Our Norwegian name database contains 32.946 Norwegian first names and 4.810 Norwegian surnames categorized by gender and frequency. After payment you can download the Norwegian name database in CSV, SQL or JSON format and use it freely in your projects. In Norway we received a name and gender database from the Norwegian government and merged it with publicly available data sets. To create the Norwegian name database we used 67.992 validated Norwegian social media profiles. We have a detailed explanation of our methodology and illustrate our approach with several examples.
Norwegian first names
In Norway, parents typically choose a first name for their child based on a combination of personal preference, family tradition, and popular trends. Many families choose traditional Norwegian names, such as Erik, Ingrid, or Magnus, while others may opt for more modern or international names, such as Emma, Lucas, or Olivia. The name is also chosen after considering its meaning and suitability with the surname and middle name. The choice of a name is a personal decision and it is a big responsibility for the parents as the name will be with the child for their entire life.
Popular Norwegian male names
First name | Percentage*1 | Alternative countries*2 | |
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Thomas | 1.5% |
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Anders | 1.2% |
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Morten | 1.2% |
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Andreas | 1.1% |
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Martin | 1.0% |
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Christian | 1.0% |
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Espen | 0.9% |
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Marius | 0.9% |
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Erik | 0.9% |
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Lars | 0.9% |
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- *1 The Frequency and Percentage are based on 67.992 Norwegian social media profiles from which 46.305 (68%) is male.
- *2 Alternative countries are countries where this first name also is used. They are sorted on popularity.
Popular Norwegian female names
First name | Percentage*1 | Alternative countries*2 | |
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Kristin | 1.0% |
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Marianne | 1.0% |
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Maria | 0.9% |
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Anne | 0.9% |
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Ingrid | 0.9% |
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Camilla | 0.9% |
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Hilde | 0.9% |
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Nina | 0.8% |
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Silje | 0.8% |
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Elisabeth | 0.8% |
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- *1 The Frequency and Percentage are based on 67.992 Norwegian social media profiles from which 21.687 (32%) is female.
- *2 Alternative countries are countries where this first name also is used. They are sorted on popularity.
Popular Norwegian surnames
In Norway, surnames are passed down from the father. Children take on their father's surname, with the exception of some cases where both parents agree to use a different surname. It is also common for people to add the suffix "-sen" or "-datter" to indicate whether they are a son or daughter, respectively, of their father. For example, if a father's surname is Hansen, his son would be named "Hansen" and his daughter would be named "Hansdatter".
Last name | Percentage*1 | Alternative countries*2 |
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Andersen | 0.6% |
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Hansen | 0.6% |
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Olsen | 0.6% |
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Johansen | 0.6% |
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Larsen | 0.4% |
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Pedersen | 0.4% |
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Nilsen | 0.4% |
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Kristiansen | 0.3% |
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Jensen | 0.3% |
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Johnsen | 0.3% |
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- *1 The Frequency and Percentage are based on 67.992 Norwegian social media profiles.
- *2 Alternative countries are countries where this last name also is used. They are sorted on popularity.