vágr

Vágr is a historical term from Old Norse meaning bay, inlet, or harbor. In early Norse and West Norse toponymy, vágr described coastal features that opened into inlets and were often used as geographical descriptors in place names rather than as independent names. The form survives in modern Scandinavian usage mainly in scholarly or archaic contexts; in Icelandic vágr is now largely literary or historical, while the root appears in various toponyms influenced by Norse language traditions.

Geographically, vágr’s most prominent modern occurrence is in the Faroe Islands, where Vágar is the name of an island. Vágar is the site of Vágar Airport and hosts settlements along the southern coast. The name reflects the island’s coastal geography, including bays and inlets that shape the landscape. The term’s presence in Faroese toponymy illustrates how Old Norse geographic vocabulary persisted in place names across the North Atlantic.

In a broader sense, vágr appears as a component meaning bay or inlet in Norse toponymy, often combined with other elements to designate a specific locality. Its use demonstrates how historical geographic terminology from Old Norse contributed to the naming of coastal features and settlements in regions settled by Norse speakers, a pattern seen in parts of Iceland, Norway, and the North Atlantic islands.