Scandinavian Names

Scandinavian names are used in the Scandinavia region of northern Europe. For more specific lists, see Swedish names, Danish names and Norwegian names. See also about Scandinavian names.
gender
usage
Mikkel m Danish, Norwegian
Danish form of Michael. It can also derive from the Scandinavian root mikill meaning "enormous".
Mikkeline f Danish
Danish feminine form of Mikkel.
Mikkjal m Faroese
Faroese form of Michael.
Milian m Swedish, Norwegian
Swedish and Norwegian short form of Maximilian.
Milla f Finnish, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Short form of Camilla and other names that end in milla.
Mille f & m Norwegian, Danish, Swedish
Danish and Norwegian short form of Emilie (feminine) and Swedish short form of Emil (masculine).
Milly f Swedish, Norwegian, English
Diminutive of Emilie, Mildred and other names containing the same sound.
Minna f German (Archaic), Finnish, Swedish
Means "love" in Old German, specifically medieval courtly love. It is also used as a short form of Wilhelmina. This is the name of the title character in the play Minna von Barnhelm (1767) by Gotthold Ephraim Lessing.
Miriam f Hebrew, English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Italian, Portuguese, Czech, Slovak, Polish, Biblical
Form of Mary used in the Old Testament, where it belongs to the elder sister of Moses and Aaron. She watched over the infant Moses as the pharaoh's daughter drew him from the Nile. The name has long been popular among Jews, and it has been used as an English Christian name (alongside Mary) since the Protestant Reformation.
Moa f Swedish
Possibly derived from Swedish moder meaning "mother". This was the pen name of the Swedish author Moa Martinson (real name Helga Maria Martinson).
Mogens m Danish
Danish form of Magnus.
Mona 2 f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Scandinavian short form of Monica.
Monica f English, Italian, Romanian, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Late Roman
Meaning unknown, most likely of Berber or Phoenician origin. In the 4th century this name was borne by a North African saint, the mother of Saint Augustine of Hippo, whom she converted to Christianity. Since the Middle Ages it has been associated with Latin moneo "advisor" and Greek μονός (monos) "one, single".... [more]
Morten m Danish, Norwegian
Danish and Norwegian form of Martin.
My f Swedish
Swedish diminutive of Maria.
Mynte f Danish
Means "mint" in Danish.
Naja f Greenlandic, Danish
From Greenlandic najaa meaning "his younger sister". It was popularized in Denmark by the writer B. S. Ingemann, who used it in his novel Kunnuk and Naja, or the Greenlanders (1842).
Nanna 1 f Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Icelandic, Norse Mythology
Possibly derived from Old Norse nanþ meaning "daring, brave". In Norse mythology she was a goddess who died of grief when her husband Balder was killed.
Natalie f English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian
From the Late Latin name Natalia, which meant "Christmas Day" from Latin natale domini. This was the name of the wife of the 4th-century martyr Saint Adrian of Nicomedia. She is venerated as a saint in the Orthodox Church, and the name has traditionally been more common among Eastern Christians than those in the West. It was popularized in America by actress Natalie Wood (1938-1981), who was born to Russian immigrants.
Natasja f Dutch, Danish
Variant of Natasha found in the Netherlands, Belgium and Denmark.
Nathalie f French, Dutch, German, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian
French form of Natalie, as well as a Dutch, German and Scandinavian variant.
Nea f Swedish, Finnish
Short form of Linnéa.
Nellie f English, Swedish
Diminutive of Nell and other names containing nel.
Nelly f English, Swedish, French, German
Diminutive of Nell and other names containing nel.
Nels m Danish (Rare)
Danish variant of Nils.
Nicolai m Danish, Norwegian
Danish and Norwegian variant form of Nicholas.
Nicoline f Dutch, Danish
Diminutive of Nicole.
Niels 1 m Danish
Danish form of Nicholas. A famous bearer was Niels Bohr (1885-1962), a Danish physicist who investigated the structure of atoms.
Nikolaj m Danish, Slovene
Danish and Slovene form of Nicholas.
Nils m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Scandinavian form of Nicholas.
Nina 1 f Russian, Italian, English, German, French, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Lithuanian, Dutch, Polish, Slovene, Czech, Slovak, Croatian, Serbian, Bulgarian, Ukrainian, Belarusian
Short form of names that end in nina, such as Antonina or Giannina. It was imported to Western Europe from Russia and Italy in the 19th century. This name also nearly coincides with the Spanish word niña meaning "little girl" (the word is pronounced differently than the name).... [more]
Nis m Danish
Contracted form of Nils or Niels 1.
Njål m Norwegian
Norwegian form of Njáll.
Njála f Icelandic
Icelandic feminine form of Njáll.
Njáll m Old Norse, Icelandic
Old Norse form of Niall (see Neil). This is the name of the hero of a 13th century Icelandic saga, based on the life of a 10th-century Icelandic chieftain.
Njord m Norse Mythology, Swedish (Rare), Norwegian (Rare), Danish (Rare)
From Old Norse Njǫrðr, derived from Proto-Germanic *Nerþuz. It might derive from the Indo-European root *hnerto- meaning "strong, vigorous". Njord was the Norse god associated with the sea, sailing, fishing and fertility. With his children Freyr and Freya he was a member of the Vanir gods.
