Swedish male names and their meanings. Scandinavian surnames (Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, Danish)

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Sweden, 2014

SELECT YEAR 2014 2008–2010

State in Northern Europe. Located on the Scandinavian Peninsula. The capital is Stockholm. Population – 9,828,655 (2015). It borders with Norway and Finland. The ethnic structure is dominated by Swedes (85%). There are also Sami, Finns, etc. The official language is Swedish. Also represented are Sami, Meänkieli, Finnish, Gypsy, Yiddish, etc. Religious composition: Lutherans (82%), Catholics, Orthodox and Baptists. Some Sami profess animism. There are also Muslim immigrants.

In Sweden, the processing of name statistics is the responsibility of the Central Bureau of Statistics – Statistiska centralbyrån (SCB). Its website contains a variety of materials on first and last names in the country. Moreover, the data in the Swedish and English versions of the site completely duplicate each other. All anthroponymic information can be divided into three groups: names of the entire population of the country; names of newborns by year (since 2002); surnames (100 most common in Sweden).

The names of the entire population are divided into given names and normally used names. Since a child is often given more than one name at birth in Sweden, the frequency of names from the given names group is often higher. For example, the most frequently given names in 2014 were masculine Karl(337,793 speakers) and female Maria(447,393). Among the commonly used names, they are less common - Karl at 72,062, Maria at 83,861. Leaders among normally used names as of 12/31/2014 Lars(93,993) and Anna (107 210).

A separate table shows the top 10 names from nine decades, starting with the 1920s. These data clearly show changing trends in the development of name selection.

The most valuable material is the consolidated alphabetical lists of names that were given to more than 10 children. They summarize information from 1998 to the current year and show how many times a given name was chosen during each year of the period.

Expected content includes lists of the top 100 names of the year. They are posted on the website strictly in accordance with the stated date. So, there was an announcement about their appearance on January 20, and they appeared exactly on January 20. In the top 100, names are given in two lists - in descending frequency and in alphabetical order. Next to each name it is shown how many times it was given in the previous year and what place it occupied then.

Separately, the site lists names from the top 100 whose popularity has grown or fallen this year compared to the previous year. It shows by what percentage and how many times each of the names in question was given more often/less often.

There is also a section with an interactive form How many are named...? By entering a name, you can find out how many people in Sweden have it. I couldn't resist finding out the number of my namesakes. As of December 31, 2014, there were 174 of them, for 50 it is the main name. There are both Vladimirs in Sweden (and one Vladimir is a woman) and Dmitrys. Even Lenins (43 men) and Stalins (18 men) and one Stalin woman.

I suggest you familiarize yourself with the latest data on the 20 most common names of newborns. For more information, visit the SCB website (link at bottom of page).

Top 20 baby boy names

Place	Name	Frequency
1	Lucas	860
2	William	851
3	Oscar	805
4	Oliver	754
5	Liam	728
6	Elias	721
7	Hugo	696
8	Vincent	641
9	Charlie	634
10	Alexander	630
11	Axel	594
12	Ludwig	580
13	Elliot	566
13	Noah	566
15	Leo	565
16	Victor	562
17	Filip	553
18	Arvid	551
19	Alfred	549
20	Nils	518

Top 20 baby girl names

Place	Name	Frequency
1	Elsa	850
2	Alice	806
3	Maja	732
4	Agnes	673
5	Lilly	646
6	Olivia	626
7	Julia	610
8	Ebba	603
9	Linnea	594
10	Molly	579
11	Ella	578
12	Wilma	576
13	Clara	572
14	Stella	552
15	Freja	544
16	Alicia	540
17	Alva	534
18	Alma	533
19	Isabelle	525
20	Ellen	519

History, origin, features of Swedish legislation regarding registration of names. The connection between Swedish and Russian surnames. Interesting facts about Swedish names.

09/07/2016 / 07:05 | Varvara Pokrovskaya

Swedish names convey the unique flavor of ancient Scandinavian myths and the harsh beauty of Lapland landscapes. According to psychologists and astrologers, a child with this name will definitely achieve success in his career and grow up strong, strong-willed and decisive. Choosing the right one will not be difficult. In our article you will find all the necessary information about traditional and rare Swedish names, their meaning and origin.

