Man getting a haircut

26 Stylish Viking Hairstyles For Men in 2023

Inspired by the epic hairstyles Nordic warriors wore on the battlefield, Viking hairstyles are usually defined by their edgy, rugged appearance, and are surprisingly similar to many of the popular hairstyles you see today. From man buns to undercuts and messy beards, a lot of your preferred styles actually take after cool historic Viking haircuts.

Even if you’re not a fan of the History Channel’s TV series Vikings, you’ll have noticed these cuts around everywhere. If you want to unleash your inner Viking, just check out the best traditional and modern Viking hairstyles for men, below.

Half-Up Hairstyle

Viking Hairstyles: Shot of man with shoulder length ginger hair styled into a half-up, half-down bun
Viking hairstyles are very practical, which is why they are popular.

What do you do when you’re bored with your classic man bun? Try your hand at the half-up bun. It’s a favourite ‘do of character Rollo (Clive Standen) and works really well if you have lots of hair and want to show off the texture of your mane.

Ponytail and Rugged Beard

Viking hairstyles: Man with long dark blonde hair styled into half up ponytail with rugged beard, wearing white shirt
Got long hair? You can pull off Viking hairstyles naturally. Credit: Instagram.com/lasselom

If you’re looking for a long Viking hairstyle to pair with your rugged beard, this messy half-up ponytail is one of the best. It’ll keep your long hair off your face and let you get on with a day’s work, without needing any attention.

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Editor’s tip: Viking hairstyles are all about wild texture. If that’s something you don’t have naturally, you just need to invest in some of the TRESemmé Volume and Lift Mousse to give your locks a cool, messy feel.

Thor Inspired Hairstyle

Viking Hairstyles: Man with rugged beard with shoulder length light brown wavy hair, wearing white top with black tie and white suit jacket outside
What would Thor do? Credit: Instagram.com/lauraannewatson

Another popular Viking haircut we’ve been seeing everywhere is inspired by Chris Hemsworth’s character in Thor. This windswept look is good for men with medium-length hair and only requires you to sweep it back, to get the look.

Modern Viking Haircut

Ragnar Lodbrok from the Vikings tv show
One Viking haircut to rule them all. Credit: Rex by Shuttstock

You don’t always have to have long hair to look like a Viking. With a daring undercut and messy quiff hairstyle, like Ragnarfrom season 1, this short Viking haircut offers lots of stylish contrast.

This is also a great hairstyle for those with thin hair, as the texture on top gives the appearance of a fuller style.

Dutch Braid

front view of a man with dark man braids and bun
Brush up on your braiding skills to re-create this look. Credit: Instagram.com/growupleo

Take a leaf out of character Björn Ironside‘s (Alexander Ludwig) book with this braided man bun. This hairstyle is probably one of the more trickier Viking hairstyles to do because of the Dutch braid on top. But if you can manage to do it, you’ll have a strong and bold look.

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Editor’s tip: Keep flyaways at bay by spraying some TRESemmé Extra Hold Hairspray after styling. 

Man Bun

Viking Hairstyles: Man sitting on the beach with blonde hair in a man bun
You’ll go far with this dapper look. Credit: Instagram.com/itsdavisneilands.

We couldn’t possibly put together a rundown of Viking hairstyles without including the man bun. After all, nothing says ‘ready for the battlefield’ like long hair tied into a high topknot.

Braid with Undercut

Viking Hairstyles: Man with swept back hair styled into skinny braid, with rugged beard on the beach
Viking hairstyles are rugged, edgy and cool. Credit: Instagram.com/johnathan.blanc

If you’ve got medium hair, a single braid will quickly take your look from plain to warrior-approved. The best thing about this look is that it works extremely well for warmer seasons when your top priority is keeping cool — and looking it.

Braid with Fade

Viking Hairstyles: Man with dark brown thick hair with twisted braid and undercut with thick rugged beard
Most Viking hairstyles work with braids. Credit: Instagram.com/khal.zain

If you don’t fancy shaving your hair, you can still rock a Viking braid with a fade. This Viking haircut is especially useful for guys with thick hair who want a rugged, low-maintenance hairstyle.

Beard with Undercut

front view of a man with a beard and a man bun hairstyle undercut
Try out a man bun undercut and mini bun. Credit: Instagram.com/robingustavgillis

This man bun undercut is inspired by the great king Ragnar Lothbrok (ex Calvin Klein model Travis Fimmel) and a great option if you have thick hair.

Professional Viking Hair

side view of a man with longer hair and a beard
Keep your locks neat but with length for a groomed Viking look. Credit: Instagram.com/jils_barbershop

The idea here is to still convey a rugged appearance, albeit with a trimmed beard and combed hair. We recommend a moisturising shampoo like Dove Daily Moisture Shampoo to achieve this professional look – we won’t tell if you don’t.

Dove Daily Moisture Shampoo

Brushed Back Hair

Viking hairstyles: Still of Vikings character with dark brown brushed back quiff with undercut on set
You can’t go wrong with this brush back hairstyle. Credit: Instagram.com/vikings._

Looking for more Viking hairstyles that’ll work for the office? Consider this modern pompadour, which we saw Ivar from Vikings sporting on the battlefield.

