Scandinavian Names

Scandinavian names are used in the Scandinavia region of northern Europe. For more specific lists, see Swedish names, Danish names and Norwegian names. See also about Scandinavian names.
gender
usage
Jannike f Norwegian, Swedish
Scandinavian feminine diminutive of Jan 1, from Low German.
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.
Jarle m Norwegian
Variant of Jarl.
Jennie f English, Swedish
Variant of Jenny. Before the 20th century this spelling was more common.
Jennifer f English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Spanish
From a Cornish form of the Welsh name Gwenhwyfar (see Guinevere). This name has only been common outside of Cornwall since the beginning of the 20th century, after it was featured in George Bernard Shaw's play The Doctor's Dilemma (1906). It barely ranked in the United until the late 1930s, when it began steadily growing in popularity, accelerating into the early 1970s. It was the most popular name for girls in America between 1970 and 1984, though it was not as common in the United Kingdom.... [more]
Jenny f English, Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, German, Dutch, Spanish
Originally a medieval English diminutive of Jane. Since the middle of the 20th century it has been primarily considered a diminutive of Jennifer.
Jenný f Icelandic
Icelandic form of Jenny.
Jeppe m Danish
Diminutive of Jakob.
Jerk m Swedish (Rare)
Old Swedish variant of Erik.
Jerker m Swedish
Old Swedish variant of Erik.
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.
Jo f & m English, German, Dutch, Norwegian
Short form of Joan 1, Joanna, Josephine and other names that begin with Jo. It is primarily masculine in German, Dutch and Norwegian, short for Johannes or Josef.
Joakim m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Serbian, Macedonian
Scandinavian, Macedonian and Serbian form of Joachim.
Jóannes m Faroese
Faroese form of Iohannes (see John).
Joar m Norwegian, Swedish
Modern form of the Old Norse name Jóarr.
Joel m English, Spanish, Portuguese, Swedish, Finnish, Estonian, Biblical
From the Hebrew name יוֹאֵל (Yo'el) meaning "Yahweh is God", from the elements יוֹ (yo) and אֵל ('el), both referring to the Hebrew God. Joel is one of the twelve minor prophets of the Old Testament, the author of the Book of Joel, which describes a plague of locusts. In England, it was first used as a Christian name after the Protestant Reformation.
Jógvan m Faroese
Faroese form of Iohannes (see John).
Johan m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch
Scandinavian and Dutch form of Iohannes (see John).
Jóhann m Icelandic
Icelandic form of Iohannes (see John).
Jóhanna f Icelandic
Icelandic form of Iohanna (see Joanna).
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).
Jóhannes m Icelandic, Faroese
Icelandic and Faroese form of Iohannes (see John).
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]
Jökull m Icelandic
Means "glacier, ice" in Icelandic.
Jokum m Danish (Rare)
Danish form of Joachim.
Jón m Icelandic, Faroese
Icelandic and Faroese form of John.
Jon 1 m Norwegian, Swedish, Danish, Basque
Scandinavian and Basque form of John.
Jóna f Icelandic, Faroese
Icelandic and Faroese feminine form of John.
Jónas m Icelandic, Faroese
Icelandic and Faroese form of Jonah.
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.
Jónatan m Icelandic, Faroese
Icelandic and Faroese form of Jonathan.
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]
Jone 2 m Fijian, Norwegian
Fijian form of John, as well as a Norwegian variant form.
Jonna f Danish, Swedish, Finnish
Short form of Johanna.
Jöns m Swedish
Short form of Johannes.
Jørg m Norwegian
Norwegian short form of Jørgen.
Jörgen m Swedish
Swedish form of Jürgen.
Jørgen m Danish, Norwegian
Danish and Norwegian form of Jürgen.
Jørn m Danish, Norwegian
Short form of Jørgen.
Jorun f Norwegian
Variant of Jorunn.
Jorunn f Norwegian
From the Old Norse name Jórunnr, derived from the elements jǫfurr "boar" and unna "to love".
