Discover and Shortlist Your Perfect Baby Names!

Gunnar as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Gunnar

Add to my Name List

The baby name Gunnar is a Male name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced /ˈɡʌnər/ (GUN-ər); Old Norse approx: /ˈɡunːar/.

Gunnar is Norse in Origin.

Gender: Male
Syllables: 2.0
Origin: Norse
Pronunciation: /ˈɡʌnər/ (GUN-ər); Old Norse approx: /ˈɡunːar/

What is the meaning of the name Gunnar ?

The baby name Gunnar is a Male name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced /ˈɡʌnər/ (GUN-ər); Old Norse approx: /ˈɡunːar/.

Gunnar is Norse in Origin.

Gunnar is a storied Scandinavian masculine name from Old Norse Gunnarr, formed from gunnr “battle” + -arr “warrior,” giving the sense “battle-warrior” or “bold fighter.” It is closely related to Old High German Gunthari, source of German Gunther. The name figures prominently in Norse legend and medieval literature, notably Gunnar of the Völsunga saga (the Burgundian king parallel to Gunther in the Nibelungenlied), which helped preserve its heroic aura.

Long used across Iceland, Norway, Sweden, and Denmark, Gunnar surged with 19th–20th‑century national romanticism and remains a steady classic in the Nordic countries. Scandinavian immigration carried it to English-speaking regions; modern U.S. use includes the phonetic variant Gunner. Other forms include Gunar and the archaic Gunnarr; cognates encompass Gunther/Günther. Nicknames such as Gunni (Icelandic) appear locally. The name conveys strength, martial resolve, and time-tested Nordic tradition.

Gunnar has the following similar or variant Names

Famous people with the name Gunnar

Gunnar Myrdal Politician · Born 1898 · Sweden Gunnar Myrdal was a Swedish economist and politician best known for his work on the theory of cumulative causation and his influential book 'An American Dilemma: The Negro Problem and Modern Democracy'. He was awarded the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences in 1974 for his contributions to the field of economics. Gunnar Björnstrand Actor · Born 1909 · Sweden Gunnar Björnstrand was a Swedish actor best known for his collaborations with director Ingmar Bergman. He starred in films like 'The Seventh Seal' and 'Wild Strawberries', showcasing his versatility and depth as an actor. His performances left a lasting impact on Swedish cinema.

Gunnar – Popularity by country

Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.

Country Gender Year Rank Born of
Iceland Boys 2023 #3 3,074 60
Iceland Boys 0 #3 213 131
Iceland 0 #6 43 71
EE 0 #35 3 1,051
AO 0 #77 1 2,729
EE Boys 0 #90 37 2,087
Sweden Boys 2022 #114 70 1,509
Norway Boys 2025 #119 16 444
CY Boys 0 #130 2 3,473
ID Boys 0 #135 1 4,130
LT Boys 0 #151 1 2,166
CR 0 #165 1 5,526
DK 0 #178 26 5,198
DK Boys 0 #186 152 7,401
RU 0 #194 1 3,641
LU Boys 0 #219 2 4,970
PS 0 #226 1 5,692
NA Boys 0 #252 2 6,830
MO Girls 0 #263 1 7,056
Canada Boys 2024 #278 29 2,588
IL 0 #281 2 6,291
JP Boys 0 #302 2 7,909
CZ Boys 0 #304 2 6,530
Germany Boys 0 #316 1,132 5,697
PE 0 #329 1 6,350
KZ Girls 0 #332 1 5,862
PL Boys 0 #339 2 6,459
MY 0 #354 1 12,352
Germany 0 #357 82 2,542
BR 0 #360 1 5,969
MU Boys 0 #369 1 8,477
Finland Boys 0 #370 58 2,041
PT Boys 0 #379 3 7,951
Finland Boys 2026 #402 373 3,552
BO 0 #403 6 6,868
Austria Boys 0 #410 33 2,180
ZA 0 #474 1 14,421
AR Boys 0 #483 1 7,628
United States Boys 2024 #491 474 7,044
GT Boys 0 #499 1 7,625
CR Boys 0 #503 8 10,188
PA Boys 0 #505 1 9,305
CO 0 #510 1 7,768
RU Boys 0 #523 4 12,621
BO Boys 0 #524 69 9,244
HK Boys 0 #556 2 12,905
PS Boys 0 #557 5 10,655
IR Boys 0 #565 1 10,162
CM Boys 0 #574 2 12,054
IL Boys 0 #624 2 10,983
CL Boys 0 #697 4 13,390
SG Boys 0 #733 7 17,960
BR Boys 0 #737 15 12,213
QA Boys 0 #743 1 18,093
PE Boys 0 #867 12 14,506
NL Boys 0 #877 75 5,873
United States Girls 2019 #908 5 8,965
Spain Boys 0 #914 17 5,610
OM Boys 0 #916 3 17,948
CO Boys 0 #974 8 15,656
NG Boys 0 #1,001 1 16,906
MX Boys 0 #1,030 4 16,355
AE Boys 0 #1,141 3 22,615
CO Girls 0 #1,152 1 16,140
ZA Boys 0 #1,167 12 25,619
MY Boys 0 #1,182 1 25,439
MA 0 #1,199 1 20,986
TR 0 #1,199 13 19,440
DZ 0 #1,234 1 20,130
IT Boys 0 #1,426 46 10,046
SA Boys 0 #1,690 2 28,008

Gunnar is popular in 53 countries — most recent births per country:

Norway
Canada
United States
Sweden
Scotland, United Kingdom

Did we miss something about this name? Let us know!

People also ask about Gunnar

Gunnar is predominantly a boy's name.
Gunnar is a 2 syllable name, pronounced /ˈɡʌnər/ (GUN-ər); Old Norse approx: /ˈɡunːar/.
Common nicknames and spelling variations include Gunnarr, Gunner, Gunar, Gunni and Gunn.
Across languages, Gunnar has these equivalents: Günther (German), Gunter (German/English), Gunder (Scandinavian), Gundahar (historic Germanic).
Yes, very popular — Gunnar ranked #3 in Iceland in 2023, and appears in official birth registries across 7 countries.
Gunnar ranks highest in Iceland (#3 in 2023).
Gunnar's popularity is rising. It moved from #124 in 2015 to #119 in 2025 in Norway.
Yes — 2 notable people named Gunnar are in our database, including Gunnar Myrdal (Politician), Gunnar Björnstrand (Actor).