Noah 1 m English, German, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Dutch (Modern), French (Modern), Biblical
From the Hebrew name נֹחַ (Noaḥ) meaning "rest, repose", derived from the root נוּחַ (nuaḥ). According to the Old Testament, Noah was the builder of the Ark that allowed him, his family, and animals of each species to survive the Great Flood. After the flood he received the sign of the rainbow as a covenant from God. He was the father of Shem, Ham and Japheth.... [more]
Nora 1 f English, Irish, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Latvian, German, Dutch, Italian, Spanish
Short form of Honora or Eleanor. Henrik Ibsen used it for a character in his play A Doll's House (1879).
Nova f English, Swedish (Modern), Dutch (Modern)
Derived from Latin novus meaning "new". It was first used as a name in the 19th century.
Oda f German, Norwegian, Germanic
Feminine form of Otto. This was the name of a semi-legendary 8th-century saint who lived as a hermit in Brabant in the Netherlands.
Odd m Norwegian
Derived from Old Norse oddr meaning "point of a sword".
Oddbjørg f Norwegian
From the Old Norse name Oddbjǫrg, derived from oddr "point of a sword" and bjǫrg "help, save, rescue".
Oddbjørn m Norwegian
From the Old Norse name Oddbjǫrn, derived from the elements oddr "point of a sword" and bjǫrn "bear".
Oddgeir m Norwegian
From the Old Norse name Oddgeirr, derived from the elements oddr "point of a sword" and geirr "spear".
Oddmund m Norwegian
From the Old Norse elements oddr "point of a sword" and mundr "protection". This name was coined in the 19th century.
Oddny f Norwegian
Norwegian form of Oddný.
Oddný f Old Norse, Icelandic
From Old Norse oddr "point of a sword" and nýr "new".
Oddrun f Norwegian
Norwegian form of Oddrún.
Oddvar m Norwegian
From the Old Norse name Oddvarr, derived from the elements oddr "point of a sword" and varr "aware, cautious".
Oddveig f Norwegian
From the Old Norse elements oddr "point of a sword" and veig "strength". This name was coined in the 19th century.
Ola 1 m Norwegian, Swedish
Norwegian and Swedish short form of Olaf.
Olaf m Norwegian, Danish, German, Dutch, Polish
From the Old Norse name Áleifr meaning "ancestor's descendant", derived from the elements anu "ancestor" and leif "inheritance, legacy". This was the name of five kings of Norway, including Saint Olaf (Olaf II).
Ólafur m Icelandic
Icelandic form of Olaf.
Olaug f Norwegian
From the Old Norse name Ólaug, derived from the elements anu "ancestor" and laug possibly meaning "vowed, promised, bound in oath".
Olav m Norwegian, Danish
Variant of Olaf.
Ólavur m Faroese
Faroese form of Olaf.
Ole m Danish, Norwegian
Danish and Norwegian form of Olaf.
Olga f Russian, Ukrainian, Polish, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Finnish, Estonian, Latvian, Hungarian, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Romanian, Czech, Slovene, Serbian, Bulgarian, Greek
Russian form of the Old Norse name Helga. The 10th-century Saint Olga was the wife of Igor I, the ruler of Kievan Rus (a state based around the city of Kyiv). Like her husband she was probably a Varangian, who were Norse people who settled in Eastern Europe beginning in the 9th century. Following Igor's death she ruled as regent for her son Svyatoslav for 18 years. After she was baptized in Constantinople she attempted to convert her subjects to Christianity, though this goal was only achieved by her grandson Vladimir.
Oline f Norwegian, Danish
Feminine form of Ole.
Oliver m English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Estonian, Catalan, Serbian, Croatian, Macedonian, Czech, Slovak, Carolingian Cycle
From Old French Olivier, which was possibly derived from Latin oliva "olive tree". Alternatively there could be an underlying Germanic name, such as Old Norse Áleifr (see Olaf) or Frankish Alawar (see Álvaro), with the spelling altered by association with the Latin word. In the Middle Ages the name became well-known in Western Europe because of the French epic La Chanson de Roland, in which Olivier is a friend and advisor to the hero Roland.... [more]
Olivia f English, Italian, Spanish, French, German, Finnish, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch
This name was used in this spelling by William Shakespeare for a character in his comedy Twelfth Night (1602). This was a rare name in Shakespeare's time that may have been based on Oliva or Oliver, or directly on the Latin word oliva meaning "olive". In the play Olivia is a noblewoman wooed by Duke Orsino. Instead she falls in love with his messenger Cesario, who is actually Viola in disguise.... [more]
Olle m Swedish
Swedish diminutive of Olaf or Oliver.
Ólöf f Icelandic
Icelandic feminine form of Olaf.
Olof m Swedish
Swedish form of Olaf.
Olov m Swedish
Swedish form of Olaf.
Oluf m Danish
Danish variant of Olaf.
Olve m Norwegian
From the Old Norse name Ǫlvir, possibly derived from allr "all" or alh "temple, shelter" combined with vir "holy man" or "warrior".
Ölvir m Icelandic (Rare)
Icelandic form of Olve.
Örjan m Swedish
Medieval Swedish form of Jurian.
Ørjan m Norwegian
Medieval Norwegian form of Jurian.
Orla 2 m Danish
Danish name, meaning unknown.
Orvar m Swedish (Rare), Norse Mythology
Means "arrow" in Old Norse. Orvar Odd is a legendary Norse hero who is the subject of a 13th-century Icelandic saga.
Oscar m English, Irish, Portuguese (Brazilian), Italian, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, French, Irish Mythology
Possibly means "deer friend", derived from Old Irish oss "deer" and carae "friend". Alternatively, it may derive from the Old English name Osgar or its Old Norse cognate Ásgeirr, which may have been brought to Ireland by Viking invaders and settlers. In Irish legend Oscar was the son of the poet Oisín and the grandson of the hero Fionn mac Cumhaill.... [more]
Óskar m Icelandic
Icelandic form of Oscar.