Jósef m Icelandic, Faroese
Icelandic and Faroese form of Joseph.
Josef m German, Czech, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
German, Czech and Scandinavian form of Joseph.
Josefin f Swedish
Swedish form of Joséphine.
Josefina f Spanish, Portuguese, Swedish
Spanish, Portuguese and Swedish feminine form of Joseph.
Josefine f Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, German
Scandinavian and German form of Joséphine.
Jostein m Norwegian
From the Old Norse name Jósteinn, derived from the elements jór "horse" and steinn "stone".
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]
Juni f Swedish, Norwegian
Swedish and Norwegian cognate of June.
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.
Kajsa f Swedish
Swedish diminutive of Katarina.
Kalle m Swedish, Finnish, Estonian
Swedish diminutive of Karl. It is used in Finland and Estonia as a full name.
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.
Kari 1 f Norwegian
Norwegian short form of Katarina.
Karine 2 f Norwegian
Elaborated form of Karin.
Karita f Swedish
Variant of Carita.
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.
Karoline f German, Danish, Norwegian
Feminine form of Carolus.
Kasper m Dutch, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish
Dutch and Scandinavian form of Jasper.
Kathrine f Danish, Norwegian
Danish and Norwegian contracted form of Katherine.
Katja f German, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, Dutch, Slovene, Croatian
Form of Katya in various languages.
Katla f Icelandic, Old Norse
Feminine form of Ketil.
Katrín f Icelandic
Icelandic form of Katherine.
Katrin f German, Swedish, Estonian
German, Swedish and Estonian short form of Katherine.
Katrine f Danish, Norwegian
Danish and Norwegian contracted form of Katherine.
Keld m Danish
Danish form of Ketil.
Kennet m Swedish, Danish, Norwegian
Scandinavian form of Kenneth.
Kenneth m Scottish, English, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian
Anglicized form of both Coinneach and Cináed. This name was borne by the Scottish king Kenneth (Cináed) mac Alpin, who united the Scots and Picts in the 9th century. It was popularized outside of Scotland by Walter Scott, who used it for the hero in his 1825 novel The Talisman. A famous bearer was the British novelist Kenneth Grahame (1859-1932), who wrote The Wind in the Willows.
Kerstin f Swedish, German
Swedish form of Christina.
Ketil m Norwegian
From the Old Norse name Ketill meaning "kettle, cauldron" (later also acquiring the meaning "helmet"). In old Scandinavian rituals the ketill was used to catch the blood of sacrificed animals.
Kettil m Swedish (Rare)
Swedish form of Ketil.
Kevin m English, Irish, French (Modern), Spanish (Modern), German (Modern), Dutch (Modern), Swedish (Modern), Norwegian (Modern), Danish (Modern)
Anglicized form of the Irish name Caoimhín meaning "beloved birth", derived from Old Irish Cóemgein, composed of cóem "dear, beloved, gentle" and gein "birth". Saint Caoimhín established a monastery in Glendalough, Ireland in the 6th century and is the patron saint of Dublin. It became popular in the English-speaking world outside of Ireland in the middle of the 20th century, and elsewhere in Europe in the late 20th century.
Kia f Swedish
Diminutive of Kristina.
Kim 2 m Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish
Scandinavian short form of Joachim.
Kine f Norwegian
Norwegian short form of Kristine.
Kirsten f Danish, Norwegian, English
Danish and Norwegian form of Christina.
Kirstine f Danish
Danish form of Christina.
Kjeld m Danish
Danish form of Ketil.
Kjellaug f Norwegian
From the Old Norse name Ketillaug, derived from the elements ketill meaning "kettle" and laug possibly meaning "vowed, promised, bound in oath".
Kjellfrid f Norwegian
From the Old Norse name Ketilríðr, derived from the elements ketill meaning "kettle" and fríðr meaning "beautiful, beloved".
Kjersti f Norwegian
Norwegian form of Christina.
