107 names

107 Norse and Viking dog names (with meanings)

Norse mythology is packed with wolves, ravens, hammers and heroes, which makes it a natural place to look for a dog name with some muscle. Think of Fenrir for a big shaggy wolf lookalike, Freya for a fierce and loving girl, or Heimdall for the dog who always notices the doorbell first.

These names come from the Old Norse myths and sagas, so they are old stories rather than modern brands or characters. Each note explains who the figure was or what the word means, from gods and giants to Viking-age first names such as Bjorn (bear) and Ulf (wolf).

Many Norse names end in a crisp consonant, which carries well outdoors. Thor, Odin, Tyr and Loki are one syllable or two and are easy to call; longer ones like Yggdrasil or Jormungandr make better nicknames.

Gods and goddesses

Odin♂Allfather, god of wisdom, war and poetry
Thor♂God of thunder who wields the hammer Mjolnir
Loki♂Trickster god known for clever mischief
Freya♀Goddess of love, beauty and war
Freyr♂God of fertility, sunshine and fair weather
Frigg♀Odin's wife, associated with foresight and motherhood
Baldur♂Beloved god of light and beauty
Tyr♂God of war and justice who lost a hand binding the wolf Fenrir
Heimdall♂Watchman of the gods who guards the rainbow bridge, an excellent name for a watch dog
Sif♀Thor's wife, known for her golden hair
Idun♀Keeper of the apples that keep the gods young
Njord♂God of the sea, wind and fishing
Bragi♂God of poetry
Skadi♀Giantess goddess of winter, mountains and hunting
Vidar♂Silent god who survives Ragnarok and avenges Odin
Vali♂Son of Odin who avenges the death of Baldur
Ullr♂God of archery and skiing
Forseti♂God of justice and reconciliation
Eir♀Goddess of healing
Sigyn♀Loki's faithful wife
Ran♀Sea goddess who catches sailors in her net
Aegir♂Sea giant who hosts feasts for the gods
Mimir♂Wise figure whose head gave counsel to Odin
Kvasir♂Wisest of the gods, created from the saliva of the Aesir and Vanir
Magni♂Son of Thor; the name means mighty
Thrud♀Thor's daughter; the name means strength
Nanna♀Baldur's wife
Gerd♀Giantess who married Freyr
Fulla♀Frigg's attendant, keeper of her secrets
Thjalfi♂Thor's servant, the fastest runner in Norse myth
Mani♂The moon personified
Nott♀The night personified

Wolves, ravens and mythical beasts

Fenrir♂Giant wolf bound by the gods who is destined to break free at Ragnarok
Garmr♂Blood-stained hound guarding Hel's gate who fights Tyr at Ragnarok
Geri♂One of Odin's two wolves; the name means greedy
Freki♂Odin's other wolf; the name also means greedy
Skoll♂Wolf that chases the sun across the sky
Hati♂Wolf that chases the moon
Huginn♂One of Odin's ravens; the name means thought
Muninn♂Odin's other raven; the name means memory
Sleipnir♂Odin's eight-legged horse
Jormungandr♂The Midgard Serpent, Thor's great enemy
Nidhogg♂Dragon that gnaws at the roots of Yggdrasil
Ratatoskr♂Squirrel who runs up and down Yggdrasil carrying messages
Audhumla♀Primeval cow who nourished the first giant
Fafnir♂Dragon slain by the hero Sigurd
Gullinbursti♂Freyr's golden boar
Grani♂Sigurd's horse

Giants, dwarfs and heroes of legend

Ymir♂First giant, from whose body the world was formed
Surtr♂Fire giant who sets the world ablaze at Ragnarok
Buri♂First of the gods, freed from ice by the cow Audhumla
Brokkr♂Dwarf smith who helped forge Thor's hammer
Sindri♂Dwarf smith, brother of Brokkr
Andvari♂Dwarf who guarded a cursed hoard of gold
Regin♂Dwarf smith who raised the hero Sigurd
Brynhild♀Valkyrie heroine of the Norse sagas
Valkyrie♀One of Odin's chooser-of-the-slain warrior maidens
Sigurd♂Dragon-slaying hero; Old Norse for victory guardian
Gram♂Sigurd's sword
Gungnir♂Odin's spear
Mjolnir♂Thor's hammer
Draupnir♂Odin's gold ring that produces new rings

