Gunnar is a masculine given name of Old Norse origin. It is composed of the elements "gund" meaning "battle" and "arr" meaning "warrior". Therefore, Gunnar translates to "warfaring warrior".
The name Gunnar has a long history in Scandinavian culture and literature. In Norse mythology, Gunnar was one of the heroes who fought against the forces of chaos at Ragnarök, the end of the world. He is also featured prominently in the Volsunga saga, an ancient Icelandic poem about the legendary hero Sigurd Fafneson.
In medieval Scandinavia, Gunnar was a popular name among kings and warriors. For instance, Gunnar Haraldsson, also known as Gunnar of Hålogaland, was a 10th-century Norwegian chieftain who ruled over the region of Hålogaland in Northern Norway. He is remembered for his resistance against King Olaf Tryggvason's attempt to convert the Norwegians to Christianity.
Today, Gunnar remains popular as a given name in Scandinavian countries and beyond. It has been used consistently throughout history, with notable bearers including Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen, who named one of his characters Gunnar in his 1867 play "Peer Gynt".
"Gunnar had a notable resurgence in popularity between 2004 and 2016 with 6 births each year, but has since seen a slight dip to 5 births per year as of 2019."