Girl name · Danish
Bodil
“battle remedy”
Vibes
Common nicknames
Short-forms and diminutives parents often use for Bodil.
Explore Bodil further
Similar-feel alternatives, or middle-name candidates that pair well with Bodil — both ranked by the same scoring system (vibe overlap, syllable rhythm, origin compatibility).
About the name
Bodil is Old Norse Bóthildr — bót, remedy or compensation, and hildr, battle. Compensation-for-battle is a legal idea before it is a poetic one: Norse law ran on payment for injury, and the name sits squarely inside that world.
It is deeply Danish and almost untranslated elsewhere. The Bodil Awards, Denmark's oldest film prize, keep the name in circulation even as it ages out of use for babies.
Two syllables, said BO-deel. On our vibe map it is Heirloom, and unapologetically an old woman's name in the way that Hazel and Mabel were twenty years ago.
More Danish names
Bodil sits in our Danish set — these share its roots.
All Danish names →Bodil — common questions
Is Bodil a boy or girl name?
Bodil is traditionally a girl name of Danish origin.
What does the name Bodil mean?
Bodil means “battle remedy” of Danish origin. Bodil is Old Norse Bóthildr — bót, remedy or compensation, and hildr, battle. Compensation-for-battle is a legal idea before it is a poetic one: Norse law ran on payment for injury, and the name sits squarely inside that world.
Where does the name Bodil come from?
Bodil is Danish in origin. It is deeply Danish and almost untranslated elsewhere. The Bodil Awards, Denmark's oldest film prize, keep the name in circulation even as it ages out of use for babies.
What are common nicknames for Bodil?
Bo and Dilly — the short-forms parents most often use for Bodil.
How popular is Bodil?
Bodil did not make the top 1,000 girls' names in US Social Security Administration data for 2025, which makes it genuinely rare in the US.
Bring the name into the room
A couple of nice things named Bodil you might want for the nursery.