The story often told about Iceland’s name goes something like this: Vikings, with a marketer’s cunning, christened the lush lands of Greenland as “Greenland” to entice settlers, while the truly desirable Iceland was deceptively labeled “Iceland” to keep its treasures secret. It’s a captivating tale, but like many good stories, the full truth is a bit more nuanced.
While the myth suggests a deliberate misdirection, historical evidence points to a different reality, especially concerning Greenland. Ice core analysis from Greenland’s ice sheet reveals that between 800 and 1300 CE, temperatures were actually warmer there than they are today. The Norse settlements, cleverly named the Eastern and Western Settlements, thrived near Greenland’s southern tip, surprisingly located at more southerly latitudes than Iceland itself. Though these settlements eventually succumbed to climate change, disease, and isolation by the 15th century, Greenland at the time of its naming might indeed have been deserving of its verdant moniker, capable of supporting limited farming and appearing much greener than its current glacial state.
Iceland, in contrast, while benefiting from the warming influence of the Gulf Stream, still experiences a decidedly chilly climate. Although the Norse settlers were drawn to Iceland’s potential for agriculture, the initial impressions of the land were far from inviting for some early explorers. According to the Landnámabók, the Icelandic Book of Settlements, the first Norseman to lay eyes on Iceland was a Norwegian sailor named Naddodd. Navigating from Norway towards the Faroe Islands, Naddodd was blown off course and encountered a substantial landmass. He landed on the eastern coast of Iceland, near present-day Reyðarfjörður, and ventured inland, even climbing a mountain in search of human habitation. Finding no signs of life, he departed for the Faroe Islands in 825. Upon his return, Naddodd recounted his discovery, not of Iceland, but of “Snowland”! This straightforward, descriptive naming convention was characteristic of the Norse; their term for North America, Vínland, stemmed from the abundance of wild berries discovered near their settlement at L’Anse aux Meadows.
Therefore, while Iceland might be relatively more fertile and habitable compared to regions at similar latitudes, it was certainly not perceived as a hidden paradise from the outset. Even today, visitors to Iceland, even in the approaching summer months, can still experience the bite of sharp, cold winds and sudden hail, a testament to the enduring accuracy of its frosty appellation. The name “Iceland” wasn’t a marketing ploy, but rather a reflection of a chilly first impression, accurately capturing a key aspect of this Nordic nation’s character.
