Inge is a given name in various Germanic language-speaking cultures. In Swedish and Norwegian, it is mostly used as a masculine, but less often also as a feminine name, sometimes as a short form of Ingeborg, while in Danish, Estonian, Frisian, German and Dutch it is exclusively feminine. The feminine name has the variant ''

Inga ''Inga'' is a genus of small tropical, tough-leaved, nitrogen-fixing treesElkan, Daniel. "Slash-and-burn farming has become a major threat to the world's rainforest" ''The Guardian'' 21 April 2004 and shrubs, subfamily Mimosoideae. ''Inga''s ...

''. The name is in origin a

hypocorism A hypocorism ( or ; from Ancient Greek: (), from (), 'to call by pet names', sometimes also ''hypocoristic'') or pet name is a name used to show affection for a person. It may be a diminutive form of a person's name, such as ''Izzy'' for I ...

of names beginning in the element ''Ing-'' (such as Ingar, Inger,

Ingrid Ingrid may refer to: * Ingrid (given name) * Ingrid (record label), and artist collective * Ingrid Burley, rapper known mononymously as Ingrid * Tropical Storm Ingrid, various cyclones * 1026 Ingrid, an asteroid * InGrid, the grid computing project ...

, Ingeborg, Ingram,

Ingvild Ingvild is a given name. Notable people with the name include: * Ingvild Bryn (born 1961), Norwegian journalist * Ingvild Ryggen Carstens (born 1980), Norwegian ski mountaineer and former heptathlete * Ingvild Isaksen (born 1989), Norwegian footba ...

, Ingunn etc.). These

Germanic name Germanic languages, Germanic given names are traditionally wikt:dithematic, dithematic; that is, they are formed from two elements, by joining a prefix and a suffix. For example, Ethelred II of England, King Æþelred's name was derived from ', f ...

s made reference to either the god

Ing Ing, ING or ing may refer to: Art and media * '' ...ing'', a 2003 Korean film * i.n.g, a Taiwanese girl group * The Ing, a race of dark creatures in the 2004 video game '' Metroid Prime 2: Echoes'' * "Ing", the first song on The Roches' 1992 ...

or to the tribe of the

Ingvaeones The Ingaevones were a West Germanic cultural group living in the Northern Germania along the North Sea coast in the areas of Jutland, Holstein, and Frisia in classical antiquity. Tribes in this area included the Angles, Frisii, Chauci, Saxons, ...

(who were presumably in turn named for the god). Inge is also encountered as a surname in the

English-speaking world Speakers of English are also known as Anglophones, and the countries where English is natively spoken by the majority of the population are termed the '' Anglosphere''. Over two billion people speak English , making English the largest langua ...

; the surname is usually pronounced in England to rhyme with "ring"; alternatively (especially in the United States) some families pronounce it to rhyme with "hinge."

People called Inge

Masculine given name

Scandinavian royalty

Inge the Elder Inge the Elder ( Swedish: ''Inge Stenkilsson''; Old Norse: ''Ingi Steinkelsson''; died c. 1105–1110) was a king of Sweden. In English literature he has also been called ''Ingold''. While scant sources do not allow us to paint a full picture of h ...

(died c. 1110) *

Inge the Younger Inge the Younger was King of Sweden in c. 1110–c. 1125 and probably the youngest son of king Halsten.The article ''Inge d.y.'' in ''Nationalencyklopedin'' (1992).The article Inge, section 2. I. den yngre' in '' Nordisk familjebok'' (1910). Accord ...

, king of Sweden c. 1110–1125 *

Inge I of Norway Inge Haraldsson (Old Norse: ''Ingi Haraldsson''; 1135 – 3 February 1161) was king of Norway (being Inge I) from 1136 to 1161. Inge’s reign fell within the start of the period known in Norwegian history as the civil war era. He was never the s ...

(died 1161) *

Inge Magnusson Inge Magnusson or Inge Baglar-king was from 1196 to 1202 the Bagler candidate for pretender to the Norwegian throne during the Civil war era in Norway. In 1197, a serious challenge to the reign of King Sverre of Norway arose. Several prominent op ...

(died 1202), pretender to the Norwegian throne *

Inge II of Norway Inge II (Norwegian: ''Inge Bårdsson'', Old Norse: ''Ingi Bárðarson''; 1185 – 23 April 1217) was King of Norway from 1204 to 1217. His reign was within the later stages of the period known in Norwegian history as the age of civil wars. Inge w ...

(died 1217)

Modern

Inge Danielsson Karl Gustaf Inge Danielsson (14 June 1941 – 30 June 2021) was a Swedish footballer who played as a forward. He played for Ifö/Bromölla IF, Helsingborgs IF, AFC Ajax and IFK Norrköping.Inge Edler Inge Gudmar Edler (17 March 1911 – 6 March 2001) was a Swedish cardiologist, who in collaboration with Carl Hellmuth Hertz developed medical ultrasonography and echocardiography An echocardiography, echocardiogram, cardiac echo or simply a ...

