Scandinavian Names

Old Norse name that lives on more appealingly in modern times as Jalmari, short form Jari.

The name of Sarah Palin's youngest son might also be good for the child of a mathematician. Trig Palin's middle name is Paxson, after a popular snowmobiling area in Alaska.

Too tied to those well-publicized twins.

The number one surname in Denmark could make a sophisticated and stylish girl's name. Jensen Huang is the (male) cofounder of AI giant Nvidia.

Related to Frida but with a softer sound, this name is Old Norse for "fair, beautiful"

This old Norse name is still used in contemporary Scandinavia. An ancient hero's name, Sigurd got a modern boost from a heroic figure in television's The Vikings.

Ericson, also spelled Erickson and Erikson (and with -sen endings too), is a Nordic surname that makes a strong choice. Ericson may continue the trend Harrison, Jefferson and Jackson started.

This common name in Finland, which is also a diminutive for Jan in Sweden, might feel a bit feminine in the English-speaking world, too close to girls' names Jan and Jane.

The raven was a holy bird in Norse mythology, giving this choice some resonance beyond other Bart variations.

Popular in Norway, an interesting choice for anyone with northern European roots.

Popular Scandinavian name -- first bestowed in honor of Swedish botanist Carl von Linné, a classifier of plants and animals -- that could make an engaging choice.

Hedda is a card-carrying member of the league of older, slightly bohemian urban names like Nedda, Andra, and Petra; also linked to Ibsen heroine Hedda Gabler, as well as being the basis of cruel joke names like Hedda Hare.

The name of several legendary Danish kings, including one who declared universal peace.

An ancient name that's been used by the Norwegian royal family; still popular there but not likely to appeal to many American parents.

Unlikely to catch on in the Anglophone world, where parent name Ludwig still conjures up images of Beethoven. But Ludvig actually ranks among the top boy names in Norway and Sweden, while German form Ludwig ranks among the Top 100 boy names in Germany and Ludovico is cool in Italty.

Ada, yes. Ida, maybe. But Oda, a Scandinavian version of Odelia, not really. To English speakers, it sounds too much like "odor".

Simple, friendly, distinctive name heard in several cultures. The a ending may feel more feminine in the US than Ole, though both variations are acceptable in Scandinavia.

A locational surname turned rare first name, which would likely be misheard as the much more familiar Ray.

Karin was a fairly popular spelling variation of Karen in the US but fell off the Top 1000 in the late 80s, as Karen's popularity wained. Today, the Karen meme interferes with the otherwise appealing sound of this name.