Boy name · Old Norse
Gunnar
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: battle warriorGunnar is a boy's name that comes from Old Norse and means "battle warrior". It is used in Scandinavian.
- Meaning
- Battle warrior
- Origin
- Old Norse
- Gender
- Boy
- Say it
- GOON-ar (Old Norse)
Meaning and origin of Gunnar
As a boy's name, Gunnar comes from Old Norse and means "battle warrior". It is used in Scandinavian.
In Old Norse, say GOON-ar. Respellings are a guide; accents vary by region.
Its meaning puts Gunnar on our names that mean warrior list.
Meanings come from published name dictionaries, led by Behind the Name. How we research names
Gunnar on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Gunnar on 4 lists.
“Old Norse name built from the word for battle”
From Reindeer names, nordic and Scandinavian reindeer names
“Battle warrior; Old Norse. A hero of the Volsunga saga”
From Names that mean warrior, viking warrior names
“War and warrior; Old Norse, a hero of the Icelandic sagas”
From Strong boy names, boy names that mean warrior or fighter
“Battle warrior; a great hero of Njáls saga. Say GOON-ar”
From Viking names, male Viking names
How popular is Gunnar?
- US rank in 2025
- #612
- 462 babies, 270 per million boys
- Best rank
- #382 in 2014
- Most babies: 825 in 2015
- Babies since 1893
- At least 18,156
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 0 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 4 per million |
| 1900s | 9 per million |
| 1910s | 24 per million |
| 1920s | 13 per million |
| 1930s | 10 per million |
| 1940s | 7 per million |
| 1950s | 9 per million |
| 1960s | 11 per million |
| 1970s | 14 per million |
| 1980s | 16 per million |
| 1990s | 142 per million |
| 2000s | 214 per million |
| 2010s | 355 per million |
| 2020s | 288 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #400 | #439 | #469 | #497 | #527 | #541 | #589 | #593 | #598 | #612 |
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.
Names spelled like Gunnar
One or two letters apart, but from a different root: they look alike without sharing a meaning.
- GennaroJanuary (Latin, boy)
- GulzarRose garden (Persian, unisex)
- GünaySun and moon (Turkish, unisex)
Names with a similar meaning
- LouiseFamous warrior (Germanic, girl)
- HildaBattle, combat (Germanic, girl)
- MatildaStrength in battle (Germanic, girl)
- ClotildeFamous battle (Germanic, girl)
- HildeBattle (Germanic, girl)
- LouisFamous warrior (Germanic, boy)
- LuisaFamous warrior (Germanic, girl)
- MathildeStrength in battle (Germanic, girl)
- MatildeStrength in battle (Germanic, girl)
- MaudStrength in battle (Germanic, girl)
Middle names for Gunnar
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a shorter length, so the full name flows.
More boy names from Old Norse
- ErikEternal ruler (Old Norse, boy)
- SvenBoy, young man (Old Norse, boy)
- BjörnA bear (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)
Gunnar: common questions
What does the name Gunnar mean?
Gunnar comes from Old Norse and means "battle warrior".
Is Gunnar a boy or girl name?
Gunnar is mainly a boy's name.
Where does the name Gunnar come from?
Gunnar comes from Old Norse and means "battle warrior". Today it is used in Scandinavian.
How do you pronounce Gunnar?
In Old Norse, say GOON-ar. Pronunciation can vary between languages and regions.
How popular is the name Gunnar?
Gunnar ranked #612 in the US in 2025, with 462 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What names are similar to Gunnar?
Names spelled like Gunnar include Gennaro, Gulzar and Günay.
What middle names go with Gunnar?
Middle names that flow well with Gunnar include Elton, Finn, John, Knox and Peter. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.