Swedish Names

Tove is a modern variation of an Old Norse name, related to Thor. Tuva is a form of the name popular in modern Scandinavia.

Ten years ago we would have advised people to steer clear of this name (and maybe choose the similar sounding Walter instead); but with the rise of other Nordic and Eastern European names like Viggo and Casimir, maybe its time to re-thing Valdemar. It's a big name, but with enough penache, it could be pulled off. Valdemar was introduced to Scandinavia in the 12th Century by a Danish king named for his Ukrainian grandfather, and is currently in the Danish Top 20.

If you want a pan-Scandinavian name with energy and style that could have been a winner, if not for the sound-alike water filtration company Brita.

Moa is among the Top 100 Swedish baby names but virtually unknown in the US. Might Moa be a substitute for Mia or Maya? An intriguing idea. There is a Swedish author named Moa Martinson.

This softer version of Adolf is sadly still off-limits due to the connotations with Hitler.

Streamlined spelling found all across Europe. The Spanish Filipo has extra zip.

Well used in northern Europe, almost unknown here.

A common Scandinavian name, but hard to imagine being used elsewhere.

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

Once a short form of names containing this syllable, it is now used on its own, though we'd prefer Sven.

Paulo suffers in comparison to the richer and more authentic-sounding Paolo.

Tindra is a new name in Sweden, used only since the 1980s, that has become enormously popular: It's in the Top 60 there. And while unknown in the US, Tindra certainly has possibilities as a substitute for the flagging Kendra.

Though you might have been a fan of tennis star Chris Evert, stick with EVERETT, which everyone will think you're saying anyway.

Sybilla and its near-identical twin Sibylla are dainty and demure names with a powerful namesake that also happen to be extremely rare -- no baby girls were given either name in the US last year.

Majken, which is related to Maiken and Maike, is a popular name in Sweden whose variations are used throughout Scandinavia as cooler forms of Mary. Majken is virtually unknown in the U.S. and probably not bound for emigration.