Lillemor

Gender: Feminine
Origin: Norwegian/Swedish
Meaning: “little mother.”
(LIL-leh-MORE)

With the recent surge of popularity in Lily names, I thought this unusual gem might be worth posting, though considered an “old lady” name in Scandinavia, it might make a fresh and interesting option for an Anglophone parent.

Lillemor is relatively recent in history, she first appeared in Norway as a nickname and was first recorded as a full-fledged given name in Sweden in 1901. The name comes from the Norwegian and Swedish words lille meaning “little; small” and mor meaning “mother.” Ask most Swedes or Norwegians how they feel about this name and they will likely frown, she is somewhat the equivalent of a Mildred to an American. She was quite fashionable during the 1930s and 40s, and is hence, usually considered a name of its time. She has, however, spawned off a fashionable nickname name: Moa, which is currently very trendy in Sweden as an independent given name.

Her name-day is November 18. As of December 31, 2008, there were approximately 11, 198 women who bore the name Lillemor in Sweden.

Nicknames are Lily and Moa.