Features of Swedish names

Statistics of first and last names in Sweden:

• number of surnames - 504 thousand;
• number of names - 340 thousand;
• number of female names - 180 thousand;
• the number of male names is 160 thousand.

The data is based on an analysis of the first and last names of all 10.2 million Swedish residents. The numbers are impressive, aren't they? Why are there so many names? It's simple. More than 149 thousand Swedish citizens have completely unique names invented by their parents, and recently there has been an increase in the number of foreign names and surnames due to the active influx of emigrants. It is also worth considering that statistics take into account each spelling variant of the same name. For example, Carl and Karl, Katarin and Catarina, Jackob and Jakob are counted as completely different names. Double names are widespread: Anna-Maria, Karl-Ulrik, Maria-Victoria.

However, parents' imagination is limited by a law adopted in 1982. According to it, a child can be named only by one of the names officially registered in a special registry. If it is not there, then you will need to obtain permission from the court. An adult citizen can change his name once in his life, but at least one of the old names must be retained. Registration is handled by the Swedish Tax Agency.

Most Swedes have two or even three names listed on official documents, but for everyday communication, one of them is usually used - the main one.

Full names of famous Swedes:

• Stefan Löfven - Kjell Stefan Löfven - current Prime Minister of Sweden;
• Ingmar Bergman - Ernst Inmar Bergman - famous Swedish film director;
• Alfred Nobel - Alfred Bernhard Nobel - inventor of dynamite and founder of the prize of the same name;
• Bjorn Ulvius - Bjorn Christian Ulvius is the lead singer of the legendary group "ABBA".

Members of the Swedish royal dynasty traditionally have names consisting of four or more parts:

• reigning monarch Charles XVI - Carl Gustav Folke Hubertus;
• Princess Victoria Ingrid Alice Desiree;
• Princess Madeleine Therese Amélie Josephine;
• Prince Carl Philip Edmund Bertil.

Swedish female names and male names

The whole variety of male and female names can be divided into several groups:

• names of Old Norse origin. They have significant similarities with Norwegian, Danish, Finnish;
• traditional Western European names;
• names of biblical origin;
• modified foreign names (mostly Slavic and Arabic).

Typical Swedish male names:

• Anders;
• Alex;
• Johansen;
• Lars;
• Calle;
• Magnus;
• Mikael;
• Nils;
• Rudolf;
• Ulle;
• Julius;
• Emil.

Swedish female names:

• Anna;
• Agnia;
• Annika;
• Britta;
• Ingeborg;
• Ingigerda;
• Katarina;
• Lisbeth;
• Maria;
• Ursula.

In Sweden there is a tradition of giving girls a middle name (or third) in honor of their grandmother, mother, father or mother. A Swede with the name Christina Ulrike most likely had a grandmother named Ulrike.

Swedish surnames and features of their formation

Everyone in our country probably knows one Swedish surname. These are the Swantensons. Remember? The family from Astrid Lindgren's fairy tale - seven-year-old Svante, mom, dad, Miss Bok and "a charming man in the prime of life" - Carlson. By the way, these are typical first and last names of Swedes. In 2006, more than 200 thousand carriers of the surname Carlson were registered in Sweden.

Surnames in Sweden became widespread only at the beginning of the last century. Before this, each child at birth received only a patronymic or, in rare cases, a modified mother’s name according to the same principle - a match. Sometimes nicknames associated with the surrounding nature were used instead: Bjork - birch, flod - river, hav - sea, etc. Another option is “soldier” names for men - the nicknames they used in the army. Officially, a law requiring all Swedish citizens to have a “family name” was passed in 1901. Since 1983, men have been allowed to take their wives' surnames. Children in Sweden receive their mother's surname at birth.

By the way, if you carefully study the names of your friends, then among them there may be descendants of people from this amazing Scandinavian country. However, they do not necessarily have to be Thornvalsons and Johanssons.

