Names and Patronymics

Level 1

Father's (or mother's) name in the genitive + -son, -dóttir or -bur: Einar → Einars + son = Einarsson, Einars + dóttir = Einarsdóttir.

How It Works

How the name is built
Take the parent's first name in the genitive and add the ending:

  • Most men's names add -s: Jón → Jónsson, Ólafur → Ólafsson, Einar → Einarsdóttir.
  • Men's names in -i change to -a: Helgi → Helgason.
  • Women's names give matronymics, often with -ar or -u: Guðrún → Guðrúnardóttir, Helga → Helguson.

Since 2019 people registered as non-binary may use -bur (child): Einarsbur. A small number of families also have an inherited family name.

One family, many last names

  • Father: Einar Jónsson (son of Jón)
  • Son: Ólafur Einarsson
  • Daughter: Guðrún Einarsdóttir

A woman keeps her own name when she marries.

First names for everyone
People are addressed by their first name, whether you know them or not: Sæl, Guðrún! Phone directories are sorted by first name. This goes with Þú for Everyone. The greeting itself agrees with the person: see Greetings That Agree.

Names have cases
First names and patronymics change with case like other nouns: Ég hitti Jón, Ég fer til Jóns. See Names Change Form.

Examples (5)

  1. Ég heiti Guðrún Einarsdóttir.

    My name is Guðrún Einarsdóttir.

    Word by Word: I am-called Guðrún Einar's-daughter.

    Her father's first name is Einar.

  2. Pabbi minn heitir Einar Jónsson.

    My dad's name is Einar Jónsson.

    Word by Word: Dad my is-called Einar Jón's-son.

    Einar's own father was called Jón.

  3. Bróðir minn heitir Ólafur Einarsson.

    My brother's name is Ólafur Einarsson.

    Word by Word: Brother my is-called Ólafur Einar's-son.

    Guðrún and her brother share a father but not a last name.

  4. Hún heitir Anna Guðrúnardóttir.

    Her name is Anna Guðrúnardóttir.

    Word by Word: She is-called Anna Guðrún's-daughter.

    This is a matronymic: Anna is named after her mother, Guðrún.

  5. Sæl, Guðrún! Hvað segirðu?

    Hi, Guðrún! How are you?

    Word by Word: Happy, Guðrún! What say-you?

    You greet people by their first name, even at work or in a shop.

Common Mistakes

  • Adding -son or -dóttir to the basic form of the name.

    Guðrún Einardóttir
    Guðrún Einarsdóttir

    The father's name must be in the genitive: Einar becomes Einars, so the name is Einarsdóttir.

  • Giving a daughter her brother's or father's last name.

    Ólafur Einarsson og systir hans, Guðrún Einarsson.
    Ólafur Einarsson og systir hans, Guðrún Einarsdóttir.

    A daughter's name ends in -dóttir. Einarsson means Einar's son.

  • Leaving -dóttir in its basic form after a preposition or verb that changes the case.

    Ég talaði við Guðrúnu Einarsdóttir.
    Ég talaði við Guðrúnu Einarsdóttur.

    við takes the accusative here, so both parts of the name change: Guðrún becomes Guðrúnu, and -dóttir becomes -dóttur. -son changes too, in the dative and genitive: frá Jóni Einarssyni, til Jóns Einarssonar.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

Names and PatronymicsLevel 1

Learn This First

Names are introduced with heita.

Words in This Pattern

-son-dóttir-bur