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March 31, 2026 · Article · 8 min read
Vikings Baby Names: Norse Names Inspired by the TV Series & Sagas
When the History Channel's Vikings premiered in 2013, it brought something unexpected to American living rooms: Old Norse names. Names that hadn't been used outside of Scandinavia for centuries suddenly sounded... cool. And parents noticed.
The SSA data tells a remarkable story. Names like Ragnar, Bjorn, and Ivar went from near-zero to triple digits in American births. And some names — like Torvi and Freydis — literally didn't exist on US birth certificates before the show. Let's raid the data.
The Sons of Ragnar
Ragnar — The legend himself. Ragnar Lothbrok's name first appeared in SSA data in 2011 with just 5 births. The show premiered in 2013 and the name took off: 19 in 2014, 41 in 2016, 72 in 2018. Even after the character's death on the show, Ragnar held strong — 96 in 2023 before settling to 63 in 2024. From zero to nearly 100 births per year, all because of one TV Viking.
0 (before 2011) → 5 (2011) → 96 (2023 peak) → 63 (2024)
Births per year — SSA data
If you love Ragnar, you might also want to check how this name is used in Scandinavia — Ragnar in Norway has been a traditional name for centuries.
Bjorn — Bjorn Ironside, Ragnar's eldest son, had the most accessible Norse name for American parents. Bjorn was already used at low levels (37-55 births per year through the 1990s-2000s). Then Vikings pushed it to 100 in 2015, 220 in 2017, and it keeps climbing — 330 in 2024. That's a 6x increase, and it's still going up. See how it compares to
Bjorn in Norway, where it's a classic.
39 (1995) → 100 (2015) → 330 (2024, still climbing)
Births per year — SSA data
Ivar — Ivar the Boneless might have one of the best villain names in TV history. The name went from barely existing in US data (5-10 births most years) to 87 in 2019, 121 in 2022, and 116 in 2024. That's a stunning rise for a name that most Americans had never heard before. Compare to
Ivar in Norway, where it's a well-established traditional name.
6 (1997) → 14 (2016) → 126 (2023 peak) → 116 (2024)
Births per year — SSA data
Sigurd — Sigurd Snake-in-the-Eye had a shorter run on the show, and his name reflects that. It's appeared sporadically in SSA data — 9 in 2013, 24 in 2022, 10 in 2024. Small numbers, but for a name this distinctly Old Norse, any American usage at all is notable. Check out
Sigurd in Norway for its Scandinavian context.
5 (2001) → 24 (2022 peak) → 10 (2024)
The Shield Maidens
Lagertha — The legendary shield maiden first appeared in SSA data in 2016 with 7 births. It peaked at 18 in 2021 and sits at 7 in 2024. These are small numbers, but Lagertha is a bold naming choice — it's unmistakably Norse, hard to abbreviate, and carries serious warrior energy. The parents who choose it know exactly what they're doing.
0 (before 2016) → 7 (2016) → 18 (2021 peak) → 7 (2024)
Torvi — This is one of the purest TV-to-birth-certificate names on our list. Torvi didn't exist in SSA data before 2017 (5 births). By 2021, it hit 49. In 2024, 32 girls were named Torvi. A name that literally no American babies had before a TV show now has a growing fanbase of parents.
0 (before 2017) → 5 (2017) → 51 (2022 peak) → 32 (2024)
Freydis — The newest addition. Freydis appeared in
Vikings: Valhalla (Netflix, 2022), and the name showed up in SSA data in 2023 with 7 births, growing to 14 in 2024. It's early days, but the trajectory looks promising. A Viking name for a new generation.
0 (before 2023) → 7 (2023) → 14 (2024, doubling already)
The Warriors and Explorers
Rollo — The historical Rollo (Hrolf) founded the dynasty that became the Normans. On the show, he was Ragnar's brother. The name first hit SSA data in 2015 (10 births) and has stayed small but consistent — 11 in 2024. For a name that carries the weight of founding Normandy, those are humble numbers.
0 (before 2015) → 10 (2015) → 12 (2022 peak) → 11 (2024)
Floki — The eccentric shipbuilder was one of the show's most beloved characters. Floki appeared in SSA data in 2019 (9 births) and has hovered around 5-7 births since. It's quirky, distinctive, and exactly the kind of name a die-hard Vikings fan would choose.
0 (before 2019) → 9 (2019 peak) → 6 (2023)
The Names That Stayed in Scandinavia
Aslaug — Ragnar's second wife. Despite being a major character, Aslaug hasn't hit the 5-birth minimum in US data. The pronunciation challenge (AHS-lowg) likely keeps American parents away — but it's a real name in Norway with centuries of history. See Aslaug's Norwegian popularity →
Ubbe — One of Ragnar's sons, and a significant character in later seasons. Ubbe hasn't registered in US births, but it's a real name in Scandinavia. See Ubbe in Sweden →
Hvitserk — Let's be honest: no American parent is going to try to explain how to pronounce Hvitserk to a kindergarten teacher. Not in SSA data, and probably never will be.
See These Names in Their Homeland
The beauty of BabyNa.me is that we don't just track American usage — we have the actual Scandinavian data. Here's where you can explore these Viking names in their home countries:
The Viking Name Pattern
What's fascinating about Vikings names is how they differ from other fictional naming trends. Most book/TV name impacts happen with names that sound plausible in English — names like Arya or Bella that feel like they could belong to any American kid.
Viking names don't do that. Ragnar, Bjorn, and Ivar are unmistakably Norse. Parents who choose them aren't trying to be subtle. They're making a statement: my kid is named after a Viking, and that's awesome.
The biggest success stories — Bjorn (330 in 2024), Ivar (116), and Ragnar (63) — are the ones that are easiest to spell and pronounce in English while still sounding distinctly Norse. That's the sweet spot for cross-cultural naming.
Interested in how these names are used in their homeland? Check out our Norway name database to see how Ragnar, Bjorn, Ivar, and Sigurd have been used in Scandinavia for generations.
For more fictional character names, see our articles on Outlander baby names and book character baby names.
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