Danish Names

Danish names are used in the country of Denmark in northern Europe. See also about Scandinavian names.
gender
usage
Aage m Danish, Norwegian
Danish and Norwegian form of Áki.
Aase f Danish, Norwegian
Danish form of Åsa.
Abraham m English, Hebrew, Spanish, French, Swedish, Dutch, German (Rare), Norwegian (Rare), Danish (Rare), Biblical, Biblical Latin
This name may be viewed either as meaning "father of many" in Hebrew or else as a contraction of Abram 1 and הָמוֹן (hamon) meaning "many, multitude". The biblical patriarch Abraham was originally named Abram but God changed his name (see Genesis 17:5). With his father Terah, he led his wife Sarah, his nephew Lot and their other followers from Ur into Canaan. He is regarded by Jews as being the founder of the Hebrews through his son Isaac and by Muslims as being the founder of the Arabs through his son Ishmael.... [more]
Adam m English, French, German, Polish, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Czech, Slovak, Russian, Ukrainian, Croatian, Serbian, Macedonian, Romanian, Catalan, Greek, Hebrew, Arabic, Georgian, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek, Biblical Hebrew
This is the Hebrew word for "man". It could be ultimately derived from Hebrew אדם ('adam) meaning "to be red", referring to the ruddy colour of human skin, or from Akkadian adamu meaning "to make".... [more]
Adolf m German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Czech, Hungarian, Polish, Germanic
From the Old German name Adalwolf, which meant "noble wolf" from the elements adal "noble" and wolf. It was borne by several Swedish kings as a first or second name, most notably by Gustav II Adolf in the 17th century. Association with Adolf Hitler (1889-1945), the leader of the Nazi party in Germany during World War II, has lessened the use of this name.
Adrian m English, Romanian, Polish, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Russian
Form of Hadrianus (see Hadrian) used in several languages. Several saints and six popes have borne this name, including the only English pope, Adrian IV, and the only Dutch pope, Adrian VI. As an English name, it has been in use since the Middle Ages, though it was not popular until modern times.
Agner m Danish
Danish form of Agnar.
Agnes f English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Estonian, Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Ἁγνή (Hagne), derived from Greek ἁγνός (hagnos) meaning "chaste". Saint Agnes was a virgin martyred during the persecutions of the Roman emperor Diocletian. The name became associated with Latin agnus "lamb", resulting in the saint's frequent depiction with a lamb by her side. Due to her renown, the name became common in Christian Europe.... [more]
Agnete f Danish, Norwegian
Danish and Norwegian variant of Agnes.
Agnethe f Danish, Norwegian
Danish and Norwegian variant of Agnes.
Aina 1 f Finnish, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Variant of Aino. It also means "always" in Finnish.
Aksel m Danish, Norwegian
Variant of Axel.
Albert m English, German, French, Catalan, Polish, Czech, Russian, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Finnish, Romanian, Hungarian, Albanian, Germanic
From the Germanic name Adalbert meaning "noble and bright", composed of the elements adal "noble" and beraht "bright". This name was common among medieval German royalty. The Normans introduced it to England, where it replaced the Old English cognate Æþelbeorht. Though it became rare in England by the 17th century, it was repopularized in the 19th century by the German-born Prince Albert, the husband of Queen Victoria.... [more]
Alberte 2 f French, Danish
French and Danish feminine form of Albert.
Aleksander m Polish, Slovene, Estonian, Norwegian, Danish
Form of Alexander in several languages.
Alex m & f English, Dutch, German, French, Portuguese, Italian, Romanian, Greek, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Hungarian, Czech, Russian
Short form of Alexander, Alexandra and other names beginning with Alex.
Alexander m English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Hungarian, Slovak, Biblical, Ancient Greek (Latinized), Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Ἀλέξανδρος (Alexandros), which meant "defending men" from Greek ἀλέξω (alexo) meaning "to defend, help" and ἀνήρ (aner) meaning "man" (genitive ἀνδρός). In Greek mythology this was another name of the hero Paris, and it also belongs to several characters in the New Testament. However, the most famous bearer was Alexander the Great, king of Macedon. In the 4th century BC he built a huge empire out of Greece, Egypt, Persia, and parts of India. Due to his fame, and later medieval tales involving him, use of his name spread throughout Europe.... [more]
Alexandra f English, German, Dutch, French, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Greek, Portuguese, Romanian, Czech, Slovak, Hungarian, Catalan, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Ukrainian, Ancient Greek, Greek Mythology
Feminine form of Alexander. In Greek mythology this was a Mycenaean epithet of the goddess Hera, and an alternate name of Cassandra. It was borne by several early Christian saints, and also by the wife of Nicholas II, the last czar of Russia. She was from Germany and had the birth name Alix, but was renamed Александра (Aleksandra) upon joining the Russian Church.
Alf 1 m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Norse Mythology
Derived from Old Norse alfr meaning "elf". In Norse legend this was the name of king, the suitor of a reluctant maiden named Alfhild. She avoided marrying him by disguising herself as a warrior, but when they fought she was so impressed by his strength that she changed her mind.
Alf 3 m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Short form of Adolf.
Alfred m English, French, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, Polish, Dutch, Albanian
Means "elf counsel", derived from the Old English name Ælfræd, composed of the elements ælf "elf" and ræd "counsel, advice". Alfred the Great was a 9th-century king of Wessex who fought unceasingly against the Danes living in northeast England. He was also a scholar, and he translated many Latin books into Old English. His fame helped to ensure the usage of this name even after the Norman Conquest, when most Old English names were replaced by Norman ones. It became rare by the end of the Middle Ages, but was revived in the 18th century.... [more]
Alice f English, French, Portuguese, Italian, German, Czech, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Dutch
From the Old French name Aalis, a short form of Adelais, itself a short form of the Germanic name Adalheidis (see Adelaide). This name became popular in France and England in the 12th century. It was among the most common names in England until the 16th century, when it began to decline. It was revived in the 19th century.... [more]
Allan m English, Scottish, Danish, Swedish, Estonian
Variant of Alan. The American author Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849) got his middle name from the surname of the parents who adopted him.
Alma 1 f English, Spanish, Italian, Dutch, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Latvian, Lithuanian, Albanian, Slovene, Croatian
This name became popular after the Battle of Alma (1854), which took place near the River Alma in Crimea and ended in a victory for Britain and France. However, the name was in rare use before the battle; it was probably inspired by Latin almus "nourishing". It also coincides with the Spanish word meaning "the soul".
