Names and Name-Giving in the Viking Age

King’s College 2004 v Mistress Gunnvör sílfrahárr

Descriptive Bynames – Occupation and Rank

Probably the next most common type of descriptive byname after physical characteristics are those naming a person’s occupation, rank, or activities.

vTitles and occupational terms are treated as bynames. They follow the personal name, but precede any other bynames, i.e. Haraldr konungr inn hárfagri (King Haraldr Fairhair)

vExamples: konungr (“king”), dróttning (“queen”), hertogi (“duke”), jarl (“earl, count”), berserkr (“berserker”), skáld (“poet, skald”), ábóti (“abbot”), bogsveigr (“bow-swayer, archer”), búandi (“farmer”), dróttseti (“king’s steward”), gjaldkeri (“king’s treasurer”), góði (“chieftain”), hersir (“chieftain”), kaupmaðr (“merchant”), knarrarsmiðr (“shipwright”), meistari (“master, magister”), prestr (“Christian priest”), sjóna (“seeress”), smiðr (“smith”), spákona (“prophetess”), stallari (“king’s marshall”), etc.