Hjordis
A feminine Scandinavian name of Old Norse origin possibly meaning "herdis" or "shepherdess".
Name Census estimates that about 6 living Americans carry the first name Hjordis. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Hjordis today is around 74 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Hjordis births was 1926 (8 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Hjordis. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Hjordis is about 74 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Hjordis' were born before 1962.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Hjordis. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
6
~ 1 in 57,125,723 Americans
Peak year
1926
8 babies that year
Average age
74
years old
1959 SSA rank
#5,828
Tracked since 1913
Popularity
Hjordis: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Hjordis from the 1910s through to the 1950s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 28 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1920s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Hjordis by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Hjordis during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Hjordis' live
Origin
Meaning and history of Hjordis
Hjordis is a Scandinavian name with roots dating back to the Viking Age and Old Norse mythology. The name is derived from the Old Norse words "hjorð" meaning "herd" or "flock," and "dís" meaning "lady" or "female deity." It is believed to have originated from the name of a minor goddess or valkyrie in Norse mythology, representing strength, courage, and protection.
The name gained popularity during the medieval period in Scandinavia, particularly in Iceland and Norway. One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Hjordis can be found in the Icelandic Sagas, where it was borne by several notable female characters, including Hjordis, the mother of the legendary hero Sigurd, the slayer of the dragon Fafnir, in the Volsung Saga.
Throughout history, several remarkable women have carried the name Hjordis. One of the most famous was Hjordis Haugsdatter (c. 1040 – c. 1120), a Norwegian noblewoman and the mother of King Sigurd I of Norway, also known as Sigurd the Crusader. Another notable bearer was Hjordis Fjeldstad (1904 – 1978), a Norwegian actress and singer who gained recognition for her roles in several Norwegian films in the 1930s and 1940s.
In the literary world, the name Hjordis was immortalized by the Danish author Karen Blixen, better known by her pen name Isak Dinesen, in her acclaimed novel "Out of Africa." The character of Hjordis Petersen, a Danish aristocrat, played a crucial role in the book's narrative, which was later adapted into a critically acclaimed film.
More recently, the name Hjordis has been carried by Hjordis Norfeldt (1921 – 2012), a Swedish actress and writer, and Hjordis Larsen (1927 – 2019), a Norwegian businesswoman and philanthropist.
While the name Hjordis may have waned in popularity in modern times, its deep roots in Norse mythology and Scandinavian history have ensured its enduring presence as a symbol of strength, courage, and connection to the natural world.
People
Hjordis + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Hjordis as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with H
Other first names starting with H with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Hjordis: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Hjordis?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 6 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Hjordis going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 57,125,723 US residents.
Is Hjordis a common name?
We classify Hjordis as "Very Rare". It ranks above 22.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 53 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Hjordis most popular?
The single biggest year for Hjordis was 1926, when 8 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Hjordis is about 74 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Hjordis in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Hjordis a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Hjordis in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Hjordis still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Hjordis in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Hjordis can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How common is the name Hjordis?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the name Hjordis on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.