Alvilda f Danish (Rare)
Danish form of Alfhild.
Amalie f Norwegian, Danish, German (Rare)
Norwegian, Danish and German form of Amalia.
Amanda f English, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Hungarian, Latvian, Late Roman
In part this is a feminine form of Amandus. However, it was not used during the Middle Ages. In the 17th century it was recreated by authors and poets who based it directly on Latin amanda meaning "lovable, worthy of love". Notably, the playwright Colley Cibber used it for a character in his play Love's Last Shift (1696). It came into regular use during the 19th century.
Anders m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Scandinavian form of Andreas (see Andrew). A famous bearer was the Swedish physicist Anders Jonas Ångström (1814-1874).
Andrea 2 f English, German, Spanish, Czech, Slovak, Hungarian, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Dutch, Croatian, Serbian
Feminine form of Andrew. As an English name, it has been used since the 17th century, though it was not common until the 20th century.
Andreas m German, Greek, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Welsh, Ancient Greek, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
Ancient Greek and Latin form of Andrew. It is also the form used in Modern Greek, German and Welsh.
Ane 1 f Danish
Danish diminutive of Anna.
Anette f Swedish, Danish, Norwegian
Scandinavian variant of Annette.
Anika 1 f German, Dutch, Danish, Polish, Slovene
Diminutive of Anna or Ana.
Anita 1 f Spanish, Portuguese, Croatian, Slovene, English, Dutch, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Polish, Latvian, Hungarian
Spanish, Portuguese, Croatian and Slovene diminutive of Ana.
Anja f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Slovene, Croatian, Serbian, German, Dutch
Form of Anya in several languages.
Anker m Danish
From the Old Danish name Ankarl, of uncertain meaning, possibly a combination of Old Norse ǫrn "eagle" and karl "man".
Anna f English, Italian, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Estonian, Latvian, Greek, Hungarian, Polish, Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, Czech, Slovak, Bulgarian, Armenian, Icelandic, Faroese, Catalan, Occitan, Breton, Scottish Gaelic, Biblical, Old Church Slavic, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
Form of Channah (see Hannah) used in the Greek and Latin Old Testament. Many later Old Testament translations, including the English, use the Hannah spelling instead of Anna. The name appears briefly in the New Testament belonging to a prophetess who recognized Jesus as the Messiah. It was a popular name in the Byzantine Empire from an early date, and in the Middle Ages it became common among Western Christians due to veneration of Saint Anna (usually known as Saint Anne in English), the name traditionally assigned to the mother of the Virgin Mary.... [more]
Annalise f Danish, English (Modern)
Combination of Anna and Lise.
Anne 1 f French, English, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Estonian, German, Dutch, Basque
French form of Anna. It was imported to England in the 13th century, but it did not become popular until three centuries later. The spelling variant Ann was also commonly found from this period, and is still used to this day.... [more]
Annelise f Danish
Danish form of Anneliese.
Annemarie f Dutch, German, Danish
Combination of Anna and Marie.
Annette f French, English, German, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Dutch
French diminutive of Anne 1. It has also been widely used in the English-speaking world, and it became popular in America in the late 1950s due to the fame of actress Annette Funicello (1942-2013).
Anni f Finnish, Estonian, German, Danish
Finnish, Estonian, German and Danish diminutive of Anna.
Arne 1 m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Originally an Old Norse short form of names beginning with the element ǫrn meaning "eagle".
Aron m Polish, Croatian, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic
Polish, Croatian and Scandinavian form of Aaron.
Arthur m English, French, German, Dutch, Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, Welsh Mythology, Arthurian Romance
The meaning of this name is unknown. It could be derived from the Celtic elements *artos "bear" (Old Welsh arth) combined with *wiros "man" (Old Welsh gur) or *rīxs "king" (Old Welsh ri). Alternatively it could be related to an obscure Roman family name Artorius.... [more]
Asbjørn m Norwegian, Danish
Norwegian and Danish form of Ásbjǫrn.
Åse f Norwegian, Swedish, Danish
Norwegian form of Åsa, as well as a Swedish and Danish variant. It was used by the Norwegian dramatist Henrik Ibsen in his play Peer Gynt (1867), where it belongs to the mother of the title character.
Asger m Danish
From the Old Norse name Ásgeirr, derived from the elements áss meaning "god" and geirr meaning "spear". It is a cognate of Ansgar.
Asløg f Danish (Rare)
Danish form of Aslaug.
Asta f Swedish, Danish, Norwegian
Short form of Astrid.
Astrid f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, French, English
Modern Scandinavian form of Ástríðr. This name was borne by the Swedish writer Astrid Lindgren (1907-2002), the author of Pippi Longstocking. It was also borne by a Swedish princess (1905-1935) who became the queen of Belgium as the wife of Leopold III.
August m German, Polish, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Catalan, English
German, Polish, Scandinavian and Catalan form of Augustus. This was the name of three Polish kings.... [more]
Axel m Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, German, French, English
Medieval Danish form of Absalom.
Barbara f English, Italian, French, German, Polish, Hungarian, Slovene, Croatian, Dutch, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Late Roman
Derived from Greek βάρβαρος (barbaros) meaning "foreign". According to legend, Saint Barbara was a young woman killed by her father Dioscorus, who was then killed by a bolt of lightning. She is the patron of architects, geologists, stonemasons and artillerymen. Because of her renown, the name came into general use in the Christian world in the Middle Ages. In England it became rare after the Protestant Reformation, but it was revived in the 19th century.
Beata f Polish, German, Swedish, Danish, Late Roman
Derived from Latin beatus meaning "blessed". This was the name of a few minor saints.
Beate f German, Norwegian, Danish
German form of Beata.
Bendt m Danish
Variant of Bent 1.
Benedicte f Norwegian, Danish
Norwegian and Danish feminine form of Benedict.
Benedikte f Danish, Norwegian
Danish and Norwegian feminine form of Benedict.
Benjamin m English, French, German, Dutch, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, Slovene, Croatian, Biblical
From the Hebrew name בִּנְיָמִין (Binyamin) meaning "son of the south" or "son of the right hand", from the roots בֵּן (ben) meaning "son" and יָמִין (yamin) meaning "right hand, south". Benjamin in the Old Testament was the twelfth and youngest son of Jacob and the founder of one of the southern tribes of the Hebrews. He was originally named בֶּן־אוֹנִי (Ben-'oni) meaning "son of my sorrow" by his mother Rachel, who died shortly after childbirth, but it was later changed by his father (see Genesis 35:18).... [more]
Bent 1 m Danish
Danish form of Benedict.