Oskar m German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Estonian, Finnish, Polish, Czech, Slovene, Basque
Form of Oscar in several languages. A famous bearer was Oskar Schindler (1908-1974), who is credited for saved over 1,000 Polish Jews during World War II.
Östen m Swedish
Swedish form of Eysteinn.
Osvald m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Scandinavian form of Oswald.
Óðinn m Norse Mythology, Icelandic
Old Norse and Icelandic form of Odin.
Ottar m Norwegian
Norwegian form of Óttarr.
Ottilia f Swedish
Swedish form of Odilia.
Otto m German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, Germanic
Later German form of Audo, originally a short form of various names beginning with Old Frankish aud or Old High German ot meaning "wealth, fortune". This was the name of a 9th-century king of the West Franks (name usually spelled as Odo). This was also the name of four kings of Germany, starting in the 10th century with Otto I, the first Holy Roman Emperor, known as Otto the Great. Saint Otto of Bamberg was a 12th-century missionary to Pomerania. The name was also borne by a 19th-century king of Greece, originally from Bavaria. Another notable bearer was the German chancellor Otto von Bismarck (1815-1898).
Ottó m Hungarian, Icelandic
Hungarian and Icelandic form of Otto.
Ove m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Probably a modern form of the Old Danish name Aghi, originally a short form of names that contain the Old Norse element egg "edge of a sword" or agi "awe, fear".
Owe m Swedish
Variant of Ove.
Øydis f Norwegian (Rare)
Norwegian form of Eydís.
Øystein m Norwegian
Norwegian form of Eysteinn.
Øyvind m Norwegian
From the Old Norse name Eyvindr, which was derived from ey meaning "island" or "good fortune" and vindr possibly meaning "victor".
Pål m Swedish, Norwegian
Swedish and Norwegian form of Paul.
Pála f Icelandic
Icelandic feminine form of Paul.
Páll m Icelandic, Faroese
Icelandic and Faroese form of Paul.
Palle m Danish
Danish diminutive of Paul.
Pär m Swedish
Swedish variant of Per.
Patric m Occitan, Swedish
Occitan form of Patrick, as well as a Swedish variant form.
Patrick m Irish, English, French, German, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish
From the Latin name Patricius, which meant "nobleman". This name was adopted in the 5th-century by Saint Patrick, whose birth name was Sucat. He was a Romanized Briton who was captured and enslaved in his youth by Irish raiders. After six years of servitude he escaped home, but he eventually became a bishop and went back to Ireland as a missionary. He is traditionally credited with Christianizing the island, and is regarded as Ireland's patron saint. He is called Pádraig in Irish.... [more]
Patrik m Swedish, Czech, Slovak, Croatian, Hungarian, Finnish
Form of Patricius (see Patrick) used in several languages.
Paul m English, French, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Estonian, Romanian, Biblical
From the Roman family name Paulus, which meant "small" or "humble" in Latin. Paul was an important leader of the early Christian church. According to Acts in the New Testament, he was a Jewish Roman citizen who converted to Christianity after the resurrected Jesus appeared to him. After this he travelled the eastern Mediterranean as a missionary. His original Hebrew name was Saul. Many of the epistles in the New Testament were authored by him.... [more]
Paula f German, English, Finnish, Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan, Romanian, Hungarian, Polish, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Latvian, Croatian, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Paulus (see Paul). This was the name of a 4th-century Roman saint who was a companion of Saint Jerome.
Pauline f French, English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
French feminine form of Paulinus (see Paulino).
Peder m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Scandinavian form of Peter.
Peer m Danish, Norwegian
Variant of Per. The Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen used this name for the main character in his play Peer Gynt (1867).
Pehr m Swedish
Swedish variant of Per.
Pelle m Swedish
Swedish diminutive of Per.
Per m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Breton
Scandinavian and Breton form of Peter.
Pernilla f Swedish
Swedish short form of Petronilla.
Pernille f Danish, Norwegian
Danish and Norwegian short form of Petronilla.
Peter m English, German, Dutch, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Slovene, Slovak, Biblical
Derived from Greek Πέτρος (Petros) meaning "stone". This is a translation used in most versions of the New Testament of the name Cephas, meaning "stone" in Aramaic, which was given to the apostle Simon by Jesus (compare Matthew 16:18 and John 1:42). Simon Peter was the most prominent of the apostles during Jesus' ministry and is often considered the first pope.... [more]
Petra f German, Dutch, Spanish, Czech, Slovak, Slovene, Croatian, Bulgarian, Hungarian, Swedish, Finnish, English
Feminine form of Peter. This was also the name of an ancient city in the region that is now Jordan.
Petronella f Dutch, Swedish, Hungarian
Dutch, Swedish and Hungarian form of Petronilla.
Petter m Swedish, Norwegian
Swedish and Norwegian form of Peter.
Pétur m Icelandic
Icelandic form of Peter.
Petur m Faroese
Faroese form of Peter.
Philip m English, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Biblical
From the Greek name Φίλιππος (Philippos) meaning "friend of horses", composed of the elements φίλος (philos) meaning "friend, lover" and ἵππος (hippos) meaning "horse". This was the name of five kings of Macedon, including Philip II the father of Alexander the Great. The name appears in the New Testament belonging to two people who are regarded as saints. First, one of the twelve apostles, and second, an early figure in the Christian church known as Philip the Deacon.... [more]
Pierre m French, Swedish
French form of Peter. This name has been consistently popular in France since the 13th century, but fell out of the top 100 names in 2017. It was borne by the philosopher and theologian Pierre Abélard (1079-1142), the scholar Pierre-Simon Laplace (1749-1827), the impressionist painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir (1841-1919), and Pierre Curie (1859-1906), a physicist who discovered radioactivity with his wife Marie.
