Baby Name of the Day: Viggo

The baby name Viggo owes its rise in use to a Hollywood leading man, but it has history that predates the actor by centuries.

Thanks for Fran for suggesting our Baby Name of the Day.

WHAT DOES THE NAME VIGGO MEAN?

The Scandinavian vig appears in plenty of names. Most sources suggest it means fight or battle. The Old Norse name Vigge is one name with the element, but it also appears in German names. Think of Ludwig and Ludvig or Hedwig. 

Other names, like the Icelandic Vöggur, also come from vig, even if it’s not as obvious.

Other possible origins for this name include:

• Sometimes it’s used as a pet form of Victor, a name with Latin roots, but a similarly fierce meaning.
• In Swedish, vigg means thunderbolt. Again, not the same meaning, but a very similar vibe.

Visually, Viggo is also similar to our word vigor. Again, that’s a Latin word, ultimately meaning force or strength. 

The last name Wigg is typically English, and unrelated.

The first name Viggo has been used as a Nordic male name since the thirteenth century, though it’s more common in the 1800s and 1900s.

VIGGO MORTENSEN

There’s one reason we all recognize this name: Oscar-nominated actor Viggo Mortensen.

Born Viggo Peter Mortensen Jr., he’s named for his dad. Viggo Sr. was Danish, so the Scandinavian origin name makes sense.

The actor rose to fame as Aragorn in Peter Jackson’s wildly successful adaptation of The Lord of the Rings. The trilogy was released over three years: 2001, 2002, and 2003. The third installment, The Return of the King, swept every category it was nominated for at the 76th Academy Awards, including Best Picture. 

Since then, he’s appeared in many more succesful roles, like Captain Fantastic and Green Book. He’s also a poet and photographer, using his financial success to establish Perceval Press, aimed at giving opportunities to previously overlooked creators.

Along the way, he’s made Viggo a household name.

SCANDINAVIAN HERITAGE CHOICE

Other Scandinavian notables who have answered to the name Viggo include:

• Prince Viggo, born in Denmark in the late 1800s. In the 1920s, he married an American and renounced his royal title.
• Norwegian mathematician Viggo Brun made several contributions to number theory in the early twentieth century.
• Viggo Hansteen was a Norwegian government official who defied Nazi ruled during their World War II occupation of Norway, and paid with his life.

Plenty of famous men, especially from Denmark, but throughout Scandinavia, have answered to the name. It lends the name a rich history.

Even without the famous actor and enduring film trilogy, the baby name Viggo might’ve garnered some attention in the US. This is the age of names ending with O. If Leo, Milo, Theo, and Arlo can be popular favorites, then the similar sound of Viggo could fit right in.

HOW POPULAR IS THE NAME VIGGO?

The baby name Viggo currently ranks in the Top 100 in Denmark and Sweden, but it has yet to rank in the US Top 1000 popular names.

It has risen in use over the years, though. 

A smattering of boys received the name earlier in US history. In the year 2003, nine boys received the name. That number has climbed steadily, reaching an all-time high of 88 births in 2023.

That’s still quite rare, but without popular culture, this name probably would be even less common. 

Musician Taylor Hanson and wife Natalie named their son Viggo in 2008. 

SURPRISING and STRONG

The baby name Viggo suggests bravery. Not necessarily because of the name’s meaning, but because we associate it so strongly with the characters in the enduring Tolkien novels. Worth noting: the characters aren’t just warriors. They display true valor and self-sacrifice.

It was the perfect name for the actor who would portray Aragorn.

Viggo might also be the exact right choice for a family with Scandi roots seeking an unexpected, strong name for a son.

What do you think of the baby name Viggo?

First published on March 27, 2012, this post was revised on April 29, 2025.