229 cute Scandinavian baby names for your little Viking

Picking a name for your baby is a big decision. I’ve been there twice with my own two boys.

If you’re considering Scandinavian baby names, you’ll get a name that’s meaningful, often connected to nature, and has a strong cultural heritage.

In this post, I’ll share with you the best ones and explain their meanings to help you make the best choice for your little one.

Let’s dive in.

The most popular Scandinavian baby names

Scandinavian baby names come from Norway, Sweden, and Denmark, with roots in Old Norse tradition.

They’re known for soft vowel sounds and rolling Rs, plus those unique letters æ, ø, and å.

Some of the common themes are nature and mythology, and you’ll see how popular names like “Erik” and “Lars” have made an impact far beyond their Nordic origins.

Most popular Scandinavian names for boys

Scandinavian names for boys often resonate with strength and tradition. Below is a collection of names that might intrigue you if you’re considering a name with Scandinavian roots:

1. Odin: Associated with the Norse god, signifies the “god of frenzy.”

2. Bodie: Means “shelter” or “one who brings news.”

3. Håkon or Haakon: Implies “high son.”

4. Viljami: Means “with a gilded helmet.”

5. Iver: From Old Norse Ívarr, “archer” is its essence.

6. Mikael: Asks “who resembles God?”

7. Erik: From Old Norse roots, meaning “eternal ruler.”

8. Olav: Tied to the Old Norse, denoting “relic.”

9. Rasmus: Means “beloved.”

10. Stig: Originates from the Old Norse for “wanderer.”

11. Lennart: Symbolizes “lion strength.”

12. Rolf: Represents “famous wolf.”

13. Håkan: Conveys “noble” or “exalted son.”

14. Ulf: Simply means “wolf.”

15. Joakim: Translates to “lifted by Jehovah.”

16. Oskar: Derives from Old Norse, signifying “God’s Spear.”

17. Per: Interpreted as “rock.”

18. Lars: Means “crowned with laurel.”

19. Brynjar: Represents “protection” or “army.”

20. Einar: Stands for “battle leader.”

21. Johannes: Signifies “God is gracious.”

Most popular Scandinavian names for girls

Scandinavian names for girls can be both delicate and robust. Here are some picks that radiate Nordic grace:

22. Randgrid: Represents “shield demolisher.”

23. Lisbeth: Translates to “God is my oath.”

24. Dagmar: Conveys “day.”

25. Ashild: Stands for “God fighting.”

26. Urd: Tied to Norse mythology, signifies “fate.”

27. Rayna: Means “counsel” or “song.”

28. Orsola: Meaning “little she-bear.”

29. Hlín: Refers to “protector.”

30. Embla: Signifies “elm tree.”

31. Sky: Directly ties to the Old Norse for “cloud.”

32. Edda: Could translate to “great-grandmother” or “poetry.”

33. Erna: Interpreted as “earnest.”

34. Rakel: Represents “ewe.”

35. Hulda: Means “sweet” or “lovable.”

36. Elín: Stands for “light.”

37. Helga: Signifying “holy” or “sacred.”

38. Anneli: Denotes “grace.”

39. Iida: Implies “industrious.”

40. Elli: Translates to “old age.”

41. Gunnel: A name that means “battle-maid.”

🇩🇰 Names from Denmark for your child

For your baby boy

Danish boy names often have a rich history and invoking meanings. These are the most popular names:

42. William: Meaning “resolute protector.”

43. Noah: Meaning “rest” or “comfort.”

44. Oscar: Meaning “God’s spear,” or “deer-lover” or “champion warrior.”

45. Lucas: Meaning “light-giving” or “illumination.”

46. Oliver: Meaning “ancestor’s descendant” or “olive tree.”

47. Emil: Meaning “rival” or “eager.”

48. Magnus: Meaning “great” or “mighty.”

49. Frederik: Meaning “peaceful ruler.”

50. Mikkel: Meaning “who is like God?”

51. Jasper: Meaning “treasurer.”

52. Mathias: Meaning “gift of God.”

53. Jonas: Meaning “dove” or “peace.”

54. Viktor: Meaning “conqueror” or “victor.”

55. Alexander: Meaning “defender of the people.”

56. Sebastian: Meaning “venerable” or “revered.”

For your baby girl

Danish names for girls often reflect a delicate strength and natural grace. Consider:

57. Alma: Meaning “nourishing” or “soul”

58. Clara: Meaning “clear,” “bright,” or “famous”

59. Agnes: Meaning “pure” or “holy”

60. Ella: Meaning “all,” “other,” or “fairy maiden”

61. Freja: Meaning “lady” or “noblewoman,” associated with the Norse goddess of love, beauty, and fertility.

62. Ida: Meaning “industrious one” or “prosperous”

63. Olivia: Meaning “olive tree”

64. Luna: Meaning “moon”

65. Sofia: Meaning “wisdom”

66. Anna: Meaning “grace” or “favor”

67. Karla: Feminine form of Karl, meaning “free man”

68. Nora: Meaning “honor” or “light”

69. Asta: Meaning “divine strength” or “love”

70. Ellie: Diminutive of Eleanor, meaning “bright, shining one”

71. Emma: Meaning “whole” or “universal”

🇳🇴 Norwegian-inspired names for newborns

Boy names popular in Norway

When choosing a name for your son, you might consider these Norwegian boy names that carry intriguing meanings:

72. Filip: Means “the one who loves horses.”

73. Kristian: Means “follower of Christ.”

74. Even: Meaning “gift” or “warrior.”

75. Johan: Means “God is gracious.”

76. Ulrik: Meaning “rich heritage.”

77. Markus: Means “warlike.”

78. Alf: Means “elf.”

79. Ludvig: Means “famous warrior.”

80. Sander: Meaning “defender of men.”

81. Hugo: Means “mind” or “intellect.”

82. Mathias: Means “gift of God.”

83. Isak: Meaning “he will laugh.”

84. Nils: Means “people of victory.”

85. Magnus: Means “great.”

86. Jörgen: Means “farmer.”

87. Theodor: Means “divine gift.”

88. Aksel: Means “helmet of God.”

89. Elias: Means “my God is the Lord.”

90. Torbjörn: Means “thunder bear.”

91. Tómas: Means “twin.”

92. Henrik: Means “ruler of the household.”

93. Bjarki: Means “birch tree.”

Girl names with Norwegian roots

These Norwegian names for girls come with powerful and beautiful meanings that might just be the perfect fit for your daughter:

94. Vilde: Means “battles with elves.”

95. Alva: Means “one with the elves.”

96. Aurora: Signifies “new beginnings,” meaning “dawn.”

97. Astri: Implies “divine beauty.”

98. Berit: Means “exalted.”

99. Eline: Means “bright light.”

100. Ellinor: Means “shining light.”

101. Freya: Represents “noble” and is derived from the goddess of love and beauty in Norse mythology.

102. Fríða: Offers a sense of serenity and peace.

103. Hedda: Suitable for a “strong and battle-ready spirit.”

104. Hedvig: Portends “strength and contention.”

105. Iben: A unisex name, synonymous with “ebony.”

106. Ingrid: Means “Ing’s beauty,” portraying beauty and fairness.

107. Josefine: Means “Jehovah increases,” heralding an increase.

108. Live: Provides a sense of “protection.”

109. Maja: A name that’s bound to stand out.

110. Mathilde: Means “mighty in battle.”

111. Mia: A variation of Marie, meaning “the beloved” or “the rebellious.”

112. Moa: Means “motherliness.”

113. Saga: For “the foreseeing one,” relating to storytelling and foresight.

114. Selma: Combines “divinity” with “protection,” meaning “God’s helmet.”

115. Sigrid: Signals “beautiful victory.”

116. Solveig: Stands for “strong house.”

117. Thea: Means “gift of God.”

118. Tirilil: Inspired by Norwegian poetry and fantasy.

119. Tuva: Simply means “beautiful.”

🇸🇪 Names for babies from Sweden

Popular male names in Sweden

Swedish male names often reflect a connection to heritage, with a touch of nature and a nod to historical figures. Some of these names include:

120. Niklas: It stands for the triumph of the people.

121.Erik: Ever-ruling.

122. Lars: Crowned with laurel.

123. Karl: Free man.

124. Johan: God is gracious.

125. Nils: Victory of the people.

126. Oskar: Spear of the gods.

127. Axel: Father of peace.

128. Gustav: Staff of the Geats.

129. Magnus: Great.

130. Henrik: Home ruler.

131. Emil: This is the Swedish version of the Latin Aemilius, which means one who is ambitious.

132. Bengt: This name means blessed.

133. Tobias: Suggesting that “God is good.”

Swedish female names

Swedish girl names can be as strong as they are beautiful, ranging from those that signify power to those that embody grace:

134. Rut: A name indicating a companion or friend.

135. Agnes: Pure or holy.

136. Astrid: Divinely beautiful.

137. Clara: Clear, bright, famous.

138. Elsa: Pledged to God.

139. Ingrid: Ing’s beauty, beautiful.

140. Linnea: Lime or Linden tree.

141. Maja: Pearl.

142. Nova: New.

143. Signe: New victory.

144. Vera: Faith or truth.

145. Elsa: Pledged to something greater, in this case, God.

146. Freja: Named after the goddess of love and fertility, it means noble lady.

147. Johanna: Expressing that “God is gracious.”

148. Vera: This name represents truth as well as victory.

Prohibited names in Sweden

Be aware, there are certain guidelines when naming your child in Sweden.

