Scandinavian baby names
Handpicked for families who want names with roots: the beloved classics, what parents in the culture choose today, and the cool discoveries most US name sites never surface.
Aksel father of peace (Danish/Norwegian form of Axel)
Alva elf (Swedish; from the Old Norse root for supernatural beings)
Anders manly, warrior (Scandinavian form of Andrew)
Astrid divinely beautiful (Norse; royal name in Norway, Belgium and Sweden)
Baldur bold, brave (Norse mythology; son of Odin, god of light)
Bjørn bear (Norwegian; tennis champion Björn Borg helped popularize it abroad)
Britta strength (Swedish form of Bridget)
Elias Yahweh is God (Scandinavian/biblical form of Elijah; hugely popular in Sweden and Norway)
Elin light, torch (Swedish form of Helen)
Ella fairy maiden, beautiful woman (popular across Scandinavia and the US)
Embla elm tree (Norse mythology; the first woman in the Norse creation myth)
Emil rival, eager (Scandinavian form of Emil; hugely popular across Scandinavia)
Emma universal, whole (hugely popular across Scandinavia and the US)
Erik eternal ruler (Norse; widely used across Norway, Sweden and Denmark)
Ester star (Scandinavian spelling of Esther; popular in Denmark and Norway)
Filip lover of horses (Scandinavian spelling of Philip)
Freja lady, mistress (Norse goddess of love and fertility; Danish/Swedish spelling)
Frida beautiful, peaceful (Swedish)
Gustav staff of the Goths (Swedish royal name)
Henrik ruler of the home (Scandinavian form of Henry)
Idun the ever-young one (Norse goddess who guards the apples of youth)
Ingrid beautiful, beloved (Norse, "Ing's beauty"; actress Ingrid Bergman)
Jakob supplanter (biblical; Scandinavian spelling of Jacob, very popular across Scandinavia)
Kari pure (Norwegian form of Katherine)
Karin pure (Swedish form of Katherine)
Lars laurel-crowned (Scandinavian form of Laurence)
Leif descendant, heir (Norse, as in explorer Leif Erikson)
Liv life (Norwegian, short and strong; actresses Liv Ullmann and Liv Tyler)
Lucas light-giving, bringer of light (popular across Scandinavia and the US)
Magnus great (Norse, from Latin; a royal name across Scandinavia)
Maja great one (Swedish/Norwegian form of Maya; a top-10 name in Scandinavia)
Maren of the sea (Danish/Norwegian form of Marina)
Nils champion of the people (Scandinavian form of Nicholas)
Noah rest, comfort (biblical; currently a top-ranked name in Norway and Sweden)
Nora honor, light (a top name across Scandinavia and increasingly in the US)
Olaf ancestor's descendant (Norwegian/Danish royal name; five kings of Norway)
Oliver olive tree, symbol of peace (a top name in Norway, Sweden, Denmark and the US)
Olivia olive tree (top name in Norway and Sweden, also #1 in the US)
Oskar divine spear (Scandinavian spelling of Oscar)
Ragnar warrior's judgment (Norse; legendary Viking king)
Ronja mighty power (Swedish; popularized by Astrid Lindgren's "Ronja the Robber's Daughter")
Saga story, tale (Swedish/Norwegian; also the Norse goddess of storytelling)
Signe new victory (Danish/Norwegian/Swedish, from Norse "sig" meaning victory)
Sigrid beautiful victory (Norse)
Sigurd guardian of victory (Norse; legendary dragon-slayer of the Volsunga saga)
Sofie wisdom (Danish/Norwegian spelling of Sophie; very popular in Scandinavia)
Solveig strong house, path of the sun (Norwegian; from Ibsen's "Peer Gynt")
Sven young man, youth (Swedish)
Søren stern, severe (Danish, from Latin Severus)
Torbjørn Thor's bear (Norwegian, combining the god Thor with "bear")
Tuva beautiful (Norwegian/Swedish nature name related to tufted grass)
Vidar wide ruler (Norse mythology; god of vengeance, son of Odin)
Vilde wild (Norwegian nature name)
William resolute protector (Germanic origin; currently a top-ranked name in Norway, Sweden and Denmark)
Yngve of the Yngling dynasty (Norwegian/Swedish; from the ancient Norse god Yngvi-Freyr)
Åse goddess (Norwegian, short and strong; mother of Peer Gynt in Ibsen's play)
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