þrór

Þórðr is a masculine given name of Old Norse origin. It belongs to a class of names built from the theonym Þórr (Thor) combined with a final element that was common in Norse personal names. The exact meaning of the second element in Þórðr is not certain, but such constructions typically convey a characteristic, possession, or relation associated with Thor. The name would have been used across the Norse-speaking world, including Iceland and Norway, during the Viking Age and the medieval period.

In linguistic terms, the form Þórðr reflects Old Norse phonology and orthography, with the initial Þ (thorn) representing a voiceless th-sound. The name has several later derivations and spellings in different languages. In modern Icelandic, the root survives in Þórður, a related form that developed in the later medieval and post-medieval periods. English transcriptions often render the name as Thord or Thordr. In Icelandic patronymics and matronymics, the name would contribute to surnames such as Þórðarson or Þórðar dóttir, indicating “son/daughter of Þórðr.”

Attestation of Þórðr occurs in Old Norse literature and runic inscriptions, though no single universally prominent figure named Þórðr stands at the forefront of the tradition. The name's usage illustrates broader naming practices in Norse and Icelandic culture, where references to Thor were common and widely integrated into personal names.

See also: Þór (Thor), Icelandic given names, Old Norse names.