At a certain period (in particular, during the reign of Peter I), ties between the Russian Empire and Sweden were very close. After the victory of the Russian army in the Northern War, approximately 20 thousand Swedish soldiers were captured. A quarter of them, for various reasons, did not want to return to their homeland, and since then exotic Norbergs, Sundstrems, and Monsons have appeared in the metric records of the western parts of Russia and in Siberia (where many of the captives were sent). Some of the surnames were transformed into a more familiar Russian version: Orkin, Oslin, Malmasov.

In the research of the Russian historian-linguist A.D. Kuzmin shows interesting examples of the peculiar translation of Swedish surnames into Russian. So, the Scandinavian name Jan corresponds to the Russian Ivan, so Janson turned into Ivanov, Emilson - the son of Emil - Emil - Emelyan - Emilyanov, Anderson - became Andreev. Knutson (Knut + son, son of Knut) has no Russian equivalent and was simply converted into Knutov. There is a hypothesis that the surname of the famous Russian commander Alexander Suvorov is of Swedish origin - from the Swedish word "pack" - strong.

Patterns of formation of Swedish surnames:

• father's name + prefix -son (son), for example, Gustav Johanson - Gustav is the son of Johan;
• father's name + prefix dotter (daughter) - feminine version. Agnetha Svensdotter - Agnetha, Svenson's daughter;
• natural surnames-nicknames with endings - ström, blom, skog;
• an individual army name received by Swedes during military service and characterized by his personal qualities, character traits, names of types of military weapons, origin: Willig - strong-willed, Dolk - dagger, Ryus - Russian, Polak - Pole.

Over the past hundred years, surnames have simply been passed down through descendants. Until the beginning of the twentieth century, not only women upon marriage, but also men in some cases changed their surname. This happened during a change of residence, when the Swede moved to another village, city, or took over a farm or hamlet.

20 most common Swedish surnames

Swedish boy names and Swedish girl names

Like any other language, Swedish has a clear division between formal and informal address. Due to certain lexical and grammatical features, there are not as many ways to create diminutive variants of names as in Russian, and some of them do not have short forms at all. For example, Anna or Stella. Swedish girls and boys are usually addressed by their short name. But, as practice shows, in almost 90 cases, abbreviated names are used officially, along with full forms for adults. Therefore, do not be surprised if a reputable professor introduces himself to you not as Lars or Robert, but as Lasse and Robban. By the way, in the student environment, everyday communication between students and teachers takes place at a fairly democratic level, without the use of “you” and the position of a senior interlocutor.

Short forms of male names:

• Bo - Bosse;
• Daniel - Danne;
• Joachim - Jocke;
• Karl - Kalle;
• Krister - Krille;
• Kristoffer - Kriss, Poffe, Stoffe;
• Lars - Lasse;
• Magnus - Manne;
• Matias - Matte;
• Nils - Nisse;
• Olof - Olle;
• Paul - Pålle;
• Per - Pelle;
• Robert - Robban;
• Rolf - Roffe;
• Stig - Sigge;
• Tobias - Tobbe;
• Ulf - Uffe;
• William - Wille.

Short forms of female names:

• Birgitta - Britta;
• Josefin - Jossan;
• Katarina - Katta;
• Kristina - Kicki;
• Viktoria - Vickan;
• Margareta - Maggan.

IMPORTANT: in short Swedish names, the emphasis falls on the first syllable.

Meaning of Swedish male names:

• Axel is the father, the creator of the world;
• Alexander - defender;
• Victor is the winner;
• William is strong-willed;
• Vincent - victorious;
• Leo - lion;
• Lucas - light;
• Ludwig is a glorious warrior;
• Oliver - army of elves, shining army, protector;
• Oscar - weapon, warrior's spear;
• Philip is a horse lover;
• Hugo - soul, soulful;
• Charlie is a free man;
• Elias - dedicated to Yahweh (analogous to the ancient Elijah or Russian Elijah).

Swedish girl names and their meaning:

• Agnes - chaste;
• Alice, Alice - noble;
• Alva - elf;
• Wilma is strong-willed;
• Julia is from the Yuli family;
• Isabel, Els - dedicated to God (ancient Elisabel);
• Clara - light;
• Lily - lily;
• Maya - May;
• Molly - carefree;
• Olivia - olive tree;
• Ebba - strong;
• Ella - light, radiance;
• Els - dedicated to God, worshiping God, my God - oath;
• Emily is a rival.