Kjerstin f Norwegian, Swedish
Norwegian and Swedish form of Christina.
Kjetil m Norwegian
Variant of Ketil.
Klas m Swedish
Swedish short form of Nicholas.
Klaus m German, Danish, Norwegian, Finnish
German short form of Nicholas, now used independently.
Knud m Danish
Danish form of Knut.
Knut m Swedish, Norwegian, German
Derived from Old Norse knútr meaning "knot". Knut was a Danish prince who defeated Æðelræd II, king of England, in the early 11th century and became the ruler of Denmark, Norway and England.
Konrad m German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Polish, Slovene
German, Scandinavian, Polish and Slovene form of Conrad.
Kresten m Danish
Danish variant of Christian.
Kris m & f English, Flemish, Danish
Short form of Kristian, Kristoffer and other names beginning with Kris.
Kristen 1 m Danish, Norwegian
Danish and Norwegian form of Christian.
Krister m Swedish
Swedish variant of Christer.
Kristian m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Bulgarian
Scandinavian and Finnish form of Christian, as well as a Bulgarian variant form.
Kristín f Icelandic
Icelandic form of Christina.
Kristina f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Estonian, Russian, German, Slovene, Czech, Lithuanian, Serbian, Croatian, Albanian, Faroese, English, Bulgarian
Form of Christina in several languages. It is also an English variant of Christina and a Bulgarian variant of Hristina.
Kristine f Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, Georgian, English, German
Scandinavian and Georgian form of Christina, as well as an English and German variant of Christine.
Kristján m Icelandic
Icelandic form of Christian.
Kristjana f Icelandic
Icelandic form of Christina.
Kristófer m Icelandic
Icelandic form of Christopher.
Kristofer m Swedish
Swedish variant form of Christopher.
Kristoffer m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Scandinavian form of Christopher.
Kurt m German, English, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian
German contracted form of Conrad. A famous bearer was the American musician Kurt Cobain (1967-1994).
Lærke f Danish
Means "lark" in Danish.
Lage m Swedish, Norwegian
Swedish and Norwegian form of Lauge.
Laila 2 f Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, Finnish
Scandinavian and Finnish form of Láilá.
Lára f Icelandic
Icelandic form of Laura.
Lárus m Icelandic
Icelandic form of Laurence 1.
Lasse m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish
Scandinavian and Finnish form of Laurence 1.
Lauge m Danish
From a medieval short form of the Old Norse byname Félagi.
Laura f English, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, Catalan, French, Finnish, Estonian, Hungarian, Polish, Slovene, Croatian, Czech, Slovak, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, Dutch, Lithuanian, Latvian, Late Roman
Feminine form of the Late Latin name Laurus, which meant "laurel". This meaning was favourable, since in ancient Rome the leaves of laurel trees were used to create victors' garlands. The name was borne by the 9th-century Spanish martyr Saint Laura, who was a nun thrown into a vat of molten lead by the Moors. It was also the name of the subject of poems by the 14th-century Italian poet Petrarch.... [more]
Laurids m Danish
Variant of Laurits.
Laurits m Danish, Norwegian
Danish and Norwegian form of Laurentius (see Laurence 1).
Lauritz m Danish, Norwegian
Danish and Norwegian form of Laurentius (see Laurence 1).
Leif m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
From the Old Norse name Leifr meaning "descendant, heir". Leif Eriksson was a Norse explorer who reached North America in the early 11th century. He was the son of Erik the Red.
Leifur m Icelandic
Icelandic form of Leif.
Leiv m Norwegian
Norwegian variant of Leif.
Lelle m Swedish
Diminutive of Lennart.
Lene f German, Danish, Norwegian
German, Danish and Norwegian short form of Helene or Magdalene.
Lennart m Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Finnish, Low German, Dutch
Swedish and Low German form of Leonard.