Pontus 1 m Swedish
Possibly a form of Pontius. It was brought to Sweden by the French general Pontus De la Gardie, who served under the Swedish king John III.
Poul m Danish
Danish form of Paul.
Preben m Danish, Norwegian
Modern Danish form of the name Pridbjørn, which was an old Scandinavian form of the Slavic (Wendish) name Predbor or Pridbor, which was possibly derived from Slavic perdŭ "first, in front of" and borti "to fight". It was imported into Danish via the medieval Putbus family, who were Slavic nobles from Rügen in Pomerania.
Ragna f Icelandic, Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, Old Norse
Short form of Old Norse names beginning with the element regin "advice, counsel".
Ragnar m Swedish, Norwegian, Icelandic, Faroese, Estonian
Modern Scandinavian form of Ragnarr.
Ragnheiður f Icelandic
Icelandic form of Ragnheiðr.
Ragnhild f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
From the Old Norse name Ragnhildr, composed of the elements regin "advice, counsel" and hildr "battle" (a cognate of Reinhild).
Ragnhildur f Icelandic
Icelandic form of Ragnhild.
Ragnvald m Norwegian, Swedish
Modern Scandinavian form of Ragnvaldr.
Rakel f Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, Icelandic
Scandinavian form of Rachel.
Ralph m English, German, Swedish
Contracted form of the Old Norse name Ráðúlfr (or its Norman form Radulf). Scandinavian settlers introduced it to England before the Norman Conquest, though afterwards it was bolstered by Norman influence. In the Middle Ages it was variously spelled Rauf, Rafe or Ralf reflecting the usual pronunciation. The Ralph spelling became more common in the 18th century. A famous bearer of the name was Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882), an American poet and author who wrote on transcendentalism.
Randi 2 f Norwegian, Danish
Modern form of the Old Norse name Ragnfríðr, which was derived from regin "advice, counsel" and fríðr "beautiful, beloved".
Rasmus m Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, Estonian
Scandinavian, Finnish and Estonian form of Erasmus.
Rebecca f English, Italian, Swedish, German, Dutch, Biblical, Biblical Latin
From the Hebrew name רִבְקָה (Rivqa), probably from a Semitic root meaning "join, tie, snare". This is the name of the wife of Isaac and the mother of Esau and Jacob in the Old Testament. It came into use as an English Christian name after the Protestant Reformation, and it was popular with the Puritans in the 17th century. It has been consistently used since then, becoming especially common in the second half of the 20th century.... [more]
Rebecka f Swedish
Swedish variant of Rebecca.
Rebekka f German, Danish, Norwegian, Icelandic, Faroese, Finnish, Dutch (Rare)
Form of Rebecca used in various languages.
Regína f Icelandic, Czech, Slovak
Icelandic form of Regina, as well as a Czech and Slovak variant.
Regina f English, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Lithuanian, Estonian, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Hungarian, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Late Roman
Means "queen" in Latin (or Italian). It was in use as a Christian name from early times, and was borne by a 2nd-century saint. In England it was used during the Middle Ages in honour of the Virgin Mary, and it was later revived in the 19th century. A city in Canada bears this name, in honour of Queen Victoria.
Regine f German, Norwegian
German and Norwegian form of Regina.
Reidar m Norwegian
From the Old Norse name Hreiðarr, which was derived from the elements hreiðr "nest, home" and herr "army, warrior".
Reidun f Norwegian
From the Old Norse name Hreiðunn, which was derived from the elements hreiðr "nest, home" and unnr "wave".
Renate f German, Dutch, Norwegian
German, Dutch and Norwegian feminine form of Renatus.
Richard m English, French, German, Czech, Slovak, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Germanic
Means "brave ruler", derived from the Old German elements rih "ruler, king" and hart "hard, firm, brave, hardy". This was the name of three early dukes of Normandy. The Normans introduced it to England when they invaded in the 11th century, and it has been very common there since that time. It was borne by three kings of England including the 12th-century Richard I the Lionheart, one of the leaders of the Third Crusade.... [more]
Rickard m Swedish
Swedish variant of Richard.
Rigmor f Danish, Norwegian, Swedish
Scandinavian form of Ricmod, via the Old Danish form Rigmár.
Rika f Swedish, Dutch
Short form of Fredrika, Henrika and other names ending in rika.
Rikard m Swedish, Norwegian
Swedish and Norwegian variant of Richard.
Rikke f Danish
Danish short form of Frederikke.
Rita f Italian, English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Estonian, Hungarian, Spanish, Portuguese, Latvian, Lithuanian
Short form of Margherita and other names ending in rita. Saint Rita (born Margherita Lotti) was a 15th-century nun from Cascia, Italy. Another famous bearer was the American actress Rita Hayworth (1918-1987).
Roald m Norwegian
Modern form of the Old Norse name Hróðvaldr or Hróaldr, composed of the elements hróðr "praise, fame" and valdr "ruler". This name was borne by the Norwegian polar explorer Roald Amundsen (1872-1928) and the British children's author Roald Dahl (1916-1990), who was born to Norwegian parents.
Roar m Norwegian
Modern Norwegian form of Hróarr.
Róbert m Hungarian, Slovak, Icelandic
Hungarian and Icelandic form of Robert.