Realms and places

Asgard♀Realm of the Aesir gods
Midgard♀The middle world of humans
Valhalla♀Odin's hall for fallen warriors
Bifrost♀Rainbow bridge between Asgard and Midgard
Jotunheim♀Land of the giants
Alfheim♀Home of the light elves
Niflheim♂Realm of mist and ice
Muspelheim♂Realm of fire
YggdrasilThe great ash tree that holds the nine worlds together
Ragnarok♂The great battle at the end of the world
Fjord♂Narrow sea inlet between steep cliffs

Viking-age boy names

Ragnar♂Old Norse name meaning counsel and army; legendary hero Ragnar Lodbrok
Bjorn♂Old Norse for bear
Ulf♂Old Norse for wolf
Leif♂Old Norse for heir or descendant; the explorer Leif Erikson
Erik♂Old Norse for eternal ruler; Erik the Red founded Greenland's first settlement
Gunnar♂Old Norse for battle warrior
Harald♂Old Norse for army ruler
Sven♂Old Norse for boy or young man
Ivar♂Viking name borne by Ivar the Boneless
Knut♂Old Norse for knot; King Canute ruled England, Denmark and Norway
Torvald♂Old Norse for Thor's ruler
Thorsten♂Old Norse for Thor's stone
Olaf♂Name of several Norwegian kings
Rurik♂Viking chieftain traditionally credited with founding Russia's first ruling dynasty
Haakon♂Name of several Norwegian kings
Stig♂Scandinavian name meaning wanderer
Arne♂Scandinavian name meaning eagle

Viking-age girl names

Astrid♀Old Norse for divinely beautiful
Ingrid♀Old Norse for Ing's beauty
Freydis♀Old Norse for Freyr's lady; the name of Leif Erikson's sister
Sigrid♀Old Norse for beautiful victory
Helga♀Old Norse for holy or blessed
Gudrun♀Old Norse for divine secret or rune
Hild♀Old Norse for battle
Liv♀Scandinavian for life
Signe♀Scandinavian for new victory
Ragna♀Old Norse name meaning counsel of the gods

Viking words that sound great on a dog

SkolScandinavian toast meaning cheers
Viking♂Norse seafarer, explorer and raider
RuneLetter of the old Norse alphabet, also a word for mystery
Saga♀Old Norse for story
Skald♂Viking poet
Jarl♂Norse noble ranking just below a king
Berserker♂Wild Norse warrior said to fight in a trance

Tips for choosing

Norse names with a hard ending, such as Tyr, Odin, Ulf and Rune, are easy to hear from a distance. Softer ones like Freya, Astrid and Sif suit friendly, bouncy dogs.

Matching sets are a Norse specialty. Huginn and Muninn (Odin's two ravens), Geri and Freki (his two wolves) and Skoll and Hati (the wolves that chase the sun and moon) are all ready-made pairs for two dogs. See dog names for pairs for more.

If you also like the idea of ancient gods, compare these with Greek mythology dog names.

Frequently asked questions

What are the best Norse names for a male dog?

Odin, Thor, Loki, Tyr, Ragnar, Bjorn and Ulf are the classics. Baldur and Heimdall are good picks for a gentle but watchful dog, and Fenrir is a fun choice for a big, wolfish one.

What are the best Norse names for a female dog?

Freya, Sif, Frigg, Astrid, Ingrid and Skadi are popular. Idun suits a sweet dog, Valkyrie suits a fierce one, and Saga is a cute short option meaning story.

Which Norse names are good for a pair of dogs?

Huginn and Muninn, Geri and Freki, Odin and Frigg, and Thor and Sif all work. Skoll and Hati are a good pick for two dogs who like to chase each other around the yard.

How do you pronounce Norse dog names?

Odin is OH-din, Loki is LOH-kee, Freya is FRAY-uh, Fenrir is FEN-reer, and Heimdall is HAYM-dahl. English speakers often say Thor to rhyme with for. Pick the version you like and stick with it.