Bente f Danish, Norwegian, Dutch
Danish feminine form of Benedict.
Benthe f Danish
Variant of Bente.
Bernhard m German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Germanic
German, Dutch and Scandinavian form of Bernard.
Bernt m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Scandinavian form of Bernard.
Bertil m Swedish, Danish
Scandinavian form of Bertilo or Berthold.
Bine 1 f Danish
Short form of Sabine and other names ending in bine.
Birger m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
From the Old Norse name Birgir, probably derived from bjarga meaning "help, save, rescue".
Birgit f Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Estonian, German
Scandinavian variant of Birgitta.
Birgitta f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Finnish
Most likely a Scandinavian form of Bridget via the Latinized form Brigitta. Alternatively it could be a feminine derivative of Birger. This is the name of the patron saint of Europe, Birgitta of Sweden, the 14th-century founder of the Bridgettine nuns. Her father's name was Birger.
Birgitte f Danish, Norwegian
Danish form of Birgitta.
Birte f Danish
Danish diminutive of Birgitta.
Birthe f Danish
Danish diminutive of Birgitta.
Bjarke m Danish
Danish diminutive of Bjørn.
Bjarne m Danish, Norwegian, Swedish
Modern form of Bjarni.
Bjørn m Norwegian, Danish
Danish and Norwegian form of Björn.
Bo 1 m Swedish, Danish
From the Old Norse byname Búi, which was derived from Old Norse bua meaning "to live".
Bodil f Danish, Norwegian, Swedish
From the Old Norse name Bóthildr, derived from bót "remedy" and hildr "battle".
Britt f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Scandinavian short form of Birgitta.
Britta f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Scandinavian short form of Birgitta.
Camilla f English, Italian, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, German, Ancient Roman, Roman Mythology
Feminine form of Camillus. This was the name of a legendary warrior maiden of the Volsci, as told by Virgil in the Aeneid. It was popularized in the English-speaking world by Fanny Burney's novel Camilla (1796).
Carl m German, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, English
German and Scandinavian variant of Karl (see Charles). Two noteworthy bearers of the name were the German mathematician Carl Gauss (1777-1855), who made contributions to number theory and algebra as well as physics and astronomy, and the Swiss psychologist Carl Jung (1875-1961), who founded analytical psychology. It was imported to America in the 19th century by German immigrants.
Casper m Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Dutch and Scandinavian form of Jasper. This is the name of a friendly ghost in an American series of cartoons and comic books (beginning 1945).
Cathrine f Norwegian, Danish, Swedish
Scandinavian contracted form of Katherine.
Catrine f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Scandinavian contracted form of Katherine.
Cecilia f English, Italian, Spanish, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Dutch, Romanian, Finnish
Latinate feminine form of the Roman family name Caecilius, which was derived from Latin caecus meaning "blind". Saint Cecilia was a semi-legendary 2nd- or 3rd-century martyr who was sentenced to die because she refused to worship the Roman gods. After attempts to suffocate her failed, she was beheaded. She was later regarded as the patron saint of music and musicians.... [more]
Cecilie f Norwegian, Danish, Czech
Norwegian and Danish form of Cecilia, as well as a Czech variant of Cecílie.
Charlotte f French, English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch
French feminine diminutive of Charles. It was introduced to Britain in the 17th century. It was the name of a German-born 18th-century queen consort of Great Britain and Ireland. Another notable bearer was Charlotte Brontë (1816-1855), the eldest of the three Brontë sisters and the author of Jane Eyre and Villette. A famous fictional bearer is the spider in the children's novel Charlotte's Web (1952) by E. B. White.... [more]
Chris m & f English, Dutch, German, Danish
Short form of Christopher, Christian, Christine and other names that begin with Chris.
Christer m Swedish, Danish
Swedish and Danish diminutive of Christian.
Christian m English, French, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
From the medieval Latin name Christianus meaning "a Christian" (see Christos 1 for further etymology). In England it has been in use since the Middle Ages, during which time it was used by both males and females, but it did not become common until the 17th century. In Denmark the name has been borne by ten kings since the 15th century.... [more]
Christina f English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Greek
From Christiana, the Latin feminine form of Christian. This was the name of an early, possibly legendary, saint who was tormented by her pagan father. It was also borne by a 17th-century Swedish queen and patron the arts who gave up her crown in order to become a Roman Catholic.... [more]
Christine f French, English, German, Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, Dutch
French form of Christina, as well as a variant in other languages. It was used by the French author Gaston Leroux for the heroine, Christine Daaé, in his novel The Phantom of the Opera (1910).... [more]
Christoffer m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Scandinavian variant of Kristoffer.
Cille f Danish
Danish diminutive of Cecilia.
Clara f German, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, French, Catalan, Romanian, English, Swedish, Danish, Late Roman
Feminine form of the Late Latin name Clarus, which meant "clear, bright, famous". The name Clarus was borne by a few early saints. The feminine form was popularized by the 13th-century Saint Clare of Assisi (called Chiara in Italian), a friend and follower of Saint Francis, who left her wealthy family to found the order of nuns known as the Poor Clares.... [more]
Claus m German, Danish
German short form of Nicholas.
Clemens m German, Dutch, Swedish (Rare), Norwegian (Rare), Danish (Rare), Late Roman
Original Latin form of Clement, as well as the German, Dutch and Scandinavian form.
Dagmar f Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Icelandic, German, Czech, Slovak
From the Old Norse name Dagmær, derived from the elements dagr "day" and mær "maid". This was the name adopted by the popular Bohemian wife of the Danish king Valdemar II when they married in 1205. Her birth name was Markéta.
Dagny f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
From the Old Norse name Dagný, which was derived from the elements dagr "day" and nýr "new".
Dan 3 m Swedish, Danish, Norwegian
From the Old Norse byname Danr meaning "a Dane". This was the name of several semi-legendary Danish kings.
Daniel m English, Hebrew, French, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan, Romanian, Slovene, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Croatian, Finnish, Estonian, Armenian, Georgian, Biblical, Biblical Greek
From the Hebrew name דָּנִיֵּאל (Daniyyel) meaning "God is my judge", from the roots דִּין (din) meaning "to judge" and אֵל ('el) meaning "God". Daniel was a Hebrew prophet whose story is told in the Book of Daniel in the Old Testament. He lived during the Jewish captivity in Babylon, where he served in the court of the king, rising to prominence by interpreting the king's dreams. The book also presents Daniel's four visions of the end of the world.... [more]
Danni f & m English, Danish
Diminutive of Danielle (English) or Daniel (Danish).