Robert m English, French, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, Dutch, Finnish, Estonian, Czech, Polish, Russian, Slovene, Croatian, Albanian, Romanian, Catalan, Germanic
From the Germanic name Hrodebert meaning "bright fame", derived from the elements hruod "fame" and beraht "bright". The Normans introduced this name to Britain, where it replaced the rare Old English cognate Hreodbeorht. It has been consistently among the most common English names from the 13th to 20th century. In the United States it was the most popular name for boys between 1924 and 1939 (and again in 1953).... [more]
Robin m & f English, French, Dutch, Swedish, Czech
Medieval English diminutive of Robert, now usually regarded as an independent name. Robin Hood was a legendary hero and archer of medieval England who stole from the rich to give to the poor. In modern times it has also been used as a feminine name, and it may sometimes be given in reference to the red-breasted bird.
Roffe m Swedish
Swedish diminutive of Rolf.
Roger m English, French, Catalan, Swedish, Norwegian, German, Dutch
From the Germanic name Hrodger meaning "famous spear", derived from the elements hruod "fame" and ger "spear". The Normans brought this name to England, where it replaced the Old English cognate Hroðgar (the name of the Danish king in the Anglo-Saxon epic Beowulf). It was a common name in England during the Middle Ages. By the 18th century it was rare, but it was revived in following years. The name was borne by the Norman lords Roger I, who conquered Sicily in the 11th century, and his son Roger II, who ruled Sicily as a king.... [more]
Roland m English, French, German, Swedish, Dutch, Hungarian, Polish, Slovak, Albanian, Georgian, Carolingian Cycle
From the Old German elements hruod meaning "fame" and lant meaning "land", though some theories hold that the second element was originally nand meaning "brave".... [more]
Rolf m German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, English
From the Old German name Hrolf (or its Old Norse cognate Hrólfr), a contracted form of Hrodulf (see Rudolf). The Normans introduced this name to England but it soon became rare. In the modern era it has occasionally been used in the English-speaking world as a German import.
Ronja f Swedish, Finnish
Invented by Swedish children's author Astrid Lindgren, who based it on the middle portion of Juronjaure, the name of a lake in Sweden. Lindgren used it in her 1981 book Ronia the Robber's Daughter (Ronia is the English translation).
Rós f Icelandic
Means "rose" in Icelandic.
Rósa f Icelandic, Faroese
Icelandic and Faroese form of Rosa 1.
Rosa 1 f Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Catalan, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Finnish, Dutch, German, English
Generally this can be considered to be from Latin rosa meaning "rose", though originally it may have come from the unrelated Germanic name Roza 2. This was the name of a 13th-century saint from Viterbo in Italy. In the English-speaking world it was first used in the 19th century. Famous bearers include the Polish-German revolutionary Rosa Luxemburg (1871-1919) and the American civil rights activist Rosa Parks (1913-2005).
Ruben m Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, French, Italian, Armenian, Biblical Latin
Form of Reuben in several languages. This was the name of an 11th-century Armenian ruler of Cilicia.
Rúna f Old Norse, Icelandic, Faroese
Old Norse, Icelandic and Faroese feminine form of Rune.
Runa f Norwegian, Danish, Swedish
Feminine form of Rune.
Rúnar m Icelandic
Icelandic form of Runar.
Runar m Norwegian
Derived from the Old Norse elements rún "secret lore, rune" and herr "army, warrior". This name did not exist in Old Norse, but was created in the modern era.
Rune m Norwegian, Danish, Swedish
Derived from Old Norse rún meaning "secret lore, rune".
Rúni m Old Norse, Faroese
Old Norse and Faroese form of Rune.
Rut f Spanish, Icelandic, Swedish, Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew
Form of Ruth 1 in several languages.
Ruth 1 f English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Estonian, Spanish, Biblical, Biblical Latin
From the Hebrew name רוּת (Ruṯ), probably derived from the word רְעוּת (reʿuṯ) meaning "female friend". This is the name of the central character in the Book of Ruth in the Old Testament. She was a Moabite woman who accompanied her mother-in-law Naomi back to Bethlehem after Ruth's husband died. There she met and married Boaz. She was an ancestor of King David.... [more]
Sabina f Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Romanian, Polish, Czech, Slovene, Russian, Croatian, Swedish, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Sabinus, a Roman cognomen meaning "a Sabine" in Latin. The Sabines were an ancient people who lived in central Italy, their lands eventually taken over by the Romans after several wars. According to legend, the Romans abducted several Sabine women during a raid, and when the men came to rescue them, the women were able to make peace between the two groups. This name was borne by several early saints.
Sabine f French, German, Dutch, Danish
French, German, Dutch and Danish form of Sabina.
Saga f Norse Mythology, Swedish, Icelandic
From Old Norse Sága, possibly meaning "seeing one", derived from sjá "to see". This is the name of a Norse goddess, possibly connected to Frigg. As a Swedish and Icelandic name, it is also derived from the unrelated word saga "story, fairy tale, saga".
Salka f Icelandic
Possibly a diminutive of Sara.
Samuel m English, French, German, Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Romanian, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Jewish, Amharic, Biblical
From the Hebrew name שְׁמוּאֵל (Shemuʾel) meaning "name of God", from the roots שֵׁם (shem) meaning "name" and אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". Other interpretations have the first root being שָׁמַע (shamaʿ) meaning "to hear" leading to a meaning of "God has heard". As told in the Books of Samuel in the Old Testament, Samuel was the last of the ruling judges. He led the Israelites during a period of domination by the Philistines, who were ultimately defeated in battle at Mizpah. Later he anointed Saul to be the first king of Israel, and even later anointed his successor David.... [more]
Sander m Dutch, Estonian, Danish, Norwegian
Dutch, Estonian, Danish and Norwegian short form of Alexander.