There are a number of Swedish names that have an unusual and even a little strange meaning:

• Odd - odd;
• Even - even (English);
• Love - love (English);
• Hate - hatred;
• Lillemor - little mother;
• Axel - shoulder;
• Stig - road;
• Ilva - she-wolf;
• Wolf - wolf.

Popular Swedish names

According to Statistics Sweden, William and Alice have been leading the list of popular Swedish names for the past five years. In 2017 alone, 941 newborn boys were named William, and 888 girls were named Alice. The name Alice has become the most common female name 6 times over the past 13 years. They are followed by Oscar and Alicia. The names that showed the greatest growth are Maryam and Matteo.

The most common Swedish names in 2017:

Other popular Swedish names not included in the top 10:

In general, over the past decades, Sweden has seen a positive demographic situation and the country's population has increased by almost 65 thousand people.

1. Sweden is considered a kingdom, ruled (nominally) by a King, and decisions are made by Parliament.
2. The capital of Sweden and the largest city is Stockholm. Its population in 2018 was 950 thousand people.
3. The average age of marriage in Sweden is 33 years (ranges from 31 to 38 years depending on the municipality).
4. The flag of Sweden is one of the oldest on the planet.
5. Sweden is divided into 21 districts (counties) and each of them has its own dialect, but the language is the same everywhere. Swedes speak English well.
6. In Sweden it is not customary to punish children; making comments to other people's children is considered very uncivilized.
7. Killing animals in Sweden can result in a prison sentence.
8. Half of Sweden's population exercises regularly. The most popular sports are football and hockey.
9. Despite the fact that Sweden is a member of the European Union, it has its own currency - the Kroner. Krona to Euro exchange rate: for 1 euro 10 CZK (data as of January 2019).
10. For more than 200 years, Sweden has refrained from participating in wars.
11. The population of Sweden is growing steadily and over the past 250 years has increased 5 times, from 2 to 10 million people.
12. Sweden (together with Japan) holds the record for life expectancy. The average life expectancy at the end of 2017 is 82 years (for men - 80.7 years, for women - 84.1 years).
13. Sweden applies a progressive taxation scale, with rates ranging from 30 to 55% depending on income.
14. The level of corruption in Sweden is one of the lowest in the world.
15. The Swedish economy is among the top 10 largest economies in the world. Sweden has 50 global companies, including ABB, Atlas Copco, Oriflame, Saab AB, Saab Automobile AB, Scania, Volvo, Ericsson, TELE2, AB Electrolux, TetraPak, Alfa Laval, SKF, H&M.

Swedish names traditionally denote the close connection between man and nature.. For example, Bjorn, one of the most popular names for boys in Sweden, means “bear”. By the way, most of the names are of pagan origin. It is worth noting that many of them have a centuries-old history. Thus, the first mention of the names Bor and Askre dates back to the year 1000.

Often parents give their children double names (Gustav-Philipp, Karl-Erik). In everyday life, only the first name is usually used, and the second or even third serves as a tribute to relatives. Moreover, unlike Russia, it is not necessary that one of the names belong to the boy’s father. The additional name may be in honor of a grandfather, uncle, or distant but beloved relative.

The Swedes have never avoided borrowing from other languages. Many names came to them from the Scandinavian countries, as well as from Germany, after the conclusion of a trade alliance back in the fourteenth century. Recently, common English names have become common in the country. This is due to the widespread penetration of English into the speech of Swedes. Some young people even speak their peculiar mixture, which is called Schwenglish.

Swedish names have spread throughout the world. But they are especially popular with children in Norway, Denmark and Finland.

In addition, often men with names of Swedish origin can be found in Germany and Austria. By the way, such names are also not uncommon in Russia. The well-known Igor and Oleg are also from Sweden.

Today, the most popular male Swedish names are Lars, Anders, Johan, Erik and Karl.

