Bjarni

Bjarni is a masculine given name of Nordic origin, particularly common in Iceland. It derives from the Old Norse Bjǫrn, meaning bear, with the -i ending that formed certain personal names in the medieval and early modern periods. In Icelandic and other Nordic languages the form Bjarni is distinct from Björn or Bjørn, though related in meaning. The name has been carried to other regions by Nordic diaspora communities and is sometimes Anglicized as Bjarn or Bjorn in English-language contexts.

Notable people named Bjarni include Bjarni Herjólfsson, a 10th-century Norse explorer described in various sagas as having encountered North America before Leif Erikson. In modern Iceland, Bjarni Benediktsson (born 1964) is a prominent politician who has served as leader of the Independence Party and held key government positions, including Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs. Bjarni Tryggvason (born 1945) is an Icelandic-Canadian engineer and former astronaut who flew with NASA.