Sandra f Italian, English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Latvian, Lithuanian, Polish, Slovene, Croatian, Serbian, Macedonian, Czech, Romanian
Short form of Alessandra. It was introduced to the English-speaking world (where it is usually used independently of Alexandra) by author George Meredith, who used it for the heroine in his novel Emilia in England (1864) and the reissued version Sandra Belloni (1887). A famous bearer is the American actress Sandra Bullock (1964-).
Sanna f Swedish, Finnish
Short form of Susanna. It can also be derived from Swedish sann meaning "true".
Sanne f Dutch, Danish
Dutch and Danish short form of Susanna.
Sarah f English, French, German, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Dutch, Hebrew, Arabic, Biblical
From the Hebrew name שָׂרָה (Sara) meaning "lady, princess, noblewoman". In the Old Testament this is the name of Abraham's wife, considered the matriarch of the Jewish people. She was barren until she unexpectedly became pregnant with Isaac at the age of 90. Her name was originally Sarai, but God changed it at the same time Abraham's name was changed (see Genesis 17:15).... [more]
Sassa f Swedish (Rare)
Swedish diminutive of Astrid, Alexandra or Sara.
Sebastian m German, English, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Polish, Finnish, Romanian, Czech
From the Latin name Sebastianus, which meant "from Sebaste". Sebaste was the name a town in Asia Minor, its name deriving from Greek σεβαστός (sebastos) meaning "venerable" (a translation of Latin Augustus, the title of the Roman emperors). According to Christian tradition, Saint Sebastian was a 3rd-century Roman soldier martyred during the persecutions of the emperor Diocletian. After he was discovered to be a Christian, he was tied to a stake and shot with arrows. This however did not kill him. Saint Irene of Rome healed him and he returned to personally admonish Diocletian, whereupon the emperor had him beaten to death.... [more]
Selma 1 f English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic
Meaning unknown, possibly a short form of Anselma. It could also have been inspired by James Macpherson's 18th-century poems, in which it is the name of Ossian's castle.
Sidsel f Norwegian, Danish
Norwegian and Danish variant form of Cecilia.
Sif f Norse Mythology, Danish, Icelandic
Old Norse, Danish and Icelandic form of Siv.
Sigfrid 1 m Swedish (Rare)
Swedish form of Siegfried. This was the name of an 11th-century saint from England who did missionary work in Scandinavia.
Sigfrid 2 f Norwegian (Rare)
Norwegian variant of Sigrid.
Sigge m Swedish
Diminutive of Sigurd, Sigfrid 1, and other Old German names beginning with the element sigu meaning "victory".
Sigmund m German, Norwegian, English, Norse Mythology
Derived from the Old German elements sigu "victory" and munt "protection" (or in the case of the Scandinavian cognate, from Old Norse sigr and mundr). An early variant of this name was Sigismund, borne by a 6th-century saint and king of the Burgundians. In the Norse Völsungasaga Sigmund is the hero Sigurd's father, the bearer of the powerful sword Gram. A notable bearer was the Austrian psychologist Sigmund Freud (1856-1939), the creator of the revolutionary theory of psychoanalysis.
Sigmundur m Icelandic
Icelandic form of Sigmund.
Signe f Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, Estonian, Latvian
Modern Scandinavian form of Signý.
Signy f Norwegian
Norwegian variant form of Signý.
Signý f Old Norse, Norse Mythology, Icelandic
Old Norse name that was derived from the elements sigr "victory" and nýr "new". In Norse legend she was the twin sister of Sigmund and the wife of Siggeir.
Sigrid f Norwegian, Swedish, Danish, German, Estonian, Finnish (Archaic)
From the Old Norse name Sigríðr, which was derived from the elements sigr "victory" and fríðr "beautiful, beloved".
Sigríður f Icelandic
Icelandic form of Sigríðr.
Sigrún f Old Norse, Norse Mythology, Icelandic
Derived from the Old Norse elements sigr "victory" and rún "secret lore, rune". This was the name of a valkyrie in Norse legend.
Sigrun f Norwegian, German
Norwegian form of Sigrún.
Sigurd m Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, Norse Mythology
From the Old Norse name Sigurðr, which was derived from the elements sigr "victory" and vǫrðr "guard, guardian". Sigurd was the hero of the Norse epic the Völsungasaga, which tells how his foster father Regin sent him to recover a hoard of gold guarded by the dragon Fafnir. After slaying the dragon Sigurd tasted some of its blood, enabling him to understand the language of birds, who told him that Regin was planning to betray him. In a later adventure, Sigurd disguised himself as Gunnar (his wife Gudrun's brother) and rescued the maiden Brynhildr from a ring of fire, with the result that Gunnar and Brynhildr were married. When the truth eventually came out, Brynhildr took revenge upon Sigurd. The stories of the German hero Siegfried were in part based on him.
Sigurður m Icelandic
Icelandic form of Sigurd.
Sigvard m Swedish
Swedish form of Sigiward, the continental Germanic cognate of Sigurd.
Silas m English, Greek, Danish, German, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
The name of a companion of Saint Paul in the New Testament. It is probably a short form of Silvanus, a name that Paul calls him by in the epistles. It is possible that Silvanus and Silas were Latin and Greek forms of the Hebrew name Saul (via Aramaic).... [more]
Silje f Norwegian, Danish
Norwegian and Danish diminutive of Cecilia.