How do you choose?

Sweden is a state with very original laws. So, Swedes have more than three hundred thousand different names, but according to the law, you have to choose from a certain list, which numbers no more than a thousand items. Of course, if the parents decide to give their son an original name, then it is quite possible to do this, but they will need court permission.

Parents in Sweden are given three months to choose a name. Even if mom and dad don’t have time to decide by this time, the child can be registered under only one last name.

It is worth noting that such a long period is not given without reason. Swedes are very careful when choosing a name for a newborn.. All Swedish names have exclusively positive meanings and are associated with wisdom, strength and power.

List in Russian and meanings

A person’s name has certain characteristics, and, according to some people, it can affect the person’s entire subsequent life. Therefore, we suggest you choose one of the Swedish male names, because it carries exclusively positive energy.

• Bengt- “blessed.” A man with this name can rightfully be considered lucky in life.
• Benkt- "purposeful". The owner of the name Benkt, as a rule, has an innate creativity and talent.
• Birghir- “savior, guardian.” He is growing up to be an extremely gifted, calm boy.
• Bjorn- "bear". This name is a symbol of reliability; you can rely on such a person in any situation.
• Bo- "home owner". In the future, a man with this name will easily conquer any heights, thanks to his incredible vital energy and activity.
• Bore- “savior, guardian.” He is growing up as a calm, not very sociable boy, but he enjoys spending time reading and learning something new.
• Bosse- "master". Characterized by a non-conflict character, firmness, and the ability to smooth out rough edges.

• Valentine- “strong, healthy.” Men with this name are sociable and cheerful, they make acquaintances easily and often.
• Wendel- "wanderer". A gifted seeker who will dedicate his life to discovering his natural talents.
• Wilfried- “seeking peace.” From childhood, the boy will have idealistic inclinations. The owner of such qualities as affection, amorousness.
• Volund- “battle, territory of war.” A strong, focused person who is not afraid of obstacles along the path of life.

• Daguerre- "day". An extremely stubborn young man who prefers to go ahead.
• Jonathan- “given by God.” He easily finds his place in life and occupies a significant position in society.

• Ingram- "Inga's raven." Reliable, insightful, has good intuition.
• Isaac- “laughing.” He grows up balanced, always keeps himself in control and does not splash out his emotions.
• Ivor- "archer". Characterized by high creativity and the ability to make the right decisions.
• Irian- “farmer, farmer.” He loves nature, is a homebody, tries to spend as much time as possible with his family.

• Yeerk- “all-ruler.” Constantly in search of the best solution, strives for perfection.
• Jorgen- “farmer, farmer, peasant.” Despite his calm character, a man with this name is prone to dominance and submission.

• Lamont- “who respects the laws.” The owner of this name can be entrusted with any task, and it will always be completed with high quality and on time.
• Lawres- “from Laurentius.” Ready to come to the aid of a friend, to sacrifice his interests.
• Ludde- “famous, famous warrior.” He grows up ambitious, loves attention, and is ready to take on leadership functions.

• Martin- “like Mars.” Not inclined to show tenderness, but responsible and efficient.

• Nisse- “conqueror of nations.” He always tries to emerge victorious from a dispute, does not like to give in, and is ready to spend hours proving his point of view.
• Noak- “peace, rest.” He likes to spend time at home and is not prone to adventures.

• Odder- “edge weapon.” He grows up militant, not inclined to compromise, and is not afraid to express his own point of view.
• Oddmund– protection. First of all, he will always take care of his family, a good family man.
• Auden- “poetry, song or aspirational, frantic, raging.” Since childhood, he has shown a penchant for creativity, is ready to try everything new, but is rarely interested in anything for a long time.
• Olof- “heir to ancestors.” The main people for a man with this name are his father and mother, who influence him until old age.

• Petter- “stone, rock.” He is characterized by the firmness of his convictions and is not inclined to compromise.

• Roffe- "famous wolf." He is constantly searching for himself and is more family oriented.

• Thor- “thunder”. Loves to be the center of attention.
• Tryggve- "reliable". A responsible boy who loves to take care of his younger ones.

