Origin: Finnish
Meaning: “calm; delicate; soft; gentle.”
(VEE:eh-no; VEE:eh-nah)
The names are derived from the Finnish word, vieno, meaning, “calm; delicate; gentle; soft; mild.”
Vieno was, and still is, a masculine name, but since the 1920s, has also been used as a female name in Finland. Viena is strictly feminine.
Other feminine forms include: Viekka, Viekki & Viekko.
The designated name-day is June 15.
Sources
Gender: Masculine
Origin: Hungarian
Meaning: “basil”
The name comes directly from the Hungarian word for the basil plant.
It is also sometimes used as a vernacular form of the Greek male name, Basil, which actually has a completely different etymology.
Its designated name-day is June 15.
Source
Gender: Feminine
Origin: Estonian
Meaning: debated
(LEY-ne)
The name is possibly derived from the Estonian, lein, meaning “mourning” or perhaps it is an abbreviation of the French, Madeleine.
The designated name-day is June 15.
Other forms include: Leina and Leini.
Sources
Gender: Masculine
Origin: Lithuanian
Meaning: “good name.”
(LAHB-var-dahs)
The name is composed of the Lithuanian elements, labas, meaning (good) and vardas meaning (name).
The designated name-day is June 14.
Source
Gender: Masculine
Origin: Lithuanian
Meaning: “fighter.”
(KOO-no-tahs)
The name is derived from the Lithuanian, kun/kaun meaning, “fight.”
The designated name-day is June 13.
Source
Gender: Masculine
Origin: Danish/Norwegian/Swedish
Meaning: “god’s helmet.”
(ES-kil)
The name is derived from the Old Norse male name, Ásketill, which is composed of the Norse elements, áss (god) and ketill (kettle; cauldron; helmet).
The name was borne by a 11th-century Swedish saint and martyr, whose veneration was especially popular in medieval England, as a result, the name was occasionally used in England up until the Reformation, when the name went out of fashion.
The designated name-day in Sweden is June 12.
Other forms of the name include:
Female forms include the Icelandic Áskatla and the Danish/Norwegian, Askeline.
Sources
Gender: Feminine
Origin: Lithuanian
Meaning: “Skalvian.”
(SKAHL-vey)
The name comes from the name of an early Baltic tribe that settled Lithuania.
The designated name-day June 13.
Another form is Skalva.
Source
Gender: Masculine
Origin: French
Meaning: “wood; wide.”
Eng (GIE); Fre (GEE)
The name is derived from the early Germanic name Wido which is possibly derived from the Germanic element, widu, either meaning, “wood” or “wide.”
The name was introduced into England after the Norman Conquest, but after the infamy of 16th-century Guy Fawkes the name went out fashion. It was, however, always a very common name among French-Americans, especially among the French Acadians of Louisiana.
The Italian form is Guido, which has been a fairly common name among Italian-Americans but is now associated with a controversial term describing a middle class Italian-American from the East Coast of the United States. This was especially brought to attention after the 2009 reality tv show, Jersey Shore. However, it is uncertain if the term used to describe a particular class of people within the Italian community is related to the given name or to a different etymological source.
The name was borne by a Sicilian saint and martyr.
The designated name-day in France is June 12.
Other forms of the name include:
French masculine diminutives include: Guitou, Guiton, GuiGui & Guy-Guy
Feminine offshoots include:
Sources
Sort of an offshoot of the Viking Baby Names, I have decided to further explore another group of Scandinavian names: Swedish Names.
Sweden is a country that lies on the Baltic and is the third physically largest country in the EU, although only boasting a population of 9.5 million people.
In the 17th-century, Sweden was one of the most powerful empires in the Western world, encompassing nations such as Finland, Estonia and Latvia, thus influencing the culture of the surrounding regions and also borrowing from the surrounding cultures.