Leo m German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Estonian, English, Croatian, Armenian, Late Roman
Derived from Latin leo meaning "lion", a cognate of Leon. It was popular among early Christians and was the name of 13 popes, including Saint Leo the Great who asserted the dominance of the Roman bishops (the popes) over all others in the 5th century. It was also borne by six Byzantine emperors and five Armenian kings. Another famous bearer was the Russian novelist Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910), name spelled Лев in Russian, whose works include War and Peace and Anna Karenina. Leo is also a constellation and the fifth sign of the zodiac.
Liam m Irish, English, French (Modern), Dutch (Modern), German (Modern), Swedish (Modern)
Irish short form of William. It became popular in the United Kingdom in the 1980s, and elsewhere in Europe and the Americas after that. It was the top ranked name for boys in the United States beginning in 2017. Famous bearers include British actor Liam Neeson (1952-), British musician Liam Gallagher (1972-), and Australian actor Liam Hemsworth (1990-).
Lias m Swedish
Swedish short form of Elias.
Lilja f Icelandic, Faroese, Finnish
Icelandic, Faroese and Finnish cognate of Lily.
Lill f Norwegian, Swedish
Diminutive of Elisabet and other names containing li. It is also associated with Norwegian and Swedish lille, an inflected form of liten meaning "little".
Lillemor f Swedish, Norwegian (Rare)
Means "little mother", from Swedish and Norwegian lille, an inflected form of liten meaning "little", combined with mor meaning "mother". This name was first recorded in Norway and Sweden at the beginning of the 20th century.
Lilli f German, Danish, Finnish
German, Danish and Finnish variant of Lili.
Lilly f English, Norwegian, Danish, Swedish
English variant of Lily. It is also used in Scandinavia, as a form of Lily or a diminutive of Elisabeth.
Linda f English, German, Dutch, Italian, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, French, Latvian, Finnish, Estonian, Hungarian, Czech, Slovak, Germanic
Originally a medieval short form of Germanic names containing the element lind meaning "soft, flexible, tender" (Proto-Germanic *linþaz). It also coincides with the Spanish and Portuguese word linda meaning "beautiful". In the English-speaking world this name experienced a spike in popularity beginning in the 1930s, peaking in the late 1940s, and declining shortly after that. It was the most popular name for girls in the United States from 1947 to 1952.
Line f Danish, Norwegian, French
Short form of Caroline and other names ending in line.
Linn f Swedish, Norwegian
Short form of Linnéa and other names containing the same sound.
Linnéa f Swedish
From the name of a flower, also known as the twinflower. The Swedish botanist Carolus Linnaeus named it after himself, it being his favourite flower.
Linus m Greek Mythology (Latinized), Ancient Greek (Latinized), Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German
From the Greek name Λίνος (Linos) meaning "flax". In Greek legend he was the son of the god Apollo, who accidentally killed him in a contest. Another son of Apollo by this name was the music teacher of Herakles. The name was also borne by the second pope, serving after Saint Peter in the 1st century. In modern times this was the name of a character in Charles Schulz's comic strip Peanuts.
Lis f Danish, Swedish
Short form of Elisabet.
Lisa f English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Italian
Short form of Elizabeth and its cognates in other languages. This is the name of the subject of one of the world's most famous paintings, the Mona Lisa, the portrait of Lisa del Giocondo by Leonardo da Vinci.... [more]
Lisbet f Swedish, Danish, Norwegian
Scandinavian short form of Elisabet.
Lisbeth f German, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian
German and Scandinavian short form of Elisabeth. A notable fictional bearer is Lisbeth Salander from Swedish author Stieg Larsson's novel The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2005) as well as its sequels and movie adaptations.
Liselott f Swedish
Swedish variant of Liselotte.
Liss f Norwegian, Danish
Short form of Elisabet.
Lissi f Danish
Diminutive of Elisabet.
Liv 1 f Norwegian, Swedish, Danish
Derived from the Old Norse name Hlíf meaning "protection". Its use has been influenced by the modern Scandinavian word liv meaning "life".