(1911–2001), Swedish cardiologist *

Inge Ejderstedt Inge Ejderstedt (born 24 December 1946) is a former Swedish footballer who played as a midfielder. Ejderstedt began his career in Östers IF and became Swedish champion in 1968. 1970-1974 he played for RSC Anderlecht in Belgium he won the Belg ...

(born 1946), Swedish footballer *

Inge Hammarström Hans Inge Hammarström (born 20 January 1948) is a Swedish former professional ice hockey left winger who played six seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Toronto Maple Leafs and St. Louis Blues. He is currently a European scout wit ...

(born 1948), Swedish ice hockey player *

Inge Hansen Inge Ketil Hansen (born 21 April 1946) is a retired Norwegian handball player who competed in the 1972 Summer Olympics. He was born in Asker and represented the club Fredensborg/Ski HK. In 1972 he was part of the Norwegian team which finished ni ...

(born 1946), Norwegian handball player *

Inge Krokann Inge Krokann (19 August 1893 – 27 September 1962) was a Norwegian writer. His most famous work is '' I Dovre Sno '' (1929), an epic story of the Loe family during the Middle Ages. Because his writing was full of local expressions and is s ...

(1893–1962), Norwegian writer *

Inge Lønning Inge Johan Lønning (20 February 1938 – 24 March 2013) was a Norwegian Lutheran theologian and politician for the Conservative Party of Norway. As an academic, he was Professor of Theology and Rector of the University of Oslo during the te ...

(1938–2013), Norwegian theologian and politician *

Inge Steensland Inge Steensland (26 November 1923 – 18 September 2010) was a Norwegian resistance leader and shipping magnate. As a member of Kompani Linge, he participated in several commando raids during the German occupation of Norway, and was also part of th ...

(1923–2010), Norwegian resistance member *

Inge Thulin Inge Thulin, (born November 9, 1953) is the executive chairman of the board at 3M. He has been an executive with the company since 1979 and served as its chairman, president and CEO between 2012 and 2018. He serves as a director for Chevron Corp ...

(born 1953), Swedish chief executive *

Inge Thun Inge Thun (17 June 1945 − 15 February 2008) was a Norwegian football goalkeeper and bandy winger who played for Strømsgodset IF in both sports. He finished his football career with a few seasons across the river at Drammens Ballklubb. He wo ...

(1945–2008), Norwegian football goalkeeper * Kjell Inge Røkke (born 1958), Norwegian businessman * Stig Inge Bjørnebye (born 1969), Norwegian footballer

Feminine given name

* Inge Bauer (born 1940), East German pentathlete * Inge Bödding (born 1947), West German middle distance runner * Inge Borkh (1921–2018), German soprano * Inge Brück (born 1936), German singer and actress *

Inge de Bruijn Inge de Bruijn (; born 24 August 1973) is a Dutch former competitive swimmer. She is a four-time Olympic champion and a former world record-holder. Personal De Bruijn was born in Barendrecht, Netherlands. Inge is the sister of Olympic water ...

(born 1973), Dutch swimmer *

Inge Dekker Inge Dekker (born 18 August 1985) is a Dutch former competitive swimmer who specialised in butterfly and freestyle events. She won the bronze medal with the Dutch women's 4×100-metre freestyle relay team at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens ...

(born 1985), Dutch swimmer *

Inge Deutschkron Inge Deutschkron (23 August 1922 – 9 March 2022) was a German and Israeli journalist and author. She experienced the Nazi regime as a girl and young woman, living in Berlin first working in a factory, then hiding with her mother. After World ...

(1922–2022), German-Israeli journalist and author * Inge Eriksen (1935–2015), Danish writer and political activist *

Inge Faes Inge Faes (born 29 May 1973 in Hamme) is a Belgian politician and is affiliated to the N-VA. She was elected as a member of the Belgian Senate The Senate ( nl, Senaat, ; french: Sénat, ; german: Senat) is one of the two chambers of the bicame ...

(born 1973), Belgian politician * Inge Feltrinelli (1930–2018), German-born Italian photographer and director * Inge Garstedt (born 1947), Swedish politician * Inge Genefke (born 1938), Danish torture victim activist * Inge Görmer (born 1934), East German speed skater * Inge Gräßle (born 1961), German politician and MEP * Inge Helten (born 1950), West German sprinter *

Inge Heybroek Carl Erik "Inge" Heijbroek (12 October 1915 – 9 February 1956) was a Dutch field hockey player who competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics. He was born in Hilversum and died in Dublin, Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster-Scot ...

