Othar as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Othar

What is the meaning of the name Othar ?

The baby name Othar is a Male name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced OH-thar (IPA: /ˈoʊθɑr/).

Othar is Georgian in Origin.

Rooted in the Old Norse name Óttarr, Othar descends from Proto-Germanic *ōhtaz “fear, dread” and *harjaz “army, warrior,” yielding the sense “fearsome warrior” or “one who inspires dread in battle.” Cognates appear across early Germanic languages, notably Old English Ohthere (recorded by King Alfred’s scholars) and Old Norse Óttarr in saga and skaldic tradition. Variant forms include Othar (English), Ottar/Ottarr (Scandinavian), Óttar (Icelandic), and Othere/Ohthere in medieval English texts.

The name enjoyed use throughout the Viking Age and early medieval North, borne by legendary figures such as Óttar the Simple in the Eddic poem Hyndluljóð and by the Norwegian mariner Ohthere of Hålogaland around 890. Modern usage is uncommon; Ottar persists occasionally in Norway and Iceland, while Othar surfaces rarely in English-speaking countries, for example in the American South. With its compact strength and storied Norse pedigree, Othar feels distinctive yet historic.

⚙ Othar is exceptionally rare. Our whole dataset turns up only 6 recorded uses, across 4 countries.