Sille f Danish
Danish diminutive of Cecilia.
Simen m Norwegian
Norwegian variant of Simon 1.
Simon 1 m English, French, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, Dutch, Hungarian, Slovene, Romanian, Macedonian, Georgian, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
From Σίμων (Simon), the New Testament Greek form of the Hebrew name שִׁםְעוֹן (Shimʿon) meaning "hearing, listening", derived from שָׁמַע (shamaʿ) meaning "to hear, to listen". This name is spelled Simeon, based on Greek Συμεών, in many translations of the Old Testament, where it is borne by the second son of Jacob. The New Testament spelling may show influence from the otherwise unrelated Greek name Simon 2.... [more]
Simone 1 f French, English, German, Dutch, Danish, Portuguese
French feminine form of Simon 1. A famous bearer was Simone de Beauvoir (1908-1986), a French feminist and philosopher.
Sindre m Norwegian
Norwegian form of Sindri.
Sindri m Norse Mythology, Old Norse, Icelandic
Means "sparkle" in Old Norse. In Norse mythology this was the name of a dwarf, also named Eitri. With his brother Brokkr he made several magical items for the gods, including Odin's ring Draupnir and Thor's hammer Mjölnir.
Siri f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Short form of Sigrid.
Sissel f Norwegian
Norwegian variant form of Cecilia.
Siv f Swedish, Norwegian, Norse Mythology
From Old Norse Sif, which meant "bride, kinswoman". In Norse mythology she was the wife of Thor. After the trickster Loki cut off her golden hair, an angry Thor forced him to create a replacement.
Sivert m Norwegian, Swedish
Norwegian and Swedish form of Sievert.
Siw f Swedish, Norwegian
Variant of Siv.
Sixten m Swedish
From the Old Norse name Sigsteinn, which was derived from the elements sigr "victory" and steinn "stone".
Sjurd m Norwegian (Rare)
Norwegian variant form of Sigurd.
Smilla f Danish, Swedish, Literature
Invented by the Danish author Peter Høeg for the heroine of his novel Miss Smilla's Feeling for Snow (1992). In the book the name is explained as a short form of Smillaaraq, a blend of Danish smil "smile" and the Greenlandic name Miillaaraq.
Snædís f Icelandic
Means "snow goddess", derived from the Old Norse elements snær "snow" and dís "goddess".
Snorre m Norwegian
Norwegian form of Snorri.
Snorri m Old Norse, Icelandic
Derived from Old Norse snerra "attack, onslaught". This name was borne by Snorri Sturluson, a 13th-century Icelandic historian and poet, the author of the Prose Edda.
Soffía f Icelandic
Icelandic form of Sophia.
Sofi f Armenian, Swedish, Spanish
Armenian form of Sophie, as well as a Swedish and Spanish short form of Sofia.
Sofie f German, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Dutch, Czech
Form of Sophie in several languages.
Solbjørg f Norwegian
From the Old Norse name Salbjǫrg, from the elements salr "room, hall" and bjǫrg "help, save, rescue".
Sóldís f Icelandic
Icelandic form of Saldís.
Sóley f Icelandic
Means "buttercup (flower)" in Icelandic (genus Ranunculus), derived from sól "sun" and ey "island".
Solfrid f Norwegian
From the Old Norse elements sól "sun" and fríðr "beautiful, beloved". This name was coined in the 19th century.
Sólja f Faroese
Means "buttercup (flower)" in Faroese (genus Ranunculus). The buttercup is the national flower of the Faroe Islands.
Sólveig f Old Norse, Icelandic
Old Norse and Icelandic form of Solveig.
Solveig f Norwegian, Swedish, Danish
From an Old Norse name, which was derived from the elements sól "sun" and veig "strength". This is the name of the heroine in Henrik Ibsen's play Peer Gynt (1876).
Solvej f Danish
Danish form of Solveig.
Sölvi m Icelandic
Icelandic form of Sǫlvi.
Sølvi f Norwegian
Norwegian variant of Solveig. It is also used as a short form of Silvia.
Solvig f Swedish
Swedish variant form of Solveig.
Sondre m Norwegian
From the Old Norse name Sundri, possibly from Old Norse sunn meaning "south".
Sören m Swedish, German
Swedish and German form of Søren.
Søren m Danish
Danish form of Severinus. Søren Kierkegaard (1813-1855) was a Danish philosopher who is regarded as a precursor of existentialism.
Staffan m Swedish
Swedish variant form of Stephen.
Ståle m Norwegian
From the Old Norse byname Stáli, which was derived from stál meaning "steel".
Steen m Danish
Danish cognate of Sten.
Stefán m Icelandic
Icelandic form of Stephen.
Stefan m German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Polish, Bulgarian, Serbian, Macedonian
Form of Stephen used in several languages. Famous bearers include the Serbian rulers Stefan Nemanja, Stefan Nemanjić, and Stefan Lazarević, who are all considered saints in the Orthodox Church.
Steffen m Low German, Danish, Norwegian, Dutch
Low German and Danish form of Stephen.
Stein m Norwegian
Norwegian cognate of Sten.
Steinar m Norwegian
From the Old Norse name Steinarr, derived from the elements steinn "stone" and herr "army, warrior".
Steingrímur m Icelandic
From the Old Norse name Steingrímr, derived from the elements steinn "stone" and gríma "mask".
Steinn m Icelandic, Old Norse
Old Norse and Icelandic form of Sten.
