What does Ragnar mean?
Ragnar joins the Old Norse for “counsel/judgment” and “army, warrior.”
What does Thor mean?
Thor is the Norse god of thunder, his name meaning “thunder” itself.
Ragnar vs Thor
Which is more popular?
Ragnar is more popular than Thor today: about 52 US babies were given the name Ragnar in 2025, compared with 44 named Thor.
| Ragnar | Thor | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Warrior of judgment | Thunder |
| Origin | Norse | Norse |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | RAG-nar | THOR |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| First appeared | 1915 | 1904 |
| Peak year | 2023 (97) | 2015 (118) |
| In 2025 | 52 | 44 |
| Trend | Rising | Steady |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Ragnar
Thor
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Ragnar | Thor |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 456 | 415 |
| 2010s | 292 | 1,026 |
| 2000s | 0 | 699 |
| 1990s | 0 | 498 |
| 1980s | 0 | 469 |
| 1970s | 5 | 538 |
| 1960s | 5 | 568 |
| 1950s | 0 | 208 |
| 1940s | 0 | 137 |
| 1930s | 0 | 91 |
| 1920s | 0 | 117 |
| 1910s | 29 | 86 |
| 1900s | 0 | 5 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Ragnar or Thor more popular?
Ragnar is more popular than Thor today: about 52 US babies were given the name Ragnar in 2025, compared with 44 named Thor.
What is the difference between Ragnar and Thor?
Ragnar means Warrior of judgment (Norse origin), while Thor means Thunder (Norse origin).
Which name is older, Ragnar or Thor?
In US records, Ragnar first appears in 1915 and Thor in 1904, so Thor has the longer recorded history.