Name
Gunnar
Meaning
Gunnar is a masculine name of Old Norse origin meaning “warrior”.
Gunnar doubles down on war, joining the Old Norse gunnr, battle, with arr, warrior, and names the doomed hero of the Saga of Burnt Njal, the finest archer of medieval Iceland. American parents discovered it as a rugged alternative to Gunner in the 2000s.
A staple in Iceland and Norway; in the US top 1000 since 2004.
Popularity in the United States
Boys
Ranked #612 in 2025 · peak #382 in 2014
Data: US Social Security Administration, top-1000 ranks.
At a glance
- Origin
- Old Norse
- Gender
- Masculine
- Pronounced
- /GUN-ar/
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Questions
Gunnar is a masculine name of Old Norse origin meaning “warrior”. Gunnar doubles down on war, joining the Old Norse gunnr, battle, with arr, warrior, and names the doomed hero of the Saga of Burnt Njal, the finest archer of medieval Iceland.
Gunnar is traditionally a masculine (boy) name. It is a staple in Iceland and Norway; in the US top 1000 since 2004.
The name Gunnar comes from Old Norse. Gunnar doubles down on war, joining the Old Norse gunnr, battle, with arr, warrior, and names the doomed hero of the Saga of Burnt Njal, the finest archer of medieval Iceland. American parents discovered it as a rugged alternative to Gunner in the 2000s.
Gunnar is pronounced GUN-ar.
More names that mean warrior
Names that share this meaning.