In general, surnames, or "heritable family names", weren't used often in Scandinavia until rather recently in comparison with some other countries. In Denmark, an act was passed in 1526 that made families of nobility have to begin using a heritable name. High class people followed suit during the next few centuries and finally everyone else did later. They followed a patronymic naming tradition that gave the father's name to the children with the suffix "-sen" added to the end. For example, the son of a man named Jens would be given the surname Jensen.
There have been many naming acts passed since 1771, that made citizens have to give up traditional primary patronymics in favor of choosing a single patronymic surname to use as their heritable family name. What resulted was an overwhelming dominance of a few specific surnames. About one-third of the Danish population have one of the ten most common surnames. More than two-thirds of people have a patronymic name that end with -sen. However, in 2005, Denmark ruled that people could once again use patronymic surnames as a replacement for or in addition to traditional surnames.
In Norway, the most common surnames were also patronymic and usually ended with either "-ssen", "-sson", "-sdatter", or "-sdotter" with the first two referring to a son and the last two referring to a daughter. For example, the daughter of Jon would be given the surname Jonsdotter while her brother would be called Jonsson. In more recent times, the extra S is often dropped: Hansen instead of Hanssen.
In 1923, a law was passed that made each Norwegian family choose a single, hereditary last name. Any surname that is derived from a place name usually originated as a farm name that was sometimes taken instead of a patronymic one. However today, place names are much more common than a patronymic name. The popular farm names tend to include either Bakke/Bakken meaning "hill or rise", Berg/Berge meaning "mountain or hill", Haugen/Daugan meaning "hill or mound", Dahl/Dal meaning "valley", Lie meaning "side of a valley", Moen meaning "meadow" or Rud meaning "clearing". Since 2002, the option of using patronymic surnames was once again available.
Swedish surnames are originally patronymic with the most common ending being "-sson". However, in 1901, an act was passed that abolished the practice of handing down patronymic names. Everyone one had to have a specific family surname that was inherited by each generation. Swedish families tend to like names that have to do with nature. A few examples include Lind meaning "linden", Berg meaning "mountain", Dahl/Dahlin meaning "valley" or Alström/Ahlström meaning "alder + stream". They sometimes build into the family name information about where the family came from. For example, the Strindberg family came from Strinne. There are also some family names that have to do with war such as Skarpsvärd meaning "sharp sword" or Sköld meaning "shield". Since 1982, they've been allowed to use patronymic names again.
In Iceland, they still use patronymic surnames almost exclusively. There are a few heritable surnames passed down, but nearly all Icelanders follow the patronymic method of naming. This includes giving sons the suffix -son and daughters get the suffix -dóttir. Iceland is very specific and picky about which names parents are allowed to use. There is a Naming Committee that must approve names, especially new ones that have never been used in the country before. The names must be easily used in the Icelandic language and use their alphabet, and they have to be gender specific. Nearly everyone has their father's name incorporated into their last name, but occasionally, matronymic names are used instead. This occurs when the child is to have no social tie to the father or if the mother wishes to make a social statement.
Now that we've covered how naming traditions generally work now and in the past, let's take a look at some examples of Scandinavian baby names.
The following names are somewhat anglicized and therefore a little easier for American children to wear:
| Girls: Annika Annelise Astrid Axelia Brigitta Cilla Dagny Elin Elsa Erika Freya Greta Heidi Helga Ingrid Johanna Kaia Kirsten Liv Magda Milla Novalie Oletta Selma Signy Sigrid Siri Sylvi Thora Tilda Tyra Ulrika Viveka | Boys: Anders Anton Ari Axel Bo Carl Casper Claus Erik Finn Gunnar Gustav Hans Hendrick Ivor Jannick Jensen Johan Kai Lars Leif Magnus Odin Otto Ralph Rasmus Sander Soren Stellan Thor Torsten Ulrik Viggo | 
| 
Abelone                              
Aili 
Aira 
Alfhild 
Anneli 
Arnhild 
Arvida 
Åse 
Asta 
Astri 
Aura 
Beata 
Bryndis 
Brynhild 
Brynja 
Dagmar 
Dagrun 
Ebba 
Edda 
Eila 
Eira 
Ellevi 
Ellisif 
Embla 
Eydis 
Fideli 
Frigg 
Gudrun 
Gyda 
Hallgjerd 
Hedda 
Hedvig 
Henrika 
Hildur 
Hillevi 
Hjordis 
Hulda 
Inari 
Ingeborg 
Ingegerd 
Ingvild 
Kaisa 
Kajsa 
Karelia 
Katri | 
Kjersti 
Lærke 
Lemmitty 
Lillevi 
Liva 
Lova 
Lumi 
Lykke 
Mæja 
Maiken 
Maila 
Merete 
Meri 
Metta 
Mieli 
Minea 
Moa 
Nemi 
Pernilla 
Ragna 
Ragnhild 
Saga 
Salla 
Sella 
Senni 
Sigrid 
Sigrun 
Silja 
Sini 
Sóley 
Solveig 
Sunniva 
Suvi 
Svea 
Synnøve 
Taina 
Tarina 
Tella 
Tordis 
Torny 
Tova 
Vanja 
Veslemøy 
Vigdis 
Ylva | 
And the boy names:
If you're wondering what the most popular names per country are, I have that information too! For the year 2012, these were the Top 10 names per gender per country:
| 
Åke                                     
Albin 
Alrik 
Alvi 
Andor 
Ansgar 
Arne 
Arnfinn 
Arni 
Aro 
Arvid 
Asger 
Asker 
Audun 
Auvo 
Balder 
Birger 
Bjarte 
Dagfinn 
Eigil 
Einar 
Eivind 
Elof 
Emund 
Erlend 
Erling 
Esben 
Folke 
Freystein 
Geir 
Greger 
Gregers 
Gudmund 
Gunvor 
Hakon 
Haldor 
Halsten 
Halvar 
Hemming 
Henrik 
Ingemar 
Ingo 
Ingvar 
Jarl 
Jens | 
Jerrik 
Joar 
Jokum 
Karsten 
Keld 
Kjartan 
Kjell 
Kolben 
Konsta 
Magnar 
Melker 
Mika 
Mio 
Morten 
Njord 
Ordin 
Orvar 
Orvo 
Øystein 
Ragnar 
Ravn 
Reidar 
Rein 
Runar 
Rune 
Seved 
Sigurd 
Sigvid 
Solen 
Stein 
Stig 
Sven 
Tage 
Taran 
Thorfinn 
Thorvald 
Toivo 
Tollak 
Torben 
Torun 
Tyke 
Ulf 
Valo 
Vebjørn 
Yngve | 
Top 10 Girl Names in Scandinavia in 2012:
| 
Denmark         
 | 
Sweden           
 | 
Finland   
 | 
Norway 
 | 
| 
    Denmark    
 | 
    Sweden 
 | 
   Finland     
 | 
    Norway 
 | 
What do you think of Scandinavian names? Do you have a favorite? Share your thoughts in the comments below!!








 
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