List of Icelandic-language poets

Summary

List of Icelandic language poets is a list of poets that write or have written in the Icelandic language, either in Old Norse or a more modern form of Icelandic. Hence the list includes a few Norwegians and an earl of the Orkney Islands. The names given are usually each poet's first name and patronym, unless he or she is better known by a nickname or a chosen pen name. All names are given in their Modern Icelandic form.

Name Dates Alternative Name(s) Nationality (if not Icelandic)
Bragi Boddason fl. 9th century Bragi inn gamli Boddason Norwegian
Þjóðólfur úr Hvini fl. 9th century Norwegian
Þorbjörn hornklofi fl. 9th century Norwegian
Egill Skalla-Grímsson c. 910 – c. 990
Eyvindur skáldaspillir fl. 10th century Eyvindur Finnsson Norwegian
Kormákur Ögmundarson fl. 10th century
Einar skálaglamm fl. 10th century Einar Helgason
Gunnlaugur ormstunga c. 983 – c. 1008 Gunnlaugur Illugason
Hallfreður vandræðaskáld fl. 10th – 11th centuries Hallfreður Óttarsson
Sighvatur Þórðarson fl. 11th century
Þórarinn loftunga fl. 11th century
Arnór jarlaskáld fl. 11th century Arnór Þórðarson
Rögnvaldur Kolsson died 1158 Rögnvaldur jarl kali from Orkney
Einar Skúlason fl. 12th century
Kolbeinn Tumason died 1208
Snorri Sturluson 1179 – 1241
Þórir Steinfinnsson died 1238 Þórir jökull
Ólafur hvítaskáld died 1259 Ólafur Þórðarson
Sturla Þórðarson 1214 – 1284
Eysteinn Ásgrímsson died 1360
Jón Arason 1484 – 1550
Magnús Jónsson died 1595 Magnús prúði
Jón Bjarnason c. 1560 – after 1630
Ólafur Jónsson c. 1560 – 1627
Hallgrímur Pétursson 1614 – 1674
Steinunn Finnsdóttir c. 1640 – c. 1710
Eggert Ólafsson 1726 – 1768
Bjarni Thorarensen 1786 – 1841
Sveinbjörn Egilsson 1791 – 1852
Bólu-Hjálmar 1796 – 1875 Hjálmar Jónsson
Sigurður Breiðfjörð 1798 – 1846
Jónas Hallgrímsson 1807 – 1845
Jón Thoroddsen 1818 – 1868
Grímur Thomsen 1820 – 1896
Páll Ólafsson 1827 – 1905
Steingrímur Thorsteinsson 1831 – 1913
Matthías Jochumsson 1835 – 1920
Stephan G. Stephansson 1853 – 1927 Stefán Guðmundur Guðmundsson
Þorsteinn Erlingsson 1858 – 1914
Kristjan Niels Julius 1860 – 1936 Káinn (usually)
K. N. (sometimes)
K. N. Julius (seldom)
Hannes Hafstein 1861 – 1922
Einar Benediktsson 1864 – 1940
Jóhann Sigurjónsson 1880 – 1919
Hulda 1881 – 1947 Unnur Benediktsdóttir Bjarklind
Davíð Stefánsson 1895 – 1964
Jóhannes úr Kötlum 1899 – 1972 Jóhannes Jónasson
Jón Helgason 1899 – 1986
Tómas Guðmundsson 1901 – 1983
Þórbergur Þórðarson 1889 – 1974
Halldór Laxness 1902 – 1998 Halldór Kiljan Laxness
Halldór Guðjónsson
Steinn Steinarr 1908 – 1958 Aðalsteinn Kristmundsson
Kristján Eldjárn 1916 – 1982
Sveinbjörn Beinteinsson 1924 – 1993 Sveinbjörn allsherjargoði
Sigfús Daðason 1928 – 1996
Ari Jósefsson 1939 – 1964
Þórarinn Eldjárn born 1949
Þórdís Gísladóttir born 1965
Valdimar Tómasson born 1971