Nordic Names Blog - New Icelandic Names 2021-09

2 October 2021
In September 2021, 23 names were submitted to the Icelandic naming committee for approval. All of them were approved:

Female Names

• Alpha: This could be either a creative spelling of Alfa or is just the first letter of the Greek alphabeth. It was approved.
• Cleopatra: Although this international spelling was rejected in June 2016 (only the Icelandic spelling Kleópatra was allowed to use), it was approved this September.
• Degen: I could not find any good information about this African (Ethiopian?) name (if you know more, please let me know!). It was approved.
• Eden: When this name of the Christian paradise (Garden of Eden) was submitted as a middle name, it was rejected. Instead, it was approved as a given name.
• Gjóska: This name is the Icelandic vocabulary word for 'tephra' (geology) and was approved.
• Jasmin: Previously, only the Icelandic spelling Jasmín was allowed to use but now the international spelling Jasmin was approved as well.
• Liisa: This Finnish spelling of Lisa was approved in Iceland now as well.
• Lilith: This Babylonian/Hebrew name meaning 'night monster' or 'screech owl' had been rejected in November last year but now it was approved.
• Manley: This English name (transferred use of the surname) was approved to use as a female given name in Iceland. In Denmark and Sweden it is used as a male given name.
• Matilda: After Mathilda (approved in April 2014) and Matthilda (approved in July 2007), now this spelling was approved as well. Before that, only the Icelandic form Matthildur was allowed to use.
• Snæ: This variant form of other names meaning 'snow' was approved to use for all genders.
• Sverð: This Old Norse word for a 'sword' was approved to use as a given name for all genders.
• Tatiana: This spelling had been rejected twice this year (March and April) until it was approved now in September.
• Villiljós: This Icelandic word for a 'will-o'-the-wisp' was approved to use as a given name for all genders.
• Vopna: This name derives from a word for 'weapon' and it was approved.

Male Names

• Blake: This English name (transferred use of the surname) was approved.
• Drómi: In the Norse mythology, Drómi is the second of the fetters with which the Æsir want to chain Fenrir, but it rips. Previously, it was already used as a horse name and now it was approved as a male given name as well.
• Niels: This Danish name had been rejected in November 2001 but was now approved to use in Iceland.
• Sasi: This name of uncertain origin and meaning could be a variant form of Saxi or a pet form of different names. It was approved.
• Skúmur: This younger form of Skúmr, an Old Norse name meaning 'louring man, scary man', was approved.
• Snæ: This variant form of other names meaning 'snow' was approved to use for all genders.
• Svalur: This name derives from Old Norse svalr = 'cool', 'fresh' and was approved.
• Sverð: This Old Norse word for a 'sword' was approved to use as a given name for all genders.
• Úlfgrímur: This new combination of ULF and GRIM was approved.
• Villiljós: This Icelandic word for a 'will-o'-the-wisp' was approved to use as a given name for all genders.
• Zar: This German spelling of the Russian historical title ('tsar') was rejected as a middle name but approved now as a given name in Iceland. It is not used in either of the other Nordic countries at the moment.

See also

For more information and new Icelandic names of other months see Icelandic Approved Names.