Birger
Birger is a Scandinavian name from Old Norse, bjarga, meaning "to help, to save, to protect". It is widely used in Norway as Birger but also as Børge. The Swedish variant of Birger would soon evolve into Börje, however, the prior form would remain common, and was not confused with its successor. The Icelandic form is Birgir.
Meaning & Origin of Birger
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Birger is a Scandinavian name from Old Norse, bjarga, meaning "to help, to save, to protect". It is widely used in Norway as Birger but also as Børge. The Swedish variant of Birger would soon evolve into Börje, however, the prior form would remain common, and was not confused with its successor. The Icelandic form is Birgir.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Birger
Birger first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1911, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1917, when 8 Birgers were born — ranking #2,956 that year. As of 2026, Birger ranks #3,459 for baby boys with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 34 Birgers have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1910s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Birger
Phonetically similar names — useful when Birger is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Birger
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About the name Birger
Birger is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1911 and has accumulated 34 births in the dataset. Birger's peak popularity came in 1917 when it ranked #2,956. Use the chart and map above to compare Birger's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1917 →
- Names of the 1910s →
- Names starting with "B" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.