Viking Nicknames

[Pangur Bán]

Until the 18th century, Scandinavians didn't use second names the way everyone does nowadays. As result, nicknames prolifirate.

I went to a lecture on the subject today. Heard some funny ones, like:

Thorfinn Skull-splitter
Harald Finehair
Throkjell the Braggart

but more funnily,

Eysteinn Fretr (Eysteinn the Farter)

and

Herjolf Hrokkineista (Wrinkled-Scrotum)

Can anyone beat that?

 

[WickedSmurf]

Harald Blåtand - Harald Bluetooth

There are many others as you say, I'll go look some up and get back! I don't think I can beat Wrinkled-Scrotum though...

You are right, there are many hilarious names!

Edits:

Sven Tveskägg - Sven Two beards
Blot-Sven - Sacrificing Sven
Karl Döve - Karl the deaf

 

[Cimbri]

Actually people did have last names. Like perhaps Olaf Haraldsson (Son of Harald Haakonssson, killed by Erik Bjornsson) or the like.

It was a necessity for instance if Olaf Haraldsson had avenged his father and killed Erik Bjornsson and thus Leif Erikson (son of Erik Bjornsson) had to avenge the death of his father. Leif couldn’t just go out and kill the first and best Olaf… Well, he could, but nevertheless Scandinavia was ripe with Olaf’s and he most likely couldn’t kill them all.

Of course if Olaf had himself earned a nickname of some sort, like Greycloak, Bloodaxe, Crazy etc. he would be a lot easier to find, and Leif wouldn’t have such a tough time.

Perhaps Leif would even earn a nickname himself for killing Olaf, or killing a bunch of Olaf’s. And that would make it a hell of a lot easier for Tryggvi Olafsson (the son of the late Olaf Haraldsson) to find and kill Leif Erikson.


This happened quite a lot…

 

[Xen]

"Eysteinn Fretr (Eysteinn the Farter)"

Thorav the Flatulent

 

[Pangur Bán]

Originally posted by Cimbri
Actually people did have last names. Like perhaps Olaf Haraldsson (Son of Harald Haakonssson, killed by Erik Bjornsson) or the like.

Those are simple patronymics, not last names like we have today. Erik Bjornsson's son would not be Bjornsson, for instance, but Eriksson.

EDIT: I see you've already admitted this:

Olaf Haraldsson (Son of Harald Haakonssson

 

[Cimbri]

Yeah,

Interestingly some of those ‘last names’ have become family names and survived to this day. I also have a –son at the end of my last name.

Other interesting nicknames would be Torfyndr (hard to find) and Tréfótr (wooden-leg)

 

[Kafka2]

Ragnar Lodbrok. I think that translates as "Hairy breeches".

Some are intriguing- it's thought Ivar the Boneless may have suffered from Brittle Bone syndrome.

 

[SanPellegrino]

Sven Forkbeard, although I don't know if he is synonymous with the aforementionend Sven Two beards, although I like Forkbeard better, bluetooth is also nice, at least this names are descriptive

btw, how come only the icelanders use the female form, like "Gudmundsdottir"?

 

[WickedSmurf]

Originally posted by SanPellegrino
btw, how come only the icelanders use the female form, like "Gudmundsdottir"?

It is becoming an increasing phenomenon here in Sweden that females construct such surnames.

In Swedish that spells like: Olovsdotter, Magnusdotter et cetera.

 

[SanPellegrino]

Originally posted by WickedSmurf


It is becoming an increasing phenomenon here in Sweden that females construct such surnames.

In Swedish that spells like: Olovsdotter, Magnusdotter et cetera.

construct? you can just make a second name up and use it?

 

[WickedSmurf]

Originally posted by SanPellegrino


construct? you can just make a second name up and use it?

Yeah sure! My uncle did, he wasn't happy about his inherited last name so he went on and have it changed. No problemo. But there are rules and stuff... I'm not sure about all of them but:

# It must not already be in use
# It must not be something offending (PC you know..)
# You must have a valid reason (I think...)

And further, on first names, there are many parents naming their kids the strangest things... I'll have a look... But I know some by heart:

Linetblue
Moonray

Hippie-stuff like that...

 

[SanPellegrino]

Originally posted by WickedSmurf


Yeah sure! My uncle did, he wasn't happy about his inherited last name so he went on and have it changed. No problemo. But there are rules and stuff... I'm not sure about all of them but:

# It must not already be in use
# It must not be something offending (PC you know..)
# You must have a valid reason (I think...)

ok, the valid reason thing I know, the same here, a friend of mine was named Kalbfleisch (calfmeat), so he could change it, but first I understood that one doesn't have to take his inherited surname, but could instead use the old son/dotter pattern.

 

[sabo]

Originally posted by calgacus


Those are simple patronymics, not last names like we have today. Erik Bjornsson's son would not be Bjornsson, for instance, but Eriksson.

EDIT: I see you've already admitted this:

That type of naming of your children is still practiced today in Iceland where alot of Viking traditions have survived.

 

[Karl Lenin]

Many of the soldiers who fought in the Swedish army in the wars in the 16th, 17th and 18th century got short lastnames like brave, fast, proud, cheerful, shield...

 

[Siegmund]

There are a whole bunch of such unusual nicknames... I seem to recall the Norse creation myth, the Song of Rig, describing the ancestors of the various races.... all the disgusting ugly folk from Thrall and Thir, the decent but dirt poor from another, the mighty from Jarl and whoever-his-wife-was. The children of Thrall and Thir, 9 sons and 9 daughters, are named thusly: "Fjosnir the cattle man, Klur the Coarse, Hreim the Shouter, Kreggi the Horse Fly, Kefsir the Concubine Keeper, Fulnir the Stinking, Drumb the Clot, Digradli the Gross, Drott the Sluggard, Leggjaldi Long Legs, Lut the Hunchback and ashen-faced Hosvir" the sons, and "oafish Drumba, dumpy Kumba, hefty-butt Okkvinkalfa, homely Arinnefja, noisy Ysja, subservient Ambott, leathery Eikintjasna, rundown Totrughypja, and tall and bony Tronubeina", the daughters.