Gender Male Meaning Protected Related names | Word/name Old Norse Region of origin Scandinavia | |
The name Ingvar is an Old Norse first name for men common in Scandinavia meaning "protected by Yngvi".
Many notable Scandinavians have had this name, for example, Ingvar Kamprad , the former Swedish Prime Minister Ingvar Carlsson , and the legendary Swedish king Ingvar. The feminine version of the name is Inga.
The first element of the name is derived from Proto-Norse *Ing(w)ia (Ingi-), Norse Yngvi, who is better known by the title Freyr "Lord". The second element is probably either *harjaz (warrior) or *warjaz (defender). The name consequently either meant Freyr's warrior or Freyr's defender.
Igor (Russian Igor', Ukrainian Ihor, Belarusian Ihar) is a given name probably derived from the Scandinavian name Ingvar that was brought to ancient Kievan Rus' by the Vikings. Igor, son of Rurik, conquered Kiev.
Old English sources suggest that the birth-name of Ivar the Boneless might have been Ingvar, he is referred to as Hyngvar, Hingvar and Inguar in the English annals.