David m English, Hebrew, French, Scottish, Welsh, Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Czech, Slovene, Russian, Croatian, Serbian, Macedonian, Romanian, Biblical, Biblical Latin
From the Hebrew name דָּוִד (Dawid), which was derived from Hebrew דּוֹד (dod) meaning "beloved" or "uncle". David was the second and greatest of the kings of Israel, ruling in the 10th century BC. Several stories about him are told in the Old Testament, including his defeat of Goliath, a giant Philistine. According to the New Testament, Jesus was descended from him.... [more]
Diana f English, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, Catalan, German, Dutch, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian, Estonian, Lithuanian, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Armenian, Georgian, Roman Mythology
Means "divine, goddesslike", a derivative of Latin dia or diva meaning "goddess". It is ultimately related to the same Indo-European root *dyew- found in Zeus. Diana was a Roman goddess of the moon, hunting, forests and childbirth, often identified with the Greek goddess Artemis.... [more]
Dina 1 f Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, Latvian, Russian, Dutch, Italian, Spanish, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
Variant of Dinah, and also the form used in the Greek and Latin Old Testament.
Ditte f Danish
Danish diminutive of Edith, Dorothea or names containing dit. It was popularized by Martin Andersen Nexø's novel Ditte, Child of Man (1921) and the film adaptation (1946).
Dorete f Danish (Rare)
Old Danish form of Dorothea.
Doris f English, German, Swedish, Danish, Croatian, Ancient Greek, Greek Mythology
From the Greek name Δωρίς (Doris), which meant "Dorian woman". The Dorians were a Greek tribe who occupied the Peloponnese starting in the 12th century BC. In Greek mythology Doris was a sea nymph, one of the many children of Oceanus and Tethys. It began to be used as an English name in the 19th century. A famous bearer is the American actress Doris Day (1924-2019).
Dorit 2 f Danish
Danish diminutive of Dorothea.
Dorrit f Danish
Danish diminutive of Dorothea.
Dorte f Danish
Danish form of Dorothy.
Dorthe f Danish
Danish form of Dorothy.
Dorthea f Danish, Norwegian
Danish and Norwegian form of Dorothy.
Ea 2 f Danish, Norwegian
Short form of names ending in ea.
Ebba 1 f Swedish, Danish
Feminine form of Ebbe.
Ebbe m Danish, Swedish
Danish short form of Asbjørn.
Edith f English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch
From the Old English name Eadgyð, derived from the elements ead "wealth, fortune" and guð "battle". It was popular among Anglo-Saxon royalty, being borne for example by Saint Eadgyeth;, the daughter of King Edgar the Peaceful. It was also borne by the Anglo-Saxon wife of the Holy Roman Emperor Otto I. The name remained common after the Norman Conquest. It became rare after the 15th century, but was revived in the 19th century.
Edvard m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Slovene, Czech, Armenian
Form of Edward in several languages.
Edvin m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Estonian, Hungarian
Scandinavian, Finnish, Estonian and Hungarian form of Edwin.
Einar m Norwegian, Icelandic, Swedish, Danish, Estonian
From the Old Norse name Einarr, derived from the elements einn "one, alone" and herr "army, warrior". This name shares the same roots as einherjar, the word for the slain warriors in Valhalla.
Ejvind m Danish
Danish form of Øyvind.
Eli 3 f Spanish, Norwegian, Danish
Spanish, Norwegian and Danish short form of Elisabet or Elin.
Elias m Portuguese, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, English, Dutch, Greek, Eastern African, Amharic, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
Form of Elijah used in several languages. This is also the form used in the Greek New Testament.
Elin f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Welsh
Scandinavian and Welsh form of Helen.
Eline f Norwegian, Dutch, Danish
Norwegian and Dutch variant form of Helen. This is the name of the title character in the novel Eline Vere (1889) by the Dutch writer Louis Couperus.
Elisabet f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Catalan, Spanish, Biblical Greek
Scandinavian and Finnish form of Elizabeth. It is also used in Spain alongside the traditional form Isabel.
Elisabeth f German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, English, Biblical, Biblical Latin
German and Dutch form of Elizabeth. It is also a variant English form, reflecting the spelling used in the Authorized Version of the New Testament.
Ella 2 f English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Hungarian
Diminutive of Eleanor, Ellen 1 and other names beginning with El. It can also be a short form of names ending in ella.
Ellen 1 f English, German, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, Estonian
Medieval English form of Helen. This was the usual spelling of the name until the 19th century, when the form Helen also became common.
Ellinor f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Scandinavian form of Eleanor.
Elna f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Scandinavian short form of Helena.
Else f Danish, Norwegian, German, Dutch
Short form of Elisabeth, used independently.
Eluf m Danish (Rare)
Danish form of Elof.
Elva 2 f Danish, Icelandic
Feminine form of Alf 1.
Emil m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, Romanian, Bulgarian, Czech, Slovak, Polish, Russian, Slovene, Serbian, Croatian, Macedonian, Hungarian, Icelandic, English
From the Roman family name Aemilius, which was derived from Latin aemulus meaning "rival".
Emilia f Italian, Spanish, Romanian, Finnish, Polish, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, English, Greek, Bulgarian
Feminine form of Aemilius (see Emily). In Shakespeare's tragedy Othello (1603) this is the name of the wife of Iago.
Emilie f German, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, Czech
German, Scandinavian and Czech feminine form of Aemilius (see Emily).
Emma f English, French, Italian, Spanish, Catalan, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Finnish, Latvian, Dutch, German, Hungarian, Germanic
Originally a short form of Germanic names that began with the element irmin meaning "whole" or "great" (Proto-Germanic *ermunaz). It was introduced to England by Emma of Normandy, who was the wife both of King Ethelred II (and by him the mother of Edward the Confessor) and later of King Canute. It was also borne by an 11th-century Austrian saint, who is sometimes called Hemma.... [more]
Erik m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Estonian, Czech, Slovak, Slovene, Croatian, Hungarian, German, Dutch, English, Spanish
Scandinavian form of Eric. This was the name of kings of Sweden, Denmark and Norway. King Erik IX of Sweden (12th century) is the patron saint of that country.