During the 18th-19th centuries, approximately 1.3 million Swedes immigrated to the United States, with this incredibly large influx of Swedish immigrants came certain contributions to American culture that are often taken for granted, influences such as the red barn which speckles the country side of the Midwest, the distinct accents of Minnesota and North Dakota, Swedish meatballs and….. baby names.
It was during the first peak of Swedish immigration that we see such names as Erik, Greta and Kristin appear in the U.S. top 1000. In fact, in areas of the United States where there are still substantial Scandinavian-American communities, it is still not unusual to see hard-core Norse names bestowed upon children.
Look at the top 100 most popular given names in Minnesota for example. Classic Swedish monikers such as Ella, Emma, Anna, Annika, Ellie, Eva, Josephine, Greta and Christian abound.
In fact, if one compares the top 100 names of the top 4 states with the highest percentage of Swedish Americans, one will notice a definite trend of Scandinavian names in these particular areas.
Minnesota
California
Illinois
Washington
Michigan
Though many online resources and name books will pretty much clump all Scandinavian names into one group, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic and even Frisian names are all rather slightly different. For instance, it is more likely that a Laerke is Danish, a Moa Swedish, Svanhildur Icelandic and Ingeborg Norwegian. All Northern Germanic languages are closely tied, but their naming trends are slightly different.
However, there are quite a few names that are interchangeably used among the Scandinavians, these include: Linnea (though originally Swedish it is now a popular female name in Norway), Ingrid, Hans and Erik, just to name a few.
Names that are specifically Swedish and rarely found in other Scandinavian countries are: Hampus, Ingela, Madicken, Tindra and Vendela.
Like Anglophone parents, many Swedes are turning to word names to bestow upon their children. Tindra and Linnea both appear in the Swedish top 100, and as of 2009, approximately 71 girls were given the name Månstråle (moonbeam). Björn (bear) has been used on males for centuries, while Varg (wolf) may be a bit newer.
Similar to American and British trends, many old Swedish classics appear in their top 10, names like Ella, Emma, Elsa, Alva, Wilma and Ebba.
The current trend in female names is overwhelmingly in favor of two-syllable antique Nordic names. The types of names that perhaps a Swedish-American parent from Minnesota might see in their family tree, Mormor Elsa and Morfar Oscar.
Not only are two-syllable antiques popular, but there seems to be a gravitational pull toward female names that end in the suffix of –ma and male names that end in the suffix of-mer or –win. Names like Alma, Irma, Wilma and Elmer, Vilmer, Melvin, Alvin etc.
Top 10 Female Names in Sweden (2009)
Alice
Maja
Ella
Emma
Elsa
Alva
Julia
Linnea
Wilma
Ebba
Top 10 Male Names in Sweden, (2009)
Lucas
Elias
Oscar
William
Hugo
Alexander
Oliver
Viktor
Erik
Axel
Cool Swedish Alternatives for Common English Names
Instead of Alexander==============Axel
Instead of Ava==============Alva
Instead of Brittany===========Britt/Britta
Instead of Brody==================Brodde
Instead of Carson============Karsten
Instead of Christopher/Christian========Christer/Krister
Instead of Ella==============Elsa
Instead of Emma============Ebba
Instead of Evan=============Evert
Instead of Grace============Greta
Instead of Hannah===========Hedda/Johanna
Instead of Henry=================Henrik
Instead of Jordan=================Joar
Instead of Lily=============Lillemor
Instead of Logan===============Loke
Instead of Matthew===========Mattias
Instead of Matilda==========Hilda
Instead of Nevaeh==========Nea
Instead of Sidney==========Signe
Like many Anglophone parents, Swedes have turned to words from their own vocabulary to bestow upon their children, either floral, names of months or pretty words, the list below might make an interesting reference point for someone looking for a nature-y name without being too obvious, or perhaps you are just one with Swedish heritage looking to bestow a cool Swedish name on your child.
