Scandinavian Names for Boys

  1. Daan
    • Origin:

      Scandinavian & Dutch variation of Daniel
    • Meaning:

      "God is my judge"
    • Description:

      Dan with a little something extra.
  2. Thurman
    • Origin:

      Norse
    • Meaning:

      "defended by Thor"
    • Description:

      Found as a first name primarily in baseball books giving the stats on the late New York Yankee Thurman Munson.
  3. Ulf
    • Origin:

      Scandinavian
    • Meaning:

      "wolf"
    • Description:

      A common Scandinavian name, but hard to imagine being used elsewhere.
  4. Sigvard
    • Per
      • Origin:

        Scandinavian variation of Peter
      • Description:

        So simple, yet so unique: a prime candidate for export. Pronunciation is like the English pair or pear.
    • Kristian
      • Origin:

        Danish, Albanian, Breton, Bulgarian, Danish, Estonian, Finnish, Norwegian, Swedish variation of Christian
      • Description:

        Variation of Christian.
    • Pelle
      • Origin:

        Scandinavian variation of Peter, Greek
      • Meaning:

        "rock, stone"
      • Description:

        Pelle is one of several possible Peter-related Scandinavian choices. In Swedish or Norwegian, the name Pelle rhymes roughly with Ella.
    • Helgi
      • Origin:

        Norse
      • Meaning:

        "holy"
      • Description:

        Older form of Helge, and a masculine form of Helga.
    • Valter
      • Origin:

        German and Scandinavian variation of Walter
      • Description:

        Vill always sound as if you're pronouncing Walter with an affected accent.
    • Ulrik
      • Origin:

        Scandianvian variation of Ulrich, German
      • Meaning:

        "rich and noble heritage"
      • Description:

        It may surprise Americans to hear that Ulrik is a fashionable choice elsewhere in the world, as U is the least-used letter for given names in the US. In recent years, Ulrik has been one of the fastest-rising names in Norway.
    • Dag
      • Origin:

        Scandinavian
      • Meaning:

        "daylight"
      • Description:

        Norse god who's the son of light plus historic diplomat Dag Hammarskjöld and author Dag Solstad combine to boost this Nordic name's appeal, but this could be difficult in English-speaking countries where the obvious tease will be "daggy Dag."
    • Haldan
      • Origin:

        Scandinavian
      • Meaning:

        "half Danish"
      • Description:

        If you fit this definition, this might be a clever choice, especially as a middle name.
    • Quimby
      • Origin:

        Variation of Quenby, English
      • Meaning:

        "queen's settlement"
      • Description:

        Virtually never heard in this country, with a quirky quality.
    • Galt
      • Origin:

        Norse
      • Meaning:

        "high ground"
      • Description:

        A literary surname that's short, to the point, and very rare. It combines several origins: Scandinavian meaning "high ground", Scottish meaning "stranger", and English meaning "wild boar" (hello, secret animal name!).
    • Tyw
      • Knut
        • Origin:

          Old Norse; Norwegian; Swedish; Danish
        • Meaning:

          "knot"
        • Description:

          This royal but common Scandinavian name is, in the US, linked to a single figure -- Notre Dame football coach Knute Rockne. Could easily be confused with Newt.
      • Harald
        • Maurits
          • Carlsen
            • Origin:

              Scandinavian
            • Meaning:

              "Carl's son"
            • Description:

              Good way to honor Scandinavian roots, or an ancestor named Carl or Charles.
          • Latham
            • Origin:

              English from Scandinavian
            • Meaning:

              "the barn"
            • Description:

              This familiar surname with a surprising meaning could be added to your list of undiscovered 'last names first' names.