If you’ve been looking for a Viking haircut to suit your round face shape, this one will elongate your face and make it appear longer than it is.

Braids with Long Hair

Brock O'Hurn with long hair and braids
Make like one of the original Vikings with long tresses and braids. Credit: Instagram.com/brockohurn

If you’ve got long hair, you can get Viking-worthy hair simply by rocking the bed head look and throwing in a few mini braids for good measure.

This is one is good for those who really don’t have time to spend ages on their hair. And the good news is, that once you’ve completed your braid, you’re done – no touch-ups required here. 

Super Long Viking Hair

front view image of a man on a motorbike with long hair and a full beard
Go for long flowing locks teamed with a full beard. Credit: Instagram.com/von_dutch_france

If you’re thinking about growing out your hair to lengthy proportions, then this could be the style for you. Once you’ve got the length, it really requires very little maintenance at all. Even teamed with a beard, you’re actively encouraged to look a little dishevelled when rocking a Viking inspired ‘do.

Long Braided Mohawk Pony

Viking hairstyles: Shot of Ragnar with long braided mohawk ponytail on set
Go bold with this Viking style. Credit: Rex by Shutterstock

We can’t help but mention young Ragnar‘s Viking hairstyles as he always shows how masculine and cool braids are.

We’re not going to lie, this look requires a fair amount of skill and upkeep, but we think you’ll agree, the braids, shaved head and long mohawk ponytail are a bold look.

Shaved Side Viking Haircut

Viking Hairstyles: Man with rugged light brown hair with undercut and messy beard, wearing necklace
This Viking haircut will work for summer. Credit: Instagram.com/Instagram.com/johnathan.blanc

Shaving one side of your hair is another way you can unleash your inner warrior. This edgy, rugged look is a stylish way to liven up long or medium hair.

Modern Viking Top Knot and Full Beard

front view of a man with red hair in a top knot with a full beard holding a puppy
Team a top know with a full beard for true Viking worthy status. Credit: Instagram.com/tiborpusch.official

It’s pretty hard to look tough when holding what could be the worlds most adorable puppy! Still, we’re loving this modern Vikings look and are swooning over the fact that his hair matches the hues of the pup’s fur.

Go for long tresses swept up high on top of your head and trim your beard into an angular shape.

Polished Viking Haircut

Viking hairstyles: Shot of man with full beard with long top hairstyle with low fade
You can make any Viking haircut look sharp with the right product. Credit: Instagram.com/spizoiky

Viking hairstyles can look a little polished, too. With the right product, you can keep your style in place and not worry about it falling out of place.

Cornrows with Undercut

Viking Hairstyles: Vikings character with twisted back cornrows with undercut, wearing costume on set of Vikings
Some days, you need your hair off your face. Credit: Rex by Shutterstock

When Ivar ditched the undercut and choppy top, he made his look a little more battle-ready with this twisted, cornrow-inspired hairstyle. You can still rock a shaved undercut, but you’ll need length on top to recreate this look.

Bald Viking Hair

Viking hairstyles: Shot of man with bald head with Viking messy beard posing against tree
No hair? A full beard can give you a tough, manly Viking look. Credit: Instagram.com/baldcafe

If you haven’t got any hair but a cool, full beard, from seeing these looks you’ll know that beards are essential to Viking hairstyles. So, the best thing you can do is keep it looking on-point.

Braided Designs

Brown haired man with a braided hair design
Credit: Instagram.com/midnightsociety570

Why have just one braid when you could have multiple? Try combining different sizes and thicknesses of braids and twists for warrior-worthy results.

Braided Curly Ponytail Updo

Brown haired man with a braided curly ponytail updo
Credit: Instagram.com/volrsalon

If you’re looking for a more formal-worthy way to channel the Viking look, look no further than this braided pony. With neat braids and curly lengths, it’s all you need to take your long hair to the next level.

French Braid

Brown haired man with a long French braid
Credit: Instagram.com/draco_flame

For times when you’re in need of a hairstyle that will stay put and won’t budge, this easy French braided hairstyle is a great choice.

Hipster Man Bun

Ginger man with a braided man bun with shaved sides and a beard
Credit: Instagram.com/sirbastflow

Yes, hipster Vikings are a thing – just look at this Instagrammer’s cool top knot and full beard style.

Low Man Bun

Man with brown curly hair in a low man bun
Credit: Instagram.com/jakerohrs

Give your man bun a more casual, off-duty vibe with this low bun variation. We love how this guy’s naturally curly hair adds texture to the otherwise simple style.

Silver Nordic Blonde

Man with silvery blonde hair with shaved sides
Credit: Instagram.com/doppelgangerhair

Thinking of trying out a new hair colour? This platinum silver hue is giving us all the Scandi vibes and it’s sure to make any Viking hairstyle look even more icy-cool.

Dreadlock Braids

Man with blonde mohawk dreadlocks with shaved sides
Credit: Instagram.com/atelierdefrigg

Give Ragnar a run for his money with these impressive multicoloured dreadlocks.

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