[casca]

For Icelandic names, it's easy to identify the gender by looking at the last name. For example Bjarni Benediktsson is definitely male while Katrín Jakobsdóttir is definitely female.

Another strategy is to use gender-neutral terms until you find out the gender, as asking directly might be considered rude in some cultures.

[mhurron]

Is the first name in Iceland the family name or is there something else going on here?

[jaimebuelta]

I'm just guessing, but..

"Benedikt-SSON is definitely male while Katrín Jakobs-DÓTIR is female"

(Hey, I swear it was before taking a look http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Icelandic_name)