Liva f Danish
Variant of Liv 1.
Live f Norwegian
Variant of Liv 1.
Livia 1 f Italian, Romanian, German, Dutch, Swedish, Finnish, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Livius. This was the name of the wife of the Roman emperor Augustus, Livia Drusilla.
Lo f Swedish
Short form of Lovisa and other names beginning with Lo.
Loke m Norse Mythology, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Modern Scandinavian form of Loki.
Lone f Danish
Short form of Abelone.
Lotta f Swedish, Finnish
Short form of Charlotta.
Loui m Swedish, Danish
Swedish and Danish variant of Louie.
Louise f French, English, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Dutch, German
French feminine form of Louis.
Lova f Swedish
Short form of Lovisa.
Love 1 m Swedish
Swedish form of Louis.
Lovis f Swedish
Variant of Lovisa.
Lovisa f Swedish
Swedish feminine form of Louis.
Lovise f Norwegian
Norwegian feminine form of Louis.
Lowe m Swedish
Variant of Love 1.
Lucas m English, Dutch, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Biblical Latin
Latin form of Greek Λουκᾶς (see Luke), as well as the form used in several other languages.... [more]
Lucia f Italian, German, Dutch, English, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Romanian, Slovak, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Lucius. Saint Lucia was a 4th-century martyr from Syracuse. She was said to have had her eyes gouged out, and thus she is the patron saint of the blind. She was widely revered in the Middle Ages, and her name has been used throughout Christian Europe (in various spellings). It has been used in the England since the 12th century, usually in the spellings Lucy or Luce.
Ludde m Swedish
Swedish diminutive of Ludvig.
Ludvig m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Scandinavian form of Ludwig.
Lukas m German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Lithuanian
German, Scandinavian, Dutch and Lithuanian form of Lucas (see Luke). This was the most popular name for boys in Germany, Austria and Lithuania in some years of the 1990s and 2000s.
Lúðvík m Icelandic
Icelandic form of Ludwig.
Lýdia f Slovak, Faroese
Slovak and Faroese form of Lydia.
Lykke f Danish
Means "good fortune, happiness" in Danish.
Madelen f Norwegian, Swedish
Norwegian and Swedish variant of Madeleine.
Madicken f Literature, Swedish (Rare)
Used by the Swedish author Astrid Lindgren for the heroine of her series of books of the same name, first published in 1960. She is called Maggie, Meg or Mardie in English translations. In the books the name is a diminutive of Margareta, though the inspiration for the character was Lindgren's childhood friend Anne-Marie, whose nickname was Madicken.
Mads m Danish
Danish short form of Mathias.
Mæja f Icelandic
Icelandic diminutive of María.
Magnar m Norwegian
From the Old Norse elements magn "power, strength" and herr "army, warrior". This name was coined in the 19th century.
Magne m Norwegian
Modern form of Magni as well as a variant of Magnus.
Magnhild f Norwegian
Derived from Old Norse magn "power, strength" and hildr "battle". This was the name of an 1877 novel by the Norwegian author Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson.
Magnús m Icelandic
Icelandic form of Magnus.
Magnus m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Late Roman
Late Latin name meaning "great". It was borne by a 7th-century saint who was a missionary in Germany. It became popular in Scandinavia after the time of the 11th-century Norwegian king Magnus I, who was said to have been named after Charlemagne, or Carolus Magnus in Latin (however there was also a Norse name Magni). The name was borne by six subsequent kings of Norway as well as three kings of Sweden. It was imported to Scotland and Ireland during the Middle Ages.
Mai 3 f Estonian, Norwegian, Danish, Breton
Diminutive of Maria. This is also the Estonian and Norwegian name for the month of May.
Maiken f Danish, Norwegian
Danish and Norwegian diminutive of Maria.
Maj 2 f Swedish, Danish, Norwegian
Short form of Maja 1 or Maja 2. This is also the Swedish and Danish name for the month of May.
Majken f Danish, Swedish
Danish and Swedish diminutive of Maria.