The local authorities must approve a name to ensure it doesn’t offend or cause potential discomfort for the individual. A few surprising examples of names that have been rejected include:

149. Superman: Rejected as it is associated with the fictional character and considered not suitable as a first name.

150. Ikea: Not allowed likely due to its association with the well-known Swedish furniture store brand.

151. Elvis: Prohibited, possibly to avoid association with famous personalities.

152. Metallica: Rejected as a first name, probably because it is the name of a famous band.

153. Veranda: Not approved, likely because it is a common word for a type of porch and not suitable as a name.

🇫🇮 Popular names from Finland

Names for boys in Finland

Finland’s unique language gives its baby names a special flavor. Many of these names blend the country’s Norse heritage with the influence of Swedish as a minority language.

Here’s a list of some noteworthy Finnish names for boys:

154. Aleksi: Defender of man.

155. Akseli: Father of peace.

156. Alvar: Elf warrior.

157. Antero: Strong or manly.

158. Aatos: Thought or idea.

159. Eemeli: Rival.

160. Eino: One.

161. Eetu: Wealthy guard.

162. Ilmari: Air.

163. Juhani: God is gracious.

164. Kalevi: Ancestor of the Finns.

165. Leevi: Attached.

166. Matti: Gift of God.

167. Olavi: Family descendant.

168. Onni: Happiness or luck.

169. Oiva: Splendid.

170. Oskari: Leaping warrior.

171. Otso: Bear.

172. Tapio: God of forests.

173. Tapani: Crown or garland bearer.

174. Toivo: Hope.

175. Väinö: Wide river.

176. Veikko: Brother.

177. Valtteri: Ruler of the army.

178. Vilho: Resolute protector.

179. Aleksanteri: Man’s defender.

Names for girls in Finland

Finnish names for girls often reflect the country’s values of kindness and open-mindedness. These names are both lovely and meaningful:

180. Aada: Noble-natured.

181. Aava: Wide open.

182. Aino: The only one.

183. Eevi: Life.

184. Eveliina: Life.

185. Elina: Light.

186. Helmi: Pearl.

187. Hilla: Cloudberry.

188. Ilona: Joy.

189. Inkeri: Beautiful goddess.

190. Kaarina: Chaste or pure.

191. Katariina: Pure.

192. Kerttu: Strength of a spear.

193. Kristiina: Follower of Christ.

194. Lilja: Lily.

195. Lumi: Snow.

196. Minea: King.

197. Orvokki: Pansy flower.

198. Pihla: Rowan tree.

199. Venla: Wanderer.

🇮🇸 Names from Iceland

Names for boys in Iceland

You may find it fascinating that names in Iceland are often rich with history, tracing back to the Viking era.

Here are some Icelandic male names that carry a touch of that old Norse legacy:

200. Andri: Snowshoe.

201. Arnar: Eagle warrior.

202. Bjarni: Bear.

203. Guðmundur: Protection of God.

204. Jón: God has given.

205. Kári: Curly or windy.

206. Leif: Descendant or heir.

207. Sigurður: Guardian of victory.

208. Þorsteinn: Thunder stone.

Names for Girls in Iceland

Girl names in Iceland often have an artistic and literary charm to them. Here’s a selection that celebrates Norse heritage and beauty:

209. Ada: Noble.

210. Berglind: Mountain linden tree.

211. Borghild: Fighting stronghold.

212. Brit: Exalted one or strength.

213. Brynja: Armor.

214. Edda: Great-grandmother or Icelandic literary history.

215. Erle: Eagle.

216. Ingibjörg: Ing’s help or helped by Ing.

217. Sigrún: Victory rune.

218. Sunniva: Sun gift.

🇫🇴 Faroese names for your little one

Faroese boy names

In the Faroe Islands, traditional male names often have roots in Norse mythology or reflect the island’s rich heritage. Here are some Faroese boy names you may consider:

219. Jógvan: Meaning “chief” or “godly”

220. Hákun: Coming from ‘Haakon’, signifying “high-born”

221. Pætur: The Faroese version of Peter, meaning “rock”

222. Ragnar: Originating from the Old Norse name Ragnarr, meaning “warrior” or “judgment”

223. Elias: A name embraced by the Faroese, meaning “Yahweh is God”

Faroese girl names

Girl names from the Faroe Islands typically have delicate sounds and meaningful roots. Below are some names you might find appealing:

224. Anna: A timeless name that signifies “grace” or “favor”

225. Katrin: Faroese for Katherine, meaning “pure”

226. Rósa: A beautiful name that is the Faroese form of the name Rose

227. Rebekka: The Faroese take on Rebecca, meaning “to tie” or “to bind”

228. Olivia: Popular among the Faroese, it means “olive tree”