Erika f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Estonian, German, Hungarian, Czech, Slovak, Slovene, Croatian, English, Italian
Feminine form of Erik. It also coincides with the word for "heather" in some languages.
Erland m Swedish, Danish, Norwegian
From the Old Norse byname Erlendr, which was derived from ørlendr meaning "foreigner".
Erling m Norwegian, Danish, Swedish
Means "descendant of the jarl", a derivative of the Old Norse word jarl meaning "chieftain, nobleman, earl".
Erna 2 f Norse Mythology, Icelandic, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish
Means "brisk, vigorous, hale" in Old Norse. This was the name of the wife of Jarl in Norse legend.
Ernst m German, Dutch, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish
German, Dutch and Scandinavian form of Ernest.
Eskil m Norwegian, Swedish, Danish
Modern Scandinavian form of Ásketill.
Esther f English, French, Spanish, Dutch, German, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, Jewish, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
Possibly means "star" in Persian. Alternatively it could be a derivative of the name of the Near Eastern goddess Ishtar. The Book of Esther in the Old Testament tells the story of Queen Esther, the Jewish wife of the king of Persia. The king's advisor Haman persuaded the king to exterminate all the Jews in the realm. Warned of this plot by her cousin Mordecai, Esther revealed her Jewish ancestry and convinced the king to execute Haman instead. Her original Hebrew name was Hadassah.... [more]
Eva f Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, English, Czech, Slovak, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Estonian, Danish, Icelandic, Faroese, Romanian, Greek, Slovene, Bulgarian, Croatian, Russian, Georgian, Armenian, Old Church Slavic, Biblical Latin
Form of Eve used in various languages. This form is used in the Latin translation of the New Testament, while Hava is used in the Latin Old Testament. The name appears in Harriet Beecher Stowe's novel Uncle Tom's Cabin (1852) belonging to the character Little Eva, whose real name is in fact Evangeline.... [more]
Evy f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch
Diminutive of Eva or Evelina.
Felix m German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, English, Romanian, Ancient Roman, Biblical, Biblical Latin
From a Roman cognomen meaning "lucky, successful" in Latin. It was acquired as an agnomen, or nickname, by the 1st-century BC Roman general Sulla. It also appears in the New Testament belonging to the governor of Judea who imprisoned Saint Paul.... [more]
Filippa f Greek, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Italian
Greek, Scandinavian and Italian feminine form of Philip.
Finn 2 m Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, Dutch, German
From the Old Norse name Finnr, which meant "Sámi, person from Finland".
Flemming m Danish
From a medieval Norse nickname meaning "from Flanders".
Folke m Swedish, Danish
Short form of various Old Norse names that contain the element folk meaning "people", and thus a cognate of Fulk.
Frank m English, German, Dutch, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, French
From an Old German name that referred to a member of the Germanic tribe, the Franks. The Franks settled in the regions now called France, Belgium and the Netherlands in the 3rd and 4th century. They possibly derived their tribal name from a type of spear that they used, from Proto-Germanic *frankô. From medieval times, the various forms of this name have been commonly conflated with the various forms of Francis. In modern times it is sometimes used as a short form of Francis or Franklin.... [more]
Frans m Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish
Dutch, Scandinavian and Finnish form of Franciscus (see Francis).
Frederik m Danish, Dutch
Danish and Dutch form of Frederick. This was the name of nine kings of Denmark over the past 500 years, alternating each generation with the name Christian.
Frederikke f Danish
Danish feminine form of Frederick.
Frej m Danish, Swedish
Danish and Swedish form of Freyr.
Freja f Danish, Swedish
Danish and Swedish form of Freya.
Frida 2 f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Derived from Old Norse fríðr meaning "beautiful, beloved".
Frode m Norwegian, Danish
From the Old Norse name Fróði, which was derived from fróðr meaning "learned, wise".
Gabriel m French, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Catalan, English, Romanian, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Georgian, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
From the Hebrew name גַבְרִיאֵל (Gavri'el) meaning "God is my strong man", derived from גֶּבֶר (gever) meaning "strong man, hero" and אֵל ('el) meaning "God". Gabriel is an archangel in Hebrew tradition, often appearing as a messenger of God. In the Old Testament he is sent to interpret the visions of the prophet Daniel, while in the New Testament he serves as the announcer of the births of John to Zechariah and Jesus to Mary. According to Islamic tradition he was the angel who dictated the Quran to Muhammad.... [more]
Georg m German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Estonian
Form of George in several languages. This name was borne by the German idealist philosopher Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (1770-1831).
Gerd 2 f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Norse Mythology
From Old Norse Gerðr, derived from garðr meaning "enclosure, yard". In Norse myth Gerd is a beautiful giantess (jǫtunn). Freyr falls in love with her, and has his servant Skírnir convince her to marry him.
Gerda 2 f Danish, Swedish, Norwegian
Latinized form of Gerd 2.
Gerhard m German, Dutch, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Germanic
German, Dutch and Scandinavian form of Gerard.
Gert m German, Dutch, Danish, Swedish
German, Dutch, Danish and Swedish short form of Gerhard.
Gina f Italian, English, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Short form of Georgina, Regina, Luigina and other names ending in gina. It can also be used as a diminutive of Virginia or Eugenia. It was popularized in the 1950s by Italian actress Gina Lollobrigida (1927-2023), whose birth name was Luigina.
Gitte f Danish
Danish short form of Birgitte.
Gregers m Danish, Norwegian (Rare)
Danish and Norwegian form of Gregorius (see Gregory).
Grete f German, Danish, Norwegian
German, Danish and Norwegian short form of Margaret.
Grethe f Danish, Norwegian
Short form of Margrethe.
Gry f Norwegian, Danish, Swedish
Means "to dawn" in Norwegian, Danish and Swedish.
Gudmund m Norwegian, Danish
From the Old Norse name Guðmundr, which was derived from the elements guð "god" and mundr "protection".
Gudrun f Norse Mythology, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German
From the Old Norse name Guðrún meaning "god's secret lore", derived from the elements guð "god" and rún "secret lore, rune". In Norse legend Gudrun was the wife of Sigurd. After his death she married Atli, but when he murdered her brothers, she killed her sons by him, fed him their hearts, and then slew him. Her story appears in Norse literature such as the Eddas and the Völsungasaga. She is called Kriemhild in German versions of the tale. This is also an unrelated character in the medieval German epic Kudrun.
