Boy name · Old Norse
Björn
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: a bearBjörn is a boy's name that comes from Old Norse and means "a bear". It is used in Scandinavian and German.
- Meaning
- A bear
- Origin
- Old Norse
- Gender
- Boy
- Say it
- BYORN
Meaning and origin of Björn
As a boy's name, Björn comes from Old Norse and means "a bear". It is used in Scandinavian and German. In Scandinavian it is spelled Bjorn.
Say it BYORN. In German, say BYURN. Respellings are a guide; accents vary by region.
Meanings come from published name dictionaries, led by Behind the Name. How we research names
Björn on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Björn on 6 lists.
“Scandinavian name meaning bear, for a big, strong bull”
From Reindeer names, nordic and Scandinavian reindeer names
“Bear; Old Norse. Say BYURN”
From German boy names, north German boy names
“A bear; Old Norse. Carved on Viking-age runestones in Sweden”
From Medieval names and surnames, medieval Norse and Scandinavian names
“A bear; Old Norse, borne by Björn Ironside, a legendary son of Ragnar. Say BYORN”
From Strong boy names, strong boy names meaning lion, bear, wolf or eagle
“A Scandinavian name that means bear”
From Tyranitar nicknames, boy Tyranitar nicknames
“Bear; Ironside was a legendary son of Ragnar. Say BYURN”
From Viking names, names of famous Vikings
How popular is Björn?
- US rank in 2025
- #829
- 298 babies, 174 per million boys
- Best rank
- #766 in 2021
- Most babies: 331 in 2024
- Babies since 1925
- At least 5,255
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 0 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 0 per million |
| 1900s | 0 per million |
| 1910s | 0 per million |
| 1920s | 0 per million |
| 1930s | 0 per million |
| 1940s | 0 per million |
| 1950s | 1 per million |
| 1960s | 8 per million |
| 1970s | 24 per million |
| 1980s | 32 per million |
| 1990s | 21 per million |
| 2000s | 28 per million |
| 2010s | 65 per million |
| 2020s | 183 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #1,223 | #947 | #870 | #868 | #777 | #766 | #782 | #795 | #766 | #829 |
Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.
Other forms of Björn
The same name in other languages and spellings, with the same meaning and origin.
- BjarniBear (Old Norse, boy)
Names with a similar meaning
- BernadetteBrave bear (Germanic, girl)
- BernardBrave bear (Germanic, boy)
- BernardoBrave bear (Germanic, boy)
- UrsulaLittle bear (Latin, girl)
- BerengariaBear and spear (Germanic, girl)
- TorbenThor's bear (Old Norse, boy)
- ArmelBear prince (Old Welsh, boy)
- ArmelleBear prince (Old Welsh, girl)
- ArnbjörnEagle and bear (Old Norse, boy)
- ArtBear (Irish Gaelic, boy)
Middle names for Björn
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a longer length, so the full name flows.
More boy names from Old Norse
- ErikEternal ruler (Old Norse, boy)
- SvenBoy, young man (Old Norse, boy)
- HaraldArmy ruler (Old Norse, boy)
- HolgerIsland spear (Old Norse, boy)
- IngolfIng's wolf (Old Norse, boy)
- IvorYew warrior (Old Norse, boy)
- OdinFrenzy, inspiration (Old Norse, boy)
- RaghnallCounsel ruler (Old Norse, boy)
- RonaldCounsel ruler (Old Norse, boy)
- SigmundVictory protection (Old Norse, boy)
Björn: common questions
What does the name Björn mean?
Björn comes from Old Norse and means "a bear".
Is Björn a boy or girl name?
Björn is mainly a boy's name.
Where does the name Björn come from?
Björn comes from Old Norse and means "a bear". Today it is used in Scandinavian and German.
How do you pronounce Björn?
Say BYORN. In German, say BYURN. Pronunciation can vary between languages and regions.
How popular is the name Björn?
Björn ranked #829 in the US in 2025, with 298 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What are other forms of Björn?
Forms of Björn with the same meaning and origin include Bjarni (Scandinavian).
What middle names go with Björn?
Middle names that flow well with Björn include Ansel, David, Eugene, Ezekiel and Jameson. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.