Before the 19th century , the term ` Nordic ' or ` Northern ' was commonly used to mean Northern Europe in a sense that included the Nordic countries , European Russia , the Baltic countries ( at that time Livonia and Courland ) and Greenland . Before the 20th century , the term ` Nordic ' or ` Northern ' was commonly used to mean Northern Europe in a sense that included the Nordic countries , European Russia , the Baltic countries ( at that time Estonia , Livonia and Courland ) .