Gunda f German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Germanic
Short form of names containing the Old German element gunda meaning "war" (Proto-Germanic *gunþī).
Gunhild f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
From the Old Norse name Gunnhildr, derived from the elements gunnr "war" and hildr "battle".
Gunna f Danish, Old Norse
Feminine form of Gunne.
Gunnar m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Norse Mythology
From the Old Norse name Gunnarr, which was derived from the elements gunnr "war" and herr "army, warrior" (making it a cognate of Gunther). In Norse legend Gunnar was the husband of Brynhildr. He had his brother-in-law Sigurd murdered based on his wife's false accusations that Sigurd had taken her virginity.
Gunvor f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
From the Old Norse name Gunnvǫr meaning "cautious in war", derived from gunnr "war" and vǫr "vigilant, cautious".
Gustav m Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, German, Czech
Possibly means "staff of the Geats", derived from the Old Norse elements gautr meaning "Geat" and stafr meaning "staff". However, the root name Gautstafr is not well attested in the Old Norse period. Alternatively, it might be derived from the Slavic name Gostislav. This name has been borne by six kings of Sweden, including the 16th-century Gustav I Vasa.
Gyda f Danish, Norwegian
Danish and Norwegian form of Gyða (see Gytha).
Halfdan m Norwegian, Danish
From the Old Norse name Hálfdan meaning "half Danish", composed of the elements hálfr "half" and Danr "Dane", originally a nickname for a person who was half Danish.
Hanna 1 f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Polish, Ukrainian, Belarusian, German, Dutch, Icelandic, Hungarian, Hebrew
Form of Channah (see Hannah) in several languages.
Hanne 1 f & m Danish, Norwegian, German, Dutch
Danish and Norwegian short form of Johanne, or a German and Dutch short form of Johanna. This can also be a Dutch short form of Johannes (masculine).
Hans m German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
German short form of Johannes, now used independently. This name has been very common in German-speaking areas of Europe since the late Middle Ages. From an early period it was transmitted to the Low Countries and Scandinavia. Two famous bearers were Hans Holbein (1497-1543), a German portrait painter, and Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875), a Danish writer of fairy tales.
Harald m Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, German
Scandinavian and German cognate of Harold, from the Old Norse elements herr and valdr and the Old German elements heri and walt. This was the name of several kings of Norway and Denmark.
Hedvig f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Hungarian
Scandinavian, Finnish and Hungarian form of Hedwig.
Heidi f German, Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, Finnish, English
German diminutive of Adelheid. This is the name of the title character in the children's novel Heidi (1880) by the Swiss author Johanna Spyri. The name began to be used in the English-speaking world shortly after the 1937 release of the movie adaptation, which starred Shirley Temple.
Helen f English, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Estonian, Greek Mythology (Anglicized)
English form of the Greek Ἑλένη (Helene), probably from Greek ἑλένη (helene) meaning "torch" or "corposant", or possibly related to σελήνη (selene) meaning "moon". In Greek mythology Helen was the daughter of Zeus and Leda, whose kidnapping by Paris was the cause of the Trojan War. The name was also borne by the 4th-century Saint Helena, mother of the Roman emperor Constantine, who supposedly found the True Cross during a trip to Jerusalem.... [more]
Helena f German, Dutch, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Icelandic, Portuguese, Catalan, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Finnish, Estonian, Slovene, Croatian, Sorbian, English, Ancient Greek (Latinized), Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinate form of Helen. This is the name of the heroine of William Shakespeare's play All's Well That Ends Well (1603).
Helene f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, Ancient Greek, Greek Mythology
Ancient Greek form of Helen, as well as the modern Scandinavian and German form.
Helge m Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, German, Finnish
From the Old Norse name Helgi, derived from heilagr meaning "holy, blessed".
Hella f German, Danish
Diminutive of names beginning with Hel, such as Helga or Helena.
Helle 1 f Danish, Norwegian, Estonian
Danish diminutive of names beginning with Hel, such as Helga or Helena.
Hemming m Swedish (Rare), Norwegian (Rare), Danish (Rare)
Perhaps derived from Old Norse hamr "shape", and possibly originally a nickname for a person believed to be a shape changer.
Henny f & m Dutch, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish
Diminutive of Henriette, Hendrika and other names containing hen. In Dutch it can also be masculine as a diminutive of Hendrik.
Henriette f French, German, Dutch, Danish, Norwegian
French feminine diminutive of Henri.
Henrik m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Low German, German, Hungarian, Slovene, Croatian, Armenian
Form of Heinrich (see Henry) in several languages. A famous bearer was the Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen (1828-1906).
Herman m English, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Slovene, Germanic
Means "army man", derived from the Old German elements heri "army" and man "person, man". It was introduced to England by the Normans, died out, and was revived in the English-speaking world in the 19th century. It was borne by an 18th-century Russian missionary to Alaska who is venerated as a saint in the Orthodox Church, though in his case the name is an alternate transcription of German. Another famous bearer was the American writer Herman Melville (1819-1891), the author of Moby-Dick.
Hilda f English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Spanish, Hungarian, Anglo-Saxon (Latinized), Germanic
Originally a short form of names containing the Old Frankish element hildi, Old High German hilt, Old English hild meaning "battle" (Proto-Germanic *hildiz). The short form was used for both Old English and continental Germanic names. Saint Hilda (or Hild) of Whitby was a 7th-century English saint and abbess. The name became rare in England during the later Middle Ages, but was revived in the 19th century.
Hildegard f German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Germanic
Derived from the Old German elements hilt "battle" and gart "enclosure, yard". This was the name of the second wife of Charlemagne (8th century). Also, Saint Hildegard was a 12th-century mystic from Bingen in Germany who was famous for her writings and poetry and also for her prophetic visions.
Hilmar m German, Icelandic, Norwegian, Danish
From the Old German name Hildimar, derived from the elements hilt "battle" and mari "famous".
Hjalmar m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
From the Old Norse name Hjálmarr meaning "helmeted warrior" from the element hjalmr "helmet" combined with herr "army, warrior".
Hjørdis f Danish, Norwegian
Danish and Norwegian form of Hjördis.
Holger m Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, German
From the Old Norse name Hólmgeirr, derived from the elements holmr "small island" and geirr "spear". In La Chanson de Roland and other medieval French romances, this is the name of one of Charlemagne's knights, also named Ogier. He is said to be from Denmark.
Hugo m Spanish, Portuguese, English, Dutch, German, French, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Germanic
Old German form of Hugh. As a surname it has belonged to the French author Victor Hugo (1802-1885), the writer of The Hunchback of Notre-Dame and Les Misérables.