Majvor f Swedish
From Swedish maj meaning "May (month)" combined with vår meaning "spring" or the Old Norse name element vǫr meaning "vigilant, cautious". This name was first used in the early 20th century.
Malena f Swedish, Spanish
Swedish and Spanish short form of Magdalena.
Malene f Danish, Norwegian
Danish and Norwegian short form of Magdalena.
Målfrid f Norwegian
From the Old Norse name Málmfríðr, derived from an uncertain first element (possibly malmr meaning "ore") combined with fríðr meaning "beautiful, beloved". This was the name of a 12th-century princess of Kyiv who married King Sigurd I of Norway.
Malin f Swedish, Norwegian
Swedish and Norwegian short form of Magdalene.
Malou f Danish
Short form of Marie-Louise.
Malte m Danish, Swedish, German
Danish short form of the Old German name Helmold. This name was used by the Austrian author Rainer Maria Rilke for the title character in his novel The Notebooks of Malte Laurids Brigge (1910).
Malthe m Danish
Variant of Malte.
Måns m Swedish
Swedish variant of Magnus.
Marcus m Ancient Roman, Biblical Latin, English, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Roman praenomen, or given name, that was probably derived from the name of the Roman god Mars. This was among the most popular of the Roman praenomina. Famous bearers include Marcus Tullius Cicero (known simply as Cicero), a 1st-century BC statesman and orator, Marcus Antonius (known as Mark Antony), a 1st-century BC politician, and Marcus Aurelius, a notable 2nd-century emperor. This was also the name of a pope of the 4th century. This spelling has occasionally been used in the English-speaking world, though the traditional English form Mark has been more common.
Maren f Danish, Norwegian
Danish diminutive of Marina or Maria.
Margareta f German, Swedish, Romanian, Slovene, Finnish, Croatian
Form of Margaret in several languages.
Margaretha f Dutch, Swedish, German
Dutch form of Margaret, as well as a Swedish and German variant form.
Margit f Hungarian, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Estonian, German
Hungarian and Scandinavian form of Margaret.
Margrét f Icelandic
Icelandic form of Margaret.
Margrete f Norwegian
Norwegian form of Margaret.
Margrethe f Danish, Norwegian
Danish and Norwegian form of Margaret. This is the name of the current queen of Denmark (1940-).
Mari 1 f Estonian, Finnish, Welsh, Breton, Hungarian, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Georgian, Armenian
Estonian, Finnish, Welsh and Breton form of Maria, as well as a Hungarian diminutive of Mária. It is also a Scandinavian, Georgian and Armenian form of the French name Marie.
María f & m Spanish, Galician, Icelandic
Spanish, Galician and Icelandic form of Maria.... [more]
Maria f & m Italian, Portuguese, Catalan, Occitan, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Faroese, Dutch, Frisian, Greek, Polish, Romanian, English, Finnish, Estonian, Corsican, Sardinian, Basque, Armenian, Russian, Bulgarian, Ukrainian, Biblical Greek, Biblical Latin, Old Church Slavic
Latin form of Greek Μαρία, from Hebrew מִרְיָם (see Mary). Maria is the usual form of the name in many European languages, as well as a secondary form in other languages such as English (where the common spelling is Mary). In some countries, for example Germany, Poland and Italy, Maria is occasionally used as a masculine middle name.... [more]
Mariann f Hungarian, Norwegian, Swedish, Danish
Hungarian and Scandinavian variant of Marianne.
Marianne f French, English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish
Originally a French diminutive of Marie. It is also considered a combination of Marie and Anne 1. Shortly after the formation of the French Republic in 1792, a female figure by this name was adopted as the symbol of the state.
Marie f & m French, Czech, German, English, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Albanian
French and Czech form of Maria. It has been very common in France since the 13th century. At the opening of the 20th century it was given to approximately 20 percent of French girls. This percentage has declined steadily over the course of the century, and it dropped from the top rank in 1958.... [more]
Marika f Czech, Slovak, Polish, Hungarian, Greek, Finnish, Estonian, Swedish, Georgian, Italian, German
Diminutive of Maria and other names beginning with Mari.