• Hendrik- "housekeeper". A good leader with a penchant for getting things done.

• Esben- “divine bear”. Even as a boy, he makes wise decisions and never rushes headlong into the pool.

• Janne- "God's mercy." He is kind, friendly, and has strived to make as many friends as possible since childhood.

All names sound different, being an integral part of a person's personality. Therefore, its choice should be approached with special thoughtfulness. If you are close to the Swedish lifestyle and share their customs and traditions, then a Scandinavian name for your son will be an ideal option to make your family ties even stronger.

Oleg and Valentina Svetovid are mystics, specialists in esotericism and occultism, authors of 14 books.

Here you can get advice on your problem, find useful information and buy our books.

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Swedish names

Swedish male names and their meanings

Swedish male names

The most common names in Sweden

Men'snames: Axel, Anders, Elias, Alexander, Erik, Hugo, Lars, Lucas, Karl, Mikael, Johan, Oliver, Oscar, Per, Jan, Peter, Thomas, Viktor, William

Women'snames: Alva, Anna, Alice, Eva, Ebba, Ella, Emma, ​​Elsa, Maria, Karin, Kerstin, Lena, Linnea, Maja, Kristina, Ingrid, Julia, Sara, Wilma

The most common surnames in Sweden

Johansson

Andersson (Andersson)

Karlsson (Karlsson)

Nilsson

Eriksson

Larsson

Olsson

Persson

Svensson (Svensson)

Our new book "The Energy of the Name"

Oleg and Valentina Svetovid

Our email address: [email protected]

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Swedish names. Swedish male names and their meanings

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How often do we laugh at what is alien to us! This strange trait is inherent in, if not all, then many Russians: what is “ours” is correct, what is “not ours” is funny and absurd. This applies primarily to foreign names, the sound of which Russians make fun of all the time. But even foreigners may find our Dimas or Svetas funny, but meanwhile they have many really interesting names and surnames, often with a unique origin story. For example, in Sweden.

Sweden is one of the Scandinavian countries and, like any Scandinavian country, it has many of its own funny and unusual traditions. This also applies to Swedish names and surnames. For example, the Swedes have about three hundred thousand names, but according to the law, children can only be given names from a certain list, in which there are no more than a thousand of them. However, circumvention of the rule is also allowed - but only with the permission of the court. There are plenty of double and even triple names in Sweden - perhaps this is due to the rather low birth rate. In this case, the first name will be the main one, and subsequent ones may belong to one of the relatives.

But children from the royal family generally have very long names - they have at least four names. Scandinavians do not give children of ruling dynasties Christian names, but, as a rule, choose names in honor of pagan ancestors. Also, often abbreviated Swedish names become independent - for example, Chris (from Christian).

If in Russia a child must be registered with the registry office immediately after birth, then the Swedes are more loyal in this regard - they give parents three months to decide what to name the baby. After this time, the child will still be registered - at least under his last name, even if without a first name.

The Swedes are very careful when choosing a name. They believe that “whatever you call a boat, that’s how it will float.” Swedish names have only positive meanings; they are often associated with power, courage, strength, and freedom. Many names mean something from nature, religion, many symbolize one or another animal - usually strong and fearless.

Swedish male names: popularity and meaning

It is interesting that different spellings of the name mean different names among Swedes - for example, Karl and Carl, Anna and Ana. It is Karl in the first spelling that breaks records of popularity among male names in this country. It came from the ancient Germanic language, where at first it meant “free man”, and then “man”. The second most common name for men is Erik - of Scandinavian origin. The name is considered a "noble" name, and was borne by several kings both in Sweden and in other Scandinavian countries. Its meaning is "eternal ruler".

Further in the top ten, in the appropriate order, are Lars (Scandinavian, “laurel”), Anders (Scandinavian, “courageous, brave”), Per (Scandinavian, “stone, rock”), Mikael (Swedish, “like God”), Johan ( Germanic, “God’s grace”), Olof (Scandinavian, “observant”, the second version of the name is Olaf), Nils (Scandinavian form of the name Nicholas, “conqueror of nations”), Jan (Hebrew, form of the name Ivan, “mercy of God”).