(1915–1956), Dutch field hockey player * Inge Hornstra (born 1974), Dutch-born Australian television and stage actress * Inge Höger (born 1950), German politician *

Inge Janssen Inge Janssen (born 20 April 1989) is a Dutch rower. A world champion in the women's four, she was part of the Dutch quadruple sculls that won silver at the 2016 Olympics and competed in the double sculls at the 2012 Summer Olympics. She is a 20 ...

(born 1989). Dutch rower *

Inge Keller Inge Keller (15 December 1923 – 6 February 2017) was a German stage and film actress whose career on stage and screen spanned seventy years. She was one of the most prominent performers in the former German Democratic Republic. Thomas Langhoff ...

(1923–2017), German actress * Inge Kilian (born 1935), German high jumper *

Inge King Ingeborg Viktoria "Inge" King (; 26 November 1915 – 23 April 2016) was a German-born Australian sculptor. She received many significant public commissions. Her work is held in public and private collections. Her best known work is ''Forward S ...

(1915–2016), German-born Australian sculptor * Inge Koch (figure skater) (born 1910s), German figure skater * Inge Lange (1927–2013), East German politician *

Inge Lehmann Inge Lehmann (13 May 1888 – 21 February 1993) was a Danish seismologist and geophysicist. In 1936, she discovered that the Earth has a solid inner core inside a molten outer core. Before that, seismologists believed Earth's core to be a sin ...

(1888–1993), Danish seismologist *

Inge Meysel Inge Meysel (; 30 May 1910 – 10 July 2004) was a German actress. From the early 1960s until her death, Meysel was one of Germany's most popular actresses. She had a successful stage career and played more than 100 roles in film and on televisio ...

(1910–2004), German actress *

Inge Morath Ingeborg Hermine Morath (; 27 May 1923 – 30 January 2002) was an Austrian photographer. In 1953, she joined the Magnum Photos Agency, founded by top photographers in Paris, and became a full photographer with the agency in 1955. Morath was the ...

(1923–2002), Austrian-born American photographer * Inge Müller (1925–1966), East German author *

Inge Scholl Inge Aicher-Scholl (11 August 1917 – 4 September 1998), born in present-day Crailsheim, Germany, was the daughter of Robert Scholl, mayor of Forchtenberg, and elder sister of Hans and Sophie Scholl, who studied at the University of Munich ...

(1917–1998), German resistance member * Inge Sørensen (1924–2011), Danish swimmer *

Inge Stoll Ingeborg Stoll-Laforge (11 February 1930, Breinig - Stolberg (Rhineland), Germany – 24 August 1958) was a female German motorcycle racer. Early life Ingeborg Stoll-Laforge was born on 11 February 1930, in Breinig Stolberg (Rhineland), n ...

(1930–1958), German motorcycle racer * Inge Vermeulen (1985–2015), Brazilian-born Dutch field hockey player *

Inge Vervotte Inge Vervotte (born 27 December 1977) is a Belgian politician for the Christian Democratic and Flemish party (CD&V). She was Belgian federal minister for Civil Service and Public Enterprises in the Leterme I Government, which was in office in 2 ...

(born 1977), Belgian government minister * Inge Viermetz (1908–1997), German Nazi official * Inge von Wangenheim (1912–1993), German actress, writer and communist *

Inge Wersin-Lantschner Inge Wersin-Lantschner, née ''Inge Lantschner'' (26 January 1905 in Innsbruck – 16 June 1997 in Innsbruck) was an Austrian alpine skier Alpine skiing, or downhill skiing, is the pastime of sliding down snow-covered slopes on skis ...

(1905–1997), Austrian alpine skier

Surname

Peter Inge, Baron Inge Field Marshal Peter Anthony Inge, Baron Inge, (5 August 1935 – 20 July 2022) was a senior British Army officer. He was the Chief of the General Staff, the professional head of the British Army, from 1992 to 1994 and then served as Chief of ...

(1935–2022), British soldier; Baron Inge, KG, GCB, PC, DL, former chief of the UK Defence Staff *

Brandon Inge Charles Brandon Inge ( ; born May 19, 1977) is an American former professional baseball third baseman and catcher and currently a volunteer assistant coach for the Michigan Wolverines baseball team. He played 12 seasons with the Detroit Tigers, on ...

(born 1977), American athlete (

baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding t ...

), Detroit Tigers third baseman (1998–2012)Detroit Free Press, page B1, Friday April 27, 2012 * M. Thomas Inge (1936–2021), American author * Samuel Williams Inge (1817–1868), U.S. Congressman * William Inge (disambiguation), several people known by that name, including the 20th-century American playwright

References

{{given name, type=both Scandinavian masculine given names Dutch feminine given names Estonian feminine given names German feminine given names Norwegian masculine given names Swedish masculine given names Hypocorisms