Vik

Vik, or Vík in Icelandic, is a Nordic toponym derived from the Old Norse vík meaning bay, inlet, or cove. The term is widely used in the names of places across Iceland, Norway, Sweden, and Denmark and frequently appears as a geographic element in both historical and modern maps. In Iceland, Vík í Mýrdal is the best-known instance: a small village on the south coast famous for its black-sand beach and Reynisdrangar sea stacks, located along Route 1 roughly 180 kilometers southeast of Reykjavík.

Beyond Iceland, the form Vik is common in Norwegian toponymy and has given its name to several settlements and districts. The use of vík as an element in Nordic place names indicates a coastal setting and reflects historical patterns of settlement, trade, and travel along fjords and shores.

In broader usage, Vik may refer to multiple places or concepts and is often clarified by regional context or qualifiers. The word itself remains tied to its origin as a geographic descriptor rather than a standalone concept, and it continues to appear in contemporary place names as well as historical maps throughout the Nordic region.