Among Swedish male names there are some that are translated into our language more than strangely. These include, for example, Odd (“odd”), Even (“even”) or Axel (“shoulder”) - more than 50 thousand people have this name!

Swedish female names: popularity and meaning

The first place in popularity in this country is occupied by the name Maria (Hebrew origin, “serene, bitter, desirable.” The most popular name in the whole world). It is interesting that the Swedes have many female names that are similar to ours, but if in Russia they end in “ya”, then in theirs they end in “a”: Maria instead of Maria, Yulia instead of Yulia, and so on.

Also in the top ten most common female names are: Elisabeth (Scandinavian, “faithful to God”), Anna (Hebrew, “grace, merciful”), Christina (variant of the name Christina, Christiana, Greek, “Christian”), Margareta (Latin, “ pearl"), Eve (Hebrew, "life-giver"), Brigid (Old Irish, "strength, might"), Karin (Latin, "sweet, darling, who steers the ship"), Linnea (Swedish, "double flower"), Marie (American, “living by the ocean”). It is significant that Marie and Maria are two different names, obviously it all comes down to their spelling. It can be seen that among the popular Swedish female names there are many that are also in Russia - unlike male ones.

Just like among men's names, among women's names there are quite funny meanings. For example, the name Lillmor translates as “little mother,” Saga means “fairy tale,” and Ilva (this is the name of more than ten thousand women) means “she-wolf.”

The most common surnames and their meanings

Like all Scandinavians, Swedes did not have surnames until the 20th century - they simply did not need them. Instead of surnames, they used patronymics or mothers' names; for this purpose they used the prefixes “son” (“son”) and “dottir” (“daughter”). Among the Scandinavian countries, the Danes were the first to “family”, and looking at them, the rest did the same. However, in Sweden, having a surname was still optional until 1901, when a law was passed stating that everyone must have a surname.

I was ordered to urgently come up with one for myself. And then people wrote down as a surname either their father’s name with the prefix “dream” (Andersson is the son of Anders), or their nicknames (as a rule, they had a natural meaning: Björk - “birch”, Sjöberg - “cliff”, and so on), or, if the person was a military man, an army nickname (Skeld - “shield”, Dolk - “dagger”). Basically, they followed the first path, which is why surnames with the prefix “dream” are so popular in Sweden and it is not difficult to determine the origin of a person with a similar surname. It is noteworthy that they always have a double “s” - Andersson, Petersson, Johannesson, and so on. The second “s” refers to the prefix “sleep”, and the first denotes belonging to a person - the son of Anders, the son of Peter, the son of Johannes, etc.

It is interesting that at the birth of a child, after the aforementioned three months, if the parents still do not know what to name the baby, he is registered under the name of the mother, and not the father. This rule has been in force in Sweden since 1986. When getting married, newlyweds can decide among themselves whether to take the surname of their husband or wife, but at the same time, if a man has a “commoner” surname and a woman has a “noble” surname, they take her surname without discussion. Such “noble” ones include, for example, surnames with the prefix “von” or “af”, and in the case of the prefix “son” the second “s” is not added to them.

The top ten most popular Swedish surnames all start with “son”: Andersson, Johansson, Karlsson, Nilsson, Eriksson, Larsson, Ulsson, Persson, Svensson, Gustafsson. It is interesting that the surname “Karlsson”, which is in third place, is borne by more than three hundred thousand people - one can imagine how many Anderssons there are in Sweden then!

What are newborns called in Sweden?

Of course, the above names are always in demand. However, every year something new appears, because every parent wants to distinguish themselves and give their child a unique name. Thus, in 2016, the ten most popular names for Swedish babies included Oscar, Lucas, William, Liam, Oliver for boys, and Alice, Lilly, Maya, Elsa, Ella for girls.

Perhaps all the peoples of the world should learn from the Swedes their talent for choosing names for their children. The whole world is full of names with negative or “middle” meanings, which so often bring disappointment or failure to their owners. In this regard, the Swedes think far ahead, from birth, with the help of a correctly chosen name, instilling in children the desire for victory, strength and courage.