Gissur as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Gissur

What is the meaning of the name Gissur ?

The baby name Gissur is a Male name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced IPA: /ˈɡɪsər/; respelling: GISS-ur (Icelandic approx. [ˈkɪsʏr]).

Gissur is Icelandic, Norse in Origin.

Gissur is an Icelandic masculine given name rooted in Old Norse Gizurr. The meaning is obscure and debated in onomastic literature; it is sometimes conflated with Gísli (“pledge; hostage”), but the two names are etymologically distinct. Modern Icelandic uses the spelling Gissur, while saga manuscripts and scholarly normalizations show Gizurr or Gizur. Cognate or adapted forms are rare outside the Nordic languages, and the name remains strongly tied to Icelandic tradition.

Use of the name is documented in medieval Iceland. Notable bearers include Gissur Þorvaldsson (c. 1208–1268), the powerful Haukdælir chieftain appointed jarl of Iceland by King Hákon Hákonarson, and Gissur Einarsson (1512–1548), the first Lutheran bishop of Skálholt. Today Gissur remains uncommon even in Iceland, but it carries strong historical resonance and a distinctly Norse flavor, appealing to parents seeking a traditional, saga-linked choice.

⚙ We can't find Gissur in any of the birth registries or name datasets we track. Such a name is generally either rare, regional or traditional, or a brand-new coinage. Either way, it remains a genuinely rare choice.