II and a statue of the 18th century naval hero Peder Tordenskjold. The name The Old Norse form of the name was Staferni. The first element is stafr 'staff, stick', the last element is the suffix -erni (often used in names of islands). What the word stafr is referring to here is unknown (see for instance under Stavanger). Notable residents Hjalmar Hjorth Boyesen, Norwegian-American author, was born at Fredriksvern. References External links Short history of Stavern Cities and towns in Norway Populated coastal places in Norway Populated places in Vestfold og Telemark Former municipalities of Norway Larvik