “a bright day”.
59. Elín: the Icelandic form of Helena, this means “light”.
60. Erla: this name means “wagtail bird”.
61. Fjóla: popular name from Iceland meaning “violet flower”.
62. Gefjun: this name refers to a Norse goddess considered to be the goddess of agriculture and abundance.
63. Gróa: this name has ancient references to Norse mythology and means “to grow”.
64. Lilja: this is a Scandinavian name referring to the flower lily.
65. Snæfríður: this Icelandic female name means “pretty snow”.
66. Sóley: this name means “buttercup”.
67. Svanhildur: meaning “swan” and “battle”.
68. Sunna: a common name referring to the brightness of the sun or moon.
69. Vordís: meaning “spring goddess”.
70. Yrsa: a name meaning “she-bear”.
Famous Icelandic Girls’ Names
From the pages of history to the modern-day, these are some of the most well-known names for girls in Iceland.
71. Anna: this Biblical name is derived from the name Hannah and means “full of grace”.
72. Ásta: this means “beautiful goddess”.
73. Ástríður: this name means “beautiful” or “beloved”.
74. Astrilde: Astrilde was known as the goddess of love, an equivalent of Cupid.
75. Auðbjörg: meaning “the bearer of good luck” or “the one who saves”.
76. Eir: pronounced as Ire, this name refers to the Norse goddess of healing and medicine. The name also means “mercy”.
77. Frida: this name means “peace”.
78. Gerda: this name signifies “the enclosure”.
79. Guðbjörg: meaning “god of protection”.
80. Hervör: refers to the wielder of the magic sword Tyrfing.
81. Hulda: refers to a sorcerer from Norse mythology, meaning “secrecy” or “hiding”.
82. Ingibjörg: this name comes from Old Norse and references the Germanic fertility god Ing, meaning “help from Ing”.
83. Jóhanna: the Icelandic version of Johanna, meaning “gracious God”.
84. Jóra: the female version of Jǫfurr, which means “chief” or “king”.
85. Kristín: this name comes from Old Norse and is said to mean “noble and bright”.
86. María: from the Bible, this is the Icelandic version of the name Maria, a common name all over the world.
87. Nanna: the one who is daring and brave. It has a legendary reference to Norse mythology.
88. Olga: meaning “holy” or “blessed”.
89. Ólína: a girls’ name meaning “eager” or “willing”.
90. Osk: meaning desiring or longing. It is a short and sweet name used in Iceland.
91. Saga: “the one who can see it all”. It was originally the name of the Norse goddess of poetry.
92. Sía: meaning “victory”.
93. Signý: a popular name from Norse mythology, combining “sigr” for “victory” and “ny” meaning “new”.
94. Sigrún: named after one of the Valkyrie from Norse mythology, this means “victory rune”.
95. Skaði: the legendary goddess of hunting and skiing.
96. Sólveig: meaning “woman of the house”.
97. Tinna: a name meaning “river”. It is an Icelandic form of Tina.
98. Unndís: meaning “the woman of the wave” or “a loving woman”.
99. Valdís: in Old Norse form, it was the name given to the goddess of death.
100. Viktoría: a popular name meaning “victory”.
Sources
