In France, some parents rely on a male first name that is almost impossible to find in schoolyards, straight from the Nordic pantheon. According to the INSEE First Name File, fewer than 1,000 boys born between 1981 and 2025 have this first name. Behind these discreet numbers, however, lies the name of the main god of Norse mythology.
This first name is Odin. Of Scandinavian origin, Odin directly takes the name “Óðinn”, chief of the gods in Nordic mythology. The contrast is intriguing: this character associated with war, wisdom and death remains in the minority in the French civil registry. Understand what the
first name Odinand how it is used in France, helps to measure the symbolic weight of this choice.
Odin, a rare first name measured by Insee data
Statistics from the INSEE First Name File show that Odin only appears from 1981 in registered births. Between 1981 and 2025, an extraction based on these data identifies 885 little boys named Odinor well less than 1,000 babies in more than forty years. The year 2025 only has 20 births, after peaks of around 45 attributions around 2015, 2016 or 2020.
The tables in the INSEE First Name File highlight a few very common star first names each year, while Odin remains confined to a few dozen births at most. This contrast shows that the first name Odin does not follow a mass fashion: it rather refers to an assumed Viking universe and a precise mythological reference.
Nordic origin of the first name Odin and meaning of “óðr”
The name Odin comes from the Old Norse “Óðinn”, formed from the root “óðr”. This term refers to inspiration and poetry, but also to fury and anger. This ambivalence makes Odin both a patron of poets and a warrior figure.
In Norse mythology, Odin rules Asgard as leader of the Æsir, gods linked to war and nobility. Tales say he sacrificed an eye to Mímir to gain wisdom, and welcomes fallen warriors into Valhalla. This symbolic baggage follows the first name Odin today, beyond the simple Viking reference.
Odin, Viking first name and choice of parents in France
For French parents, choosing the first name Odin means assuming a strong imaginary responsibility: that of a god of wisdom, war and death, but also of a protector of heroes. Usage remains rare, which may appeal to those who want an original, short and easy to remember first name. Odin’s presence in pop culture, for example in films Thoralso makes the reference more familiar.
On a practical level, INSEE points out that the civil status officer can notify the Public Prosecutor if a first name seems to harm the interests of the child. The first name Odin has appeared in the INSEE databases since 1981, which indicates that it is accepted in the civil registry. It’s up to future parents to see how this powerful first name fits with their last name and the story they want to pass on.