Steinunn is an Old Norse feminine given name, still in use in modern Iceland. It is a compound formed from the elements steinn ('stone') and unnr ('wave'), yielding the poetic meaning 'wave of stone' or 'stone wave'. The name reflects the Old Norse tradition of creating evocative, nature-inspired compounds. Historical Usage Steinunn is recorded in early medieval sources, particularly among skaldic poets. Steinunn Refsdóttir, active at the end of the 10th century, is one of the few named female skalds in the Norse tradition. She is known for a fragment attributed to her in Njáls saga, where she taunts the Christian missionary Þangbrandr. The name emerged from a naming tradition that drew on natural elements and the broader onomastic practice of compounding with −unnr, seen also in names such as Unnur. The name persisted in Iceland after the Christianization of the country, surviving through lineages into early modern times. Steinunn Finnsdóttir (c. 1640 – c. 1710) was an Icelandic poet whose work preserved aspects of the rímur tradition. Modernization and population expansion increased the name’s visibility in the 19th and 20th centuries Modern Period Steinunn remains a common feminine given name in 21st-century Iceland, reflecting the country's tendency to preserve traditional Norse names. Notable contemporary bearers include Steinunn Sigurðardóttir (born 1950), the novelist and poet wrote Jónsbók: A Ship of Fools (2009, trans. 2012). Steinunn Valdís Óskarsdóttir (born 1965) made history as the mayor of Reykjavík in 2006 before stepping down. In popular culture, Steinunn Ólína Þorsteinsdóttir serves as an actress, producer, and writer of series including The Minister. The naming tradition — maternal lines passing down Steinunn—reflects a broader Nordic appreciation for stark, elemental compounds linking user to landscape and heritage. Cultural Significance Steinunn was historically not used widely outside of Iceland, but its presence in diaspora communities affirms the identity-forward trends in modern Nordic naming. The name conflates the apparently static 'stone' with the movement inherent in 'wave', a coincidence captured particularly well in dramatic landscapes where lava cliffs meet Atlantic swell. Among the variant Steen-type names (Mn. Old Norse Svi-?;) Stein- precession be notable as solid weight and natural flow. Meaning: 'stone wave' (Old Norse steinn + unnr) Origin: Old Norse, via Icelandic naming tradition Type: Feminine given name Usage region: Iceland (traditional), Old Norse cultural extent