Ib m Danish
Danish diminutive of Jakob.
Iben f Danish, Norwegian
Possibly a feminine form of Ib. It is associated with Danish ibenholt meaning "ebony".
Ida f English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Italian, French, Polish, Finnish, Hungarian, Slovak, Slovene, Germanic
Derived from the Germanic element id possibly meaning "work, labour" (Proto-Germanic *idiz). The Normans brought this name to England, though it eventually died out there in the Middle Ages. It was strongly revived in the 19th century, in part due to the heroine in Alfred Tennyson's poem The Princess (1847), which was later adapted into the play Princess Ida (1884) by Gilbert and Sullivan.... [more]
Ina f German, Dutch, Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, English, Slovene, Latvian
Short form of names ending with or otherwise containing ina, such as Martina, Christina and Carolina.
Inge f & m Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, German, Dutch, Estonian
Short form of Scandinavian and German names beginning with the element ing, which refers to the Germanic god Ing. In Sweden and Norway this is primarily a masculine name, elsewhere it is usually feminine.
Ingeborg f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German
From the Old Norse name Ingibjǫrg, which was derived from the name of the Germanic god Ing combined with bjǫrg meaning "help, save, rescue". This name was borne by a Danish princess who married Philip II of France in the 12th century.
Inger f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Originally a variant of Ingrid or Ingegerd.
Ingolf m Norwegian, Danish, German
From the Old Norse name Ingólfr, which was derived from the name of the Germanic god Ing combined with ulfr meaning "wolf".
Ingrid f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Estonian, German, Dutch
From the Old Norse name Ingríðr meaning "Ing is beautiful", derived from the name of the Germanic god Ing combined with fríðr "beautiful, beloved". A famous bearer was the Swedish actress Ingrid Bergman (1915-1982).
Ingvar m Swedish, Icelandic, Norwegian, Danish
From the Old Norse name Yngvarr, which was derived from the name of the Germanic god Yngvi combined with herr meaning "army, warrior".
Irene f English, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, German, Dutch, Ancient Greek (Latinized), Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From Greek Εἰρήνη (Eirene), derived from a word meaning "peace". This was the name of the Greek goddess who personified peace, one of the Ὥραι (Horai). It was also borne by several early Christian saints. The name was common in the Byzantine Empire, notably being borne by an 8th-century empress, who was the first woman to lead the empire. She originally served as regent for her son, but later had him killed and ruled alone.... [more]
Iris f Greek Mythology, English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, French, Spanish, Catalan, Italian, Slovene, Croatian, Greek
Means "rainbow" in Greek. Iris was the name of the Greek goddess of the rainbow, also serving as a messenger to the gods. This name can also be given in reference to the word (which derives from the same Greek source) for the iris flower or the coloured part of the eye.
Irma f German, English, Dutch, Finnish, Swedish, Danish, Spanish, Italian, Georgian, Lithuanian, Hungarian, Slovene, Germanic
German short form of names beginning with the Old German element irmin meaning "whole, great" (Proto-Germanic *ermunaz). It is thus related to Emma. It began to be regularly used in the English-speaking world in the 19th century.
Isabella f Italian, German, English, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Finnish, Dutch, Romanian
Latinate form of Isabel. This name was borne by many medieval royals, including queens consort of England, France, Portugal, the Holy Roman Empire and Hungary, as well as the powerful ruling queen Isabella of Castile (properly called Isabel).... [more]
Isak m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Scandinavian form of Isaac.
Ivan m Russian, Bulgarian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, Serbian, Croatian, Czech, Slovak, Macedonian, Slovene, English, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Estonian
Newer form of the old Slavic name Іѡаннъ (Ioannu), which was derived from Greek Ioannes (see John). This was the name of six Russian rulers, including the 15th-century Ivan III the Great and 16th-century Ivan IV the Terrible, the first tsar of Russia. It was also borne by nine emperors of Bulgaria. Other notable bearers include the Russian author Ivan Turgenev (1818-1883), who wrote Fathers and Sons, and the Russian physiologist Ivan Pavlov (1849-1936), who is best known for his discovery of the conditioned reflex.
Ivar m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Estonian
Scandinavian form of Ivor.
Jacob m English, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Jewish, Biblical
From the Latin Iacob, which was from the Greek Ἰακώβ (Iakob), which was from the Hebrew name יַעֲקֹב (Ya'aqov). In the Old Testament Jacob (later called Israel) is the son of Isaac and Rebecca and the father of the twelve founders of the twelve tribes of Israel. He was born holding his twin brother Esau's heel, and his name is explained as meaning "holder of the heel" or "supplanter", because he twice deprived his brother of his rights as the firstborn son (see Genesis 27:36). Other theories claim that it is in fact derived from a hypothetical name like יַעֲקֹבְאֵל (Ya'aqov'el) meaning "may God protect".... [more]
Jakob m German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Dutch, Slovene
Form of Jacob (or James) used in several languages.
Jan 1 m Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Czech, Polish, Slovene, German, Catalan, Sorbian
Form of Johannes used in various languages. This name was borne by the 15th-century Flemish painter Jan van Eyck and the 17th-century Dutch painters Jan Vermeer and Jan Steen.
Janne 2 f Danish, Norwegian, Estonian
Danish, Norwegian and Estonian diminutive of Johanne or Johanna.
Jannick m Danish
Danish diminutive of Jan 1.
Jannik m Danish
Danish diminutive of Jan 1.
Jarl m Norwegian, Swedish, Danish, Norse Mythology, Old Norse
Means "chieftain, nobleman" in Old Norse (a cognate of the English word earl). In the Norse poem Rígsþula Jarl is the son of the god Ríg and the founder of the race of warriors.
Jeppe m Danish
Diminutive of Jakob.
Jerrik m Danish (Rare)
Danish variant of Erik.
Jesper m Danish, Swedish, Norwegian
Danish form of Jasper.
Jessica f English, French, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Italian, Spanish
This name was first used in this form by William Shakespeare in his play The Merchant of Venice (1596), where it belongs to the daughter of Shylock. Shakespeare probably based it on the biblical name Iscah, which would have been spelled Jescha in his time. It was not commonly used as a given name until the middle of the 20th century. It reached its peak of popularity in the United States in 1987, and was the top ranked name for girls between 1985 and 1995, excepting 1991 and 1992 (when it was unseated by Ashley). Notable bearers include actresses Jessica Tandy (1909-1994) and Jessica Lange (1949-).
