Swedish Names for Girls

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.

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.

We once dismissed Bird as "too flighty", but with the rise of avian names from Lark to Robin to, well, Birdie, we don't see why Bird can't be a fine choice, especially as a middle name.

Not much to recommend this relative of Wilma; consider Willa or Willow instead.

This form of Charlotte, long obscure, is sure to grow in popularity along with the explosion of Charlotte. It's pretty and feminine and a nice spin on the more familiar version. In Germany, short form Lotta is popular.

Made most familiar by Miah Persson, a famous Swedish opera singer.

This popular old Swedish name is not one that would appeal to many modern American parents, though shortening it to Nilla helps.

Apt to be confused with Raquel.

An Icelandic diminutive of Birgitta turned popular first name there, currently ranking among the Top 30 girl names in Iceland. Parent name Birgitta is either a Nordic variant of Brigitta, from the Irish Brighid "exalted one", or a feminization of the Norse masculine name Birger, meaning "help, rescue".

Baby-naming rule #487: it's probably best to avoid names whose only possible nickname is Gun.

Imposing, if not intimidating.