What does Bjorn mean?
Bjorn means “bear” in Old Norse, a symbol of strength.
What does Thor mean?
Thor is the Norse god of thunder, his name meaning “thunder” itself.
Bjorn vs Thor
Which is more popular?
Bjorn is more popular than Thor today: about 298 US babies were given the name Bjorn in 2025, compared with 44 named Thor.
| Bjorn | Thor | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Bear | Thunder |
| Origin | Norse | Norse |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | BYORN | THOR |
| Syllables | 1 | 1 |
| First appeared | 1925 | 1904 |
| Peak year | 2024 (331) | 2015 (118) |
| In 2025 | 298 | 44 |
| Trend | Near its peak | Steady |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Bjorn
Thor
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Bjorn | Thor |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 1,895 | 415 |
| 2010s | 1,229 | 1,026 |
| 2000s | 550 | 699 |
| 1990s | 403 | 498 |
| 1980s | 598 | 469 |
| 1970s | 397 | 538 |
| 1960s | 145 | 568 |
| 1950s | 28 | 208 |
| 1940s | 5 | 137 |
| 1930s | 0 | 91 |
| 1920s | 5 | 117 |
| 1910s | 0 | 86 |
| 1900s | 0 | 5 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Bjorn or Thor more popular?
Bjorn is more popular than Thor today: about 298 US babies were given the name Bjorn in 2025, compared with 44 named Thor.
What is the difference between Bjorn and Thor?
Bjorn means Bear (Norse origin), while Thor means Thunder (Norse origin).
Which name is older, Bjorn or Thor?
In US records, Bjorn first appears in 1925 and Thor in 1904, so Thor has the longer recorded history.