Reidar as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Reidar

What is the meaning of the name Reidar ?

The baby name Reidar is a Male name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced RAY-dar (IPA: /ˈreɪdɑr/).

Reidar is Norse, Scandinavian in Origin.

Reidar is a Scandinavian masculine name deriving from Old Norse Hreiðarr, built from hreiðr “home, nest” plus the masculine ending -arr, often glossed as “warrior.” The composite is commonly interpreted as “home defender” or “warrior of the homestead,” evoking protection and steadiness. The name appears in medieval Norse sources and saga tradition, linking it to Viking-Age naming patterns that favored martial or protective connotations.

Use has been strongest in Norway and Sweden, with periodic revivals during the late 19th and early 20th centuries under national-romantic influence; it peaked in Norway in the mid-1900s and today feels traditional yet uncommon. Icelandic preserves the older form Hreiðar (also rendered Hreidar without the eth), while Old Norse is recorded as Hreiðarr. Less frequent modern variants include Reider; short forms such as Rei occur informally. Related names by theme include Reidulf and Reidun, which share the hreiðr element.