Marina f Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, English, Greek, Finnish, Estonian, Russian, Romanian, Czech, Bulgarian, Croatian, Serbian, Slovene, Macedonian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Georgian, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Marinus. This name was borne by a few early saints. This is also the name by which Saint Margaret of Antioch is known in the Eastern Orthodox Church.
Marit f Norwegian, Swedish, Dutch
Norwegian and Swedish form of Margaret.
Marita 2 f Swedish, Norwegian
Scandinavian variant form of Margaret.
Marius m Ancient Roman, Romanian, German, Dutch, Norwegian, Danish, French, Lithuanian
Roman family name that was derived either from Mars, the name of the Roman god of War, or else from the Latin root mas, maris meaning "male". Gaius Marius was a famous Roman consul of the 2nd century BC. Since the start of the Christian era, it has occasionally been used as a masculine form of Maria.
Mark m English, Russian, Belarusian, Dutch, Danish, Armenian, Biblical
Form of Latin Marcus used in several languages. Saint Mark was the author of the second gospel in the New Testament. Though the author's identity is not certain, some traditions hold him to be the same person as the John Mark who appears in the Book of Acts. He is the patron saint of Venice, where he is supposedly buried. Though in use during the Middle Ages, Mark was not common in the English-speaking world until the 19th century, when it began to be used alongside the classical form Marcus.... [more]
Markus m German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Estonian
German, Scandinavian, Finnish and Estonian form of Marcus (see Mark).
Marna f Danish
Danish short form of Marina.
Märta f Swedish
Swedish short form of Margareta.
Marte 1 f Norwegian
Norwegian variant of Martha.
Mårten m Swedish
Swedish form of Martinus (see Martin).
Märtha f Swedish
Variant of Märta.
Martha f English, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, German, Greek, Biblical, Old Church Slavic, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
From Aramaic מַרְתָּא (marta') meaning "the lady, the mistress", feminine form of מַר (mar) meaning "master". In the New Testament this is the name of the sister of Lazarus and Mary of Bethany (who is sometimes identified with Mary Magdalene). She was a witness to Jesus restoring her dead brother to life.... [more]
Marthe f French, Norwegian
French and Norwegian form of Martha.
Martin m English, French, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Estonian, Russian, Romanian, Czech, Slovak, Slovene, Croatian, Serbian, Hungarian, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Finnish
From the Roman name Martinus, which was derived from Martis, the genitive case of the name of the Roman god Mars. Saint Martin of Tours was a 4th-century bishop who is the patron saint of France. According to legend, he came across a cold beggar in the middle of winter so he ripped his cloak in two and gave half of it to the beggar. He was a favourite saint during the Middle Ages, and his name has become common throughout the Christian world.... [more]
Martina f German, Italian, Spanish, Catalan, Czech, Slovak, Croatian, Slovene, Bulgarian, Hungarian, English, Swedish, Dutch, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Martinus (see Martin). Saint Martina was a 3rd-century martyr who is one of the patron saints of Rome.
Martine f French, Dutch, Norwegian
French, Dutch and Norwegian feminine form of Martinus (see Martin).
Mathea f Norwegian
Norwegian feminine form of Mathias.
Matheo m Norwegian (Modern), Swedish (Modern)
Norwegian and Swedish form of Mateo or Matteo.
Mathilde f French, German, Dutch, Norwegian, Danish
Form of Matilda in several languages.
