Old Norse origin
Source-reportedMeaning: “peace” + “thief”
From Old Norse friðr (“peace”) + þjófr (“thief”). Maybe a kenning (a metaphorical phrase used in Old Norse poetry) for a fighter. Revived through Esaias Tegnérs Frithjofs saga.
Sources for this account (2)
- Wiktionary: FriðþjófrCC-BY-SA-4.0 · retrieved 2026-10-15
- Polish Wiktionary: FriðþjófrCC-BY-SA-4.0 · retrieved 2026-10-14

