Thorval
Scandinavian name derived from the Old Norse elements "Þórr" (Thor, god of thunder) and "val" (slain warriors).
Name Census estimates that about 0 living Americans carry the first name Thorval. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Thorval today is around 0 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Thorval births was 1913 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Thorval. 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
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Thorval. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
0
~ - Americans
Peak year
1913
5 babies that year
Average age
-
1913 SSA rank
#3,217
Tracked since 1913
Popularity
Thorval: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Thorval 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 Thorval during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1910s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Thorval
The given name Thorval has its origins in Old Norse, a North Germanic language spoken by the Scandinavian peoples during the Viking Age between the 8th and 11th centuries. The name is derived from the Old Norse words "þórr" meaning thunder and "valr" meaning slain or fallen warrior. Together, Thorval can be interpreted as "the thunder warrior" or "the warrior slain by thunder".
This name was likely used by the Norse peoples, particularly the Vikings, who were known for their seafaring and exploration across Europe, the British Isles, and parts of North America. The name's association with thunder and warriors aligns with the Viking culture's reverence for gods like Thor, the god of thunder, and their emphasis on valor and strength in battle.
While there are no definitive records of the name appearing in ancient texts or religious scriptures, it is possible that the name was used during the Viking Age, given its Old Norse roots and the cultural significance of its components.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Thorval was Thorvald Eiriksson, an Icelandic explorer and the son of Erik the Red. Born around 980 AD, Thorvald Eiriksson is believed to have been one of the first Europeans to set foot in North America, alongside his brother Leif Erikson.
Another notable Thorval in history was Thorvald Kodransson, a Norwegian chieftain and warrior who lived in the 11th century. Thorvald Kodransson was known for his involvement in the Norwegian civil wars and his role in the battles against King Olaf Haraldsson, also known as Olaf the Holy.
In the 13th century, Thorvald of Caldey was a Welsh monk and hermit who lived on the island of Caldey off the coast of Pembrokeshire, Wales. He is celebrated as a saint in the Catholic Church for his pious life and devotion to religious principles.
During the 14th century, Thorvald Folkesson was a Swedish nobleman and military leader who played a significant role in the Swedish-Norwegian wars. He served as the Marshal of the Realm and was instrumental in the Battle of Falköping in 1389, which helped secure Swedish independence from Denmark and Norway.
In more recent history, Thorvald Stoltenberg, born in 1931, was a Norwegian politician and diplomat who served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of Defense for Norway. He was also the father of former Prime Minister of Norway, Jens Stoltenberg.
People
Thorval + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Thorval as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with T
Other first names starting with T with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Thorval: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Thorval?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 0 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Thorval 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 - US residents.
Is Thorval a common name?
We classify Thorval as "Very Rare". It ranks above 2.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Thorval most popular?
The single biggest year for Thorval was 1913, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Thorval is about 0 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 Thorval in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Thorval a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Thorval in the SSA data are male. 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 Thorval still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Thorval 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 Thorval 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 many people have the name Thorval?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.