Joar is a modern Scandinavian given name, predominantly used in Norwegian and Swedish contexts. It is a short form of the Old Norse name Jóarr, which itself is derived from the elements jór meaning "horse" and herr meaning "army, warrior". As such, the name Joar carries the symbolic meaning of "horse warrior" or "army of horses," evoking strength and nobility. Etymology The Old Norse Jóarr appears on runestones in forms such as ioar and iuar, though the latter may also represent Ívarr. The etymological root ultimately traces back to the name Ivor, which likely stems from ýr meaning "yew tree" or "bow" and herr meaning "army". The name Joar also shows variation with Jógeirr, combining geirr ("spear") instead of jór, as noted in Wiktionary. During the Middle Ages, Scandinavian settlers and invaders brought the related Ívarr to Britain, where it was adopted in Ireland as Íomhar, Scotland as Iomhar, and Wales as Ifor. The modern form Joar, however, remained more localized to Scandinavia. Pronunciation and Usage In Norwegian Nynorsk, Joar is pronounced /²juːar/ and is a masculine given name that appeared as far back as the Old Norse period. It has seen some usage in modern times, albeit not as widely as some other Scandinavian names. Related Names Joar is related to the chain Jóarr → Ívarr → Ivor, and shares the element herr with many other Old Norse names. Its cognates include the Old Swedish Iōar. Meaning: "Horse army" or "Horse warrior" Origin: Old Norse Type: First name (masculine) Usage regions: Norway, Sweden