Helge is a Scandinavian, German, and Dutch masculine name derived from the Old Norse name Helgi, which in turn comes from Proto-Norse Hailaga, meaning "holy" or "blessed." The root Helgi is also used in Icelandic and Faroese. This name has deep roots in Germanic heroic legend, being borne by a legendary Danish king, one of the sons of Halfdan, and appearing briefly in the Old English epic Beowulf under the spelling Halga. Historical and Legendary Bearers Several figures in Norse mythology and legend bear the name Helgi. Among them are Helgi Hjörvarðsson, a hero from Helgakviða Hjörvarðssonar in the Poetic Edda; Helgi Hundingsbane, a hero appearing in the Völsunga saga and celebrated in two Eddic poems; and Helgi Haddingjaskati, a Swedish hero from Hrómundar saga Gripssonar. A historical 9th-century Danish king also bore the name Helge. Distribution and Variants Helge is common throughout Scandinavia, especially in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Finland. Its feminine equivalent is Olga, borrow into Slavic languages, and the Finnish feminine forms include Helga and Helka. The Slavic adaptation of Helge is Oleg (Russian) and its variants Oleh (Ukrainian) and Aleh (Belarusian), derived through Old East Slavic from an earlier Scandinavian source. Notable Persons Modern notable bearers include Helge Jung (1886–1978), a Swedish general; Helge von Koch (1870–1924), a Swedish mathematician famous for the Koch snowflake; Helge Akre (1903–1986), a Norwegian diplomat; Helge Bostrom (1894–1977), a Canadian ice hockey player of Swedish descent; and Helge Dohrmann (1939–1989), a Danish politician. Meaning: "holy, blessed" Origin: Old Norse (Helgi) Type: Given name, masculine Usage: Danish, Finnish, German, Norwegian, Swedish