Matilda f English, Swedish, Finnish, Slovak, Slovene
From the Germanic name Mahthilt meaning "strength in battle", from the elements maht "might, strength" and hilt "battle". Saint Matilda was the wife of the 10th-century German king Henry I the Fowler. The name was common in many branches of European royalty in the Middle Ages. It was brought to England by the Normans, being borne by the wife of William the Conqueror himself. Another notable royal by this name was a 12th-century daughter of Henry I of England, known as the Empress Matilda because of her first marriage to the Holy Roman emperor Henry V. She later invaded England, laying the foundations for the reign of her son Henry II.... [more]
Mats m Swedish, Norwegian
Swedish and Norwegian short form of Matthias.
Matteus m Swedish, Norwegian
Swedish and Norwegian form of Matthew, used to refer to the evangelist and apostle also known as Levi.
Matthías m Icelandic
Icelandic form of Matthias.
Mattias m Swedish, Estonian
Swedish and Estonian form of Matthias.
Mattis m Norwegian, Swedish, German
Norwegian, Swedish and German variant of Matthias.
Matts m Swedish
Variant of Mats.
Maud f English, French, Dutch, Swedish
Medieval English and French form of Matilda. Though it became rare after the 14th century, it was revived and once more grew popular in the 19th century, perhaps due to Alfred Tennyson's 1855 poem Maud.
Max m German, English, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Dutch, Czech, Russian, Catalan
Short form of Maximilian (or Maxwell in English). It is also an alternate transcription of Russian Макс (see Maks).... [more]
Maximilian m German, English, Swedish, Norwegian (Rare), Danish (Rare)
From the Roman name Maximilianus, which was derived from Maximus. It was borne by a 3rd-century saint and martyr. In the 15th century the Holy Roman emperor Frederick III gave this name to his son and eventual heir. In this case it was a blend of the names of the Roman generals Fabius Maximus and Cornelius Scipio Aemilianus (see Emiliano), whom Frederick admired. It was subsequently borne by a second Holy Roman emperor, two kings of Bavaria, and a short-lived Habsburg emperor of Mexico.
Meja f Swedish (Modern)
Possibly from a Low German diminutive of names beginning with the Old German element megin meaning "power, strength". It was popularized by the Swedish singer Meja (1969-), born Anna Pernilla Torndahl.
Melker m Swedish
Swedish form of Melchior.
Melvin m English, Swedish
From a Scots surname that was a variant of Melville. This name has been used in America since the 19th century. It became popular in the early 20th century and reached a peak in the late 1920s, but has steadily declined since then (closely mirroring the similar-sounding but unrelated names Marvin and Alvin).
Merete f Danish, Norwegian
Medieval Danish variant of Margrethe.
Merit 2 f Estonian, Swedish (Rare)
Variant of Maret (Estonian) or Marit (Swedish).
Meta f German, Danish, Swedish, Slovene
German, Scandinavian and Slovene short form of Margaret.
Mette f Danish, Norwegian
Danish diminutive of Margaret.
Mia f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, German, Italian, Slovene, Croatian, English
Diminutive of Maria. It coincides with the Italian word mia meaning "mine".... [more]
Micael m Swedish, Portuguese
Swedish and Portuguese variant form of Michael.
Michael m English, German, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Dutch, Czech, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
From the Hebrew name מִיכָאֵל (Mikha'el) meaning "who is like God?". This is a rhetorical question, implying no person is like God. Michael is one of the archangels in Hebrew tradition and the only one identified as an archangel in the Bible. In the Book of Daniel in the Old Testament he is named as a protector of Israel (see Daniel 12:1). In the Book of Revelation in the New Testament he is portrayed as the leader of heaven's armies in the war against Satan, and is thus considered the patron saint of soldiers in Christianity.... [more]
Mie f Danish, Norwegian
Danish and Norwegian diminutive of Marie.
Mikael m Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Finnish, Breton
Scandinavian, Finnish and Breton form of Michael.
Mikaela f Swedish, Finnish
Feminine form of Michael.
Mikkel m Danish, Norwegian
Danish form of Michael. It can also derive from the Scandinavian root mikill meaning "enormous".
Mikkeline f Danish
Danish feminine form of Mikkel.
Mikkjal m Faroese
Faroese form of Michael.
Milian m