Jette f Danish
Danish short form of Henriette.
Joakim m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Serbian, Macedonian
Scandinavian, Macedonian and Serbian form of Joachim.
Johan m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch
Scandinavian and Dutch form of Iohannes (see John).
Johanna f German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Hungarian, Finnish, Estonian, English, Late Roman
Latinate form of Greek Ioanna (see Joanna).
Johanne f French, Danish, Norwegian, Medieval French
French, Danish and Norwegian form of Iohanna (see Joanna).
Johannes m German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Estonian, Late Roman
Latin form of Greek Ioannes (see John). Notable bearers include the inventor of the printing press Johannes Gutenberg (1398-1468), astronomer Johannes Kepler (1571-1630) and composer Johannes Brahms (1833-1897).
John m English, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Dutch, Biblical
English form of Iohannes, the Latin form of the Greek name Ἰωάννης (Ioannes), itself derived from the Hebrew name יוֹחָנָן (Yochanan) meaning "Yahweh is gracious", from the roots יוֹ (yo) referring to the Hebrew God and חָנַן (chanan) meaning "to be gracious". The Hebrew form occurs in the Old Testament (spelled Johanan or Jehohanan in the English version), but this name owes its popularity to two New Testament characters, both highly revered saints. The first is John the Baptist, a Jewish ascetic who is considered the forerunner of Jesus. He baptized Jesus and was later executed by Herod Antipas. The second is the apostle John, who is traditionally regarded as the author of the fourth gospel and Revelation. With the apostles Peter and James (his brother), he was part of the inner circle of Jesus.... [more]
Jokum m Danish (Rare)
Danish form of Joachim.
Jon 1 m Norwegian, Swedish, Danish, Basque
Scandinavian and Basque form of John.
Jonas 2 m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, Dutch, Biblical
From Ἰωνᾶς (Ionas), the Greek form of Jonah. This spelling is used in some English translations of the New Testament.
Jonatan m Spanish, Polish, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German (Rare)
Spanish and Polish form of Jonathan, as well as a Scandinavian and German variant form.
Jonathan m English, French, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Biblical
From the Hebrew name יְהוֹנָתָן (Yehonatan), contracted to יוֹנָתָן (Yonatan), meaning "Yahweh has given", derived from the roots יְהוֹ (yeho) referring to the Hebrew God and נָתַן (natan) meaning "to give". According to the Old Testament, Jonathan was the eldest son of Saul. His relationship with his father was strained due to his close friendship with his father's rival David. Along with Saul he was killed in battle with the Philistines.... [more]
Jonna f Danish, Swedish, Finnish
Short form of Johanna.
Jørgen m Danish, Norwegian
Danish and Norwegian form of Jürgen.
Jørn m Danish, Norwegian
Short form of Jørgen.
Josef m German, Czech, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
German, Czech and Scandinavian form of Joseph.
Josefine f Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, German
Scandinavian and German form of Joséphine.
Judit f Hungarian, Spanish, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German (Rare)
Form of Judith used in several languages.
Judith f English, Jewish, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Spanish, French, Biblical
From the Hebrew name יְהוּדִית (Yehudit) meaning "Jewish woman", feminine of יְהוּדִי (yehudi), ultimately referring to a person from the tribe of Judah. In the Old Testament Judith is one of the Hittite wives of Esau. This is also the name of the main character of the apocryphal Book of Judith. She killed Holofernes, an invading Assyrian commander, by beheading him in his sleep.... [more]
Julia f English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Spanish, Polish, Finnish, Estonian, Russian, Ukrainian, Ancient Roman, Biblical
Feminine form of the Roman family name Julius. Among the notable women from this family were Julia Augusta (also known as Livia Drusilla), the wife of Emperor Augustus, and Julia the Elder, the daughter of Augustus and the wife of Tiberius. A person by this name has a brief mention in the New Testament. It was also borne by a few early saints and martyrs, including the patron saint of Corsica. Additionally, Shakespeare used it in his comedy The Two Gentlemen of Verona (1594).... [more]
Julie f French, Danish, Norwegian, Czech, English, German, Dutch
French, Danish, Norwegian and Czech form of Julia. It has spread to many other regions as well. It has been common in the English-speaking world since the early 20th century.
Julius m Ancient Roman, English, German, Finnish, Lithuanian, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Dutch, Czech
From a Roman family name that was possibly derived from Greek ἴουλος (ioulos) meaning "downy-bearded". Alternatively, it could be related to the name of the Roman god Jupiter. This was a prominent patrician family of Rome, who claimed descent from the mythological Julus, son of Aeneas. Its most notable member was Gaius Julius Caesar, who gained renown as a military leader for his clever conquest of Gaul. After a civil war he became the dictator of the Roman Republic, but was eventually stabbed to death in the senate.... [more]
Jytte f Danish
Danish form of Jutta.
Kai 1 m Frisian, German, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, Finnish, Dutch, English
Meaning uncertain, possibly a Frisian diminutive of Gerhard, Nicolaas, Cornelis or Gaius. It is borne by a boy captured by the Snow Queen in an 1844 fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen. Spreading from Germany and Scandinavia, this name became popular in the English-speaking world and other places in Western Europe around the end of the 20th century.
Kaj m Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish
Danish form of Kai 1.
Kaja 1 f Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, Estonian, Slovene
Scandinavian diminutive of Katarina.
Kamilla f Russian, Hungarian, Polish, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish
Russian and Hungarian form of Camilla, as well as a Polish and Scandinavian variant. This is also the Hungarian word for the chamomile flower (species Matricaria chamomilla).
Kåre m Norwegian, Swedish, Danish
From the Old Norse name Kári meaning "curly, curved".
Karen 1 f Danish, Norwegian, Icelandic, English, German
Danish short form of Katherine. It became common in the English-speaking world after the 1930s.
Karl m German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, English, Finnish, Estonian, Germanic, Old Norse
German and Scandinavian form of Charles. This was the name of seven rulers of the Franks and the Holy Roman Empire. It was also borne by a beatified emperor of Austria (1887-1922), as well as ten kings of Sweden. Other famous bearers include the German philosophers Karl Marx (1818-1883), one of the developers of communism, and Karl Jaspers (1883-1969), an existentialist and psychiatrist.
Karla f German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Czech, Croatian
German, Scandinavian, Czech and Croatian feminine form of Charles.