Norse Names for Girls

Variant of Brunhild, still clad in heavy armor. Though the heroine Brunhilda of Quentin Tarantino's recent film Django Unchained may have given this version of the name new appeal.

Siri is a charming and lively Scandinavian name that is no longer on the table given the ubiquity of Apple's digital Siri. Too bad, because Siri -- along with variations Syrie and Cyrie -- is unique, enchanting, and adorable. But now taken.

Related to Frida but with a softer sound, this name is Old Norse for "fair, beautiful"

Popular Scandinavian name -- first bestowed in honor of Swedish botanist Carl von Linné, a classifier of plants and animals -- that could make an engaging choice.

So airy, it's almost not there.

A favorite in Near Eastern cultures, with a charming meaning.

An unknown, strong Scandinavian name related to Tor/Thor, the Norse god of thunder, that would fit in perfectly here.

One of the Valkyries, still clad in heavy armor.

The Old Norse and modern Norwegian word name Fjord, which refers to a passage in the sea, could work for children of both genders.

One of the few K names that sounds middle-aged.

Tordis left Norway's popularity charts in 1948, placing it among the old lady name that could soon be up for revival.

Heidrun, which is occasionally used in modern Europe, was the name of a mythological goat who nibbled from the tree of life, transforming her milk into mead. You might think of Heidrun as a cross between Heidi and Gudrun, but there's a good reason this one's never caught on in the US: It's still stuck on that mythical Norse hillside.

At the very least, shorten it to Hilda.