Steinunn f Icelandic, Old Norse
Derived from the Old Norse elements steinn "stone" and unnr "wave".
Stellan m Swedish
Meaning unknown, perhaps related to Old Norse stilling "calm", or perhaps of German origin.
Sten m Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Estonian
Derived from the Old Norse name Steinn meaning "stone".
Stian m Norwegian
Modern Norwegian form of Stígandr.
Stig m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Modern form of Stigr.
Stina f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Scandinavian short form of Christina and other names ending in stina.
Stine f Danish, Norwegian
Danish and Norwegian short form of Christine and other names ending in stine.
Storm m & f English (Modern), Dutch (Modern), Danish (Modern), Norwegian (Modern)
From the vocabulary word, ultimately from Old English or Old Dutch storm, or in the case of the Scandinavian name, from Old Norse stormr. It is unisex as an English name, but typically masculine elsewhere.
Sture m Swedish, Medieval Scandinavian
Derived from Old Norse stura meaning "to be contrary". This was the name of three viceroys of Sweden.
Sune m Swedish, Danish
Modern form of Suni.
Sunniva f Norwegian
Scandinavian form of the Old English name Sunngifu, which meant "sun gift" from the Old English elements sunne "sun" and giefu "gift". This was the name of a legendary English saint who was shipwrecked in Norway and killed by the inhabitants.
Susann f German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
German and Scandinavian short form of Susanne.
Susanna f Italian, Catalan, Swedish, Finnish, Russian, Ukrainian, Dutch, English, Armenian, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Old Church Slavic
From Σουσάννα (Sousanna), the Greek form of the Hebrew name שׁוֹשַׁנָּה (Shoshanna). This was derived from the Hebrew word שׁוֹשָׁן (shoshan) meaning "lily" (in modern Hebrew this also means "rose"), perhaps ultimately from Egyptian sšn "lotus". In the Old Testament Apocrypha this is the name of a woman falsely accused of adultery. The prophet Daniel clears her name by tricking her accusers, who end up being condemned themselves. It also occurs in the New Testament belonging to a woman who ministers to Jesus.... [more]
Susanne f German, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, English
German and Scandinavian form of Susanna.
Svana f Icelandic
Short form of Svanhildur.
Svanhild f Norwegian, Norse Mythology
From Old Norse svanr "swan" and hildr "battle", a Scandinavian cognate of Swanhild. In the Norse epic the Völsungasaga she is the daughter of Sigurd and Gudrun.
Svanhildur f Icelandic
Icelandic form of Svanhild.
Svante m Swedish
Swedish short form of Svantepolk.
Svea f Swedish
From a personification of the country of Sweden, in use since the 17th century. It is a derivative of Svear, the Swedish name for the North Germanic tribe the Swedes. The Swedish name of the country of Sweden is Sverige, a newer form of Svear rike meaning "the realm of the Svear".
Svein m Norwegian
Norwegian variant of Sven.
Sveinn m Icelandic, Old Norse
Old Norse and Icelandic form of Sven.
Sven m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Estonian, German, Dutch
From the Old Norse byname Sveinn meaning "boy". This was the name of kings of Denmark, Norway and Sweden.
Svend m Danish
Danish form of Sven.
Sverre m Norwegian
From the Old Norse name Sverrir meaning "wild, swinging, spinning".
Sverrir m Old Norse, Icelandic
Old Norse form of Sverre, as well as the modern Icelandic form.
Sylvester m English, German, Danish
Medieval variant of Silvester. This is currently the usual English spelling of the name. A famous bearer is the American actor Sylvester Stallone (1946-).
Sylvi f Norwegian, Swedish, Finnish
Norwegian and Swedish variant of Solveig. It is also used as a short form of Sylvia.
Sylvia f English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish
Variant of Silvia. This has been the most common English spelling since the 19th century.
Synne f Norwegian
Short form of Synnøve.
Synnöve f Swedish
Swedish form of Sunniva.
Synnøve f Norwegian
Norwegian variant of Sunniva.
Tage m Danish, Swedish
From the medieval Danish byname Taki, derived from Old Norse taka meaning "to take, to capture".
Tarben m Danish (Rare)
Danish variant of Torben.
Tatiana f Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Romanian, French, Slovak, Polish, Finnish, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, Dutch, Greek, Georgian, English, Russian, Bulgarian, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of the Roman name Tatianus, a derivative of the Roman name Tatius. This was the name of a 3rd-century saint who was martyred in Rome under the emperor Alexander Severus. She was especially venerated in Orthodox Christianity, and the name has been common in Russia (as Татьяна) and Eastern Europe. It was not regularly used in the English-speaking world until the 1980s.
Tekla f Swedish, Latvian, Georgian, Hungarian, Polish (Archaic)
Form of Thekla in several languages.
Teresa f Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Catalan, Polish, Lithuanian, Finnish, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, English
Form of Theresa used in several languages. Saint Teresa of Ávila was a 16th-century Spanish nun who reformed the Carmelite monasteries and wrote several spiritual books. It was also borne by the Albanian missionary Saint Teresa of Calcutta (1910-1997), better known as Mother Teresa, who worked with the poor in India. She adopted the name in honour of the French saint Thérèse of Lisieux, who is the patron of missionaries.
Terese f Basque, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Basque and Scandinavian form of Theresa.
Teresia f Swedish
Swedish variant of Teresa.
Terje 1 m Norwegian
Norwegian variant of Torgeir.
Tessan f Swedish
Swedish diminutive of Teresa.
Thea f German, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, English
Short form of Dorothea, Theodora, Theresa and other names with a similar sound.