Þorkell

Þorkell is a masculine given name of Old Norse origin. It is a compound of Þór (Thor) and ketill, meaning “cauldron” or “kettle,” yielding a sense such as “Thor’s cauldron” or “Thor’s kettle.” The name appears in medieval Norse and Icelandic sources in the form Þorkell; English-language texts commonly render it as Thorkell or Thor-kell, while Icelandic orthography attests Þórkell as a variant. The thorn letter Þ represents a voiceless “th” sound.

Þorkell was a common type of compound name in Old Norse onomastics. In modern Icelandic, it remains recognizable as a traditional masculine given name, though it is relatively uncommon today. It is part of a broader Norse naming pattern that combines a theonym with a generic element, and it has given rise to related names.

Variants and related names include Þórkell, Thorkell, and Thor-kell. It is related to other Thor- and Ketill-based names such as Thorfinn, Thorstein, and Ketill, reflecting the wider Norse practice of constructing names from elemental components.

See also: Ketill, Thor, Thorfinn, Torquil.