Bynamnet Stavanger

English: The city name Stavanger

Abstract

There has been much discussion about the origin of the city name Stavanger, Old Norse Stafangr, in south-west Norway. There is consensus that the final element is from the Old Norse *angr m., meaning ‘bay’, ‘fjord’ and that the first element is from the Old Norse stafr m. ‘stick’, ‘pole’, however, there are various suggestions regarding what lies behind these words. Some previous interpretations are discussed in this article. Does the first element refer to a special boundary mark, to a steep mountainside or to a bay with a straight formation? Exploring the development of discussions around the name Stavanger is also of interest. These two words appear in several place names in Scandinavia, making studying possible parallels relevant.