Egil: Name Meaning, Origin & Popularity

At a Glance: Name: Egil – Meaning: from a root meaning either 'awe' or 'edge of a blade' – Origin: Old Norse – Gender: Boy


Egil is an Old Norse boy's name meaning “from a root meaning either 'awe' or 'edge of a blade'”. It appears in 4 of our baby name lists.

Meaning & Origin of Egil

Meaning: From a root meaning either 'awe' or 'edge of a blade'.

Origin: Old Norse.

A common claim: Egil is often described as meaning 'brave' or 'awe-inspiring.' Actually: 'Brave' isn't a direct translation — the word traces to a root meaning 'awe' (or possibly the 'edge' of a blade), and the brave, heroic association comes from famous name-bearers like the saga hero Egill Skallagrímsson rather than the word itself.

Source: Wiktionary, Wikipedia.

Popularity of Egil

Egil doesn’t appear in U.S. Social Security birth records, which include every name given to at least five babies in a year — so it’s rare in the U.S.

Lists That Include Egil

Similar Names

Gunnar · Asger · Harald · Bjorn · Arne · Sven

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