Swedish Nature/Word Names
Female
Male
Smushes & Doubles
Swedes have often used double names or smush names throughout the centuries. Below is a list of common Swedish smush and compound names that would be easy to carry in an English-speaking society. Note, some of these, such as Solbritt and Majbritt are considered rather dated in their home country, but it does not mean it won’t sound cool and fresh in the Suburbs of Minneapolis or St. Paul!
Female
Male
Perhaps you are a the ancestor of one of the many Swedes who immigrated throughout the world in the late 19th early 20th centuries, rather you live in Queensland, Minnesota or Ontario, these Swedish names would be perfectly compatible in any English-speaking areas
Names Compatible in English
Female
Male
Swedish Equivalents to common English Names
And finally, if you are one of those that does not give a hoot to popularity and originalit but are looking for a Swedish name that is easily compatible in English, then here is a list for you:
Common Swedish/English Names
Male
Sources
And finally, to get a feel as to what Swedes are naming their babies these days, here is a little sample of Swedish birth announcements from all over the country.
What I found particularly fascinating is that names that Americans would never dream of naming their children, such as Agnes, Hedvig, Helga, Hilda, Elmar & Vilmer are extremely trendy. In the United States, these names have the reputation of being too old and stodgy to use on a child. Personally, I have always thought of names like Emma, Abigail and Matilda to be on par with the above.
Another interesting trend, albeit not that common, but worth mentioning is the usage of place names such as Havannah (a popular vacation destination for many Scandinavians, perhaps its beaches are the inspiration), Savannah, Sienna and Texas! I have not even seen Texas used in the States.
Smush names ending in -lie like Novalie, Tuvalie have become exceedingly trendier.
British names also seem to be leaving an impact, names like William, Liam, Colin and James.
And of course the revival of Old Norse mythological names that have not really seen wide usage since the Middle Ages (Freja & Loke)
Note that middle names are quite optional in Sweden, it is most likely that the majority of Swedish children are not given middle names, but when they are, the parents usually go all out.
Enjoy!
Siblings are in parenthesis
Flickor (girls)
Agnes
Agnes Sigrid Lovisa
Aila Isobel
Aimee (Anton & Petter)
Alba
Alma
Almy
Althea
Angelina Alma (Davilito)
Anna Linnea (Iris)
Astrid
Belle
Bianca (Ambra)
Bianca (Wilhelm)
Blomma
Bonnie
Celine (Elias)
Cornelia (Hugo & Oliver)
Ebba
Eden (Ida & Julia)
Edie (Elvis)
Edith (Elina)
Elina (Jesper)
Eline
Ellie (Robin, Matilda, Hampus, Heidi & Lova)
Elsa
Elvira
Emma-Ida
Emma-Lisa (Wilma)
Emmie (Erika & Elise)
Enya (Isabell & Nathalia)
Esmeralda
Estelle (Elvira & Emmie)
Esther
Evelina (Joel)
Fanny (Fabian & Felix)
Felicia (Alexander)
Filippa (Petronella)
Freja
Frida
Gabriella (Samuel)
Hanna-Freja (Esbjörn)
Harriet (Lydia)
Havannah
Hedda (Erik & Emil)
Hedvig
Helena
Helga (Beata)
Hilda (Linnea)
Hilla (Karl)
Hilma
Holly (Lucas)
Ida (Maja)
Idde (Meja)
Ika
Indra
Ines (Signe)
Ingrid (Märtha)
Iris
Irma (Kerstin & Ture)
Isa (Altea)
Isabella
Jill (Tindra & Kevin)
Jolene
Joline
Josefine (Jacob)
Juni
Karin (Viktor)
Karolina (Leonard, Ludvig & Esmeralda)
Keila
Klara
Lee
Lilith
Lilly (Filippa & Noah)
Lina (Olov)
Linn (Liam)
Liv Alde (Evert)
Liv Bridget (Erik, Arthur & Ossian)
Liv Edit Maria
Livia
Lo (Arvid)
Louize (Morgan, Gizela, Caspar & Izabel)
Lova (Lilly)
Lovisa Marianne Margareta
Lovis
Luna
Madicken (Oscar)
Malí (Liam)
Malva Emalia
Maria (William & Elias)
Matilda
Maud Evelina (Liv)
Medelen (Dennis & Lina)
Meja (Alexander)
Mikaela (Simone)
Milla Elisabeth
Millea (Julius)
Minna
Minó
Miranda (Hampus & Embla)
Mirjam (Amanda)
Moa
My
Nellie (Maja)
Nora (Nils)
Norah Anna Sofia (Theo)
Nova
Novalie
Ottilia (Ossian)
Polly
Rut (Tyra)
Saga Ada
Saga Gullveig Moa
Sally (Molly)
Sanna (Emmy)
Selma
Signe (Agnes)
Sigrid Martha (Linnea, Joseph, David, Magnus & Tobias)
Sigrid Matilda
Siri
Smilla (Embla, Idun, Loke & Eira)
Stella (Saga)
Svea Hilda Maria (Frans Oskar & Alva Linnea)
Tilde Cornelia
Timja
Tindra (Wilma)
Tuva (Isak & Albin)
Tuvali (Joel)
Vera (Julius & Jennifer)
Vilda (Tuva)
Vilma (Anton)
Viola (Alice)
Wilja (Tilly & Lucas)
Willa
Wilma
Pojkar (boys)
Albin
Alfred
Algot (Caisa, Alwin & Alma)
Almer
Alve (Pax)
Armand (Ingrid)
Aron (Bastian)
Arvid
Axel (Arvid)
Backa Sven Anton (Joel)
Birk (Embla)
Björn
Bosse
Brodde
Cain (Liam, Liza, Noel & Colin)
Carl (Klara, Julia & Patrik)
Carl Martti “Calle”
Casper (Alvin)
Colin
Conrad
Devin
Dexter
Ebbe (Majken)
Elliot Bo August
Elis (Tuva)
Elmer (Algot)
Elton (Johanna)
Emmet (Malte)
Eston
Evert (Josefin & Carolin)
Fabian
Folke
Frans
Freddy-Lo (Melker-Maximus)
Gunnar
Gustav (Elvira & Siri)
Gusten (Vilgot & Vera)
Hampus (Ida)
Hannes (Ellen & Joel)
Harry (Kajsa & Klara)
Heike
Helmer (Maja)
Henning
Herman
Hjalmar
Ivar (Arvid)
James (Elin & Leo)
Jens (Jonathan)
Knut
Kristoffer (Kimberly & Katelinn)
Linus
Loke (Lova)
Ludvig (Emelie)
Malte
Manfred (Micke, Issa & Danne)
Marius (Petrus & Julie)
Marwin (Ronja, Isabella, Felicia, Julia & Yana)
Mattis
Melwin
Milton (Melvin)
Mio
Nataniel
Neo
Nikodemus
Nilas (Adrian)
Nils
Nino Angelo
Noel
Oliver (Thea-Lies)
Ossian
Otto
Petter (Olivia)
Pontus
Rio
Sigge (Julia, Gustav & Vilmer)
Sixten
Texas
Theo
Theodor (Stephanie, Emilia & Adrian)
Tigris (Naemi)
Timo (Irja)
Torbjörn “Tobban” (Anton, Arvid, Alma & Ingemar)
Tore (Signe, Alvar, Astrid & Einar)
Ture (Sixten)
Truls
Valter (Alf)
Vide
Viggo
Vilgot
Vilmer (Klara)
Wille (Maja)
Wilton (Eliza)
Zackarias
Zack (Zebban & Zoë)
Zeldon
There is a fairly large Swedish minority in Finland. Swedo-Finns speak Swedish as their first language, below is a list of birth announcements as found in the Swedish Newspapers in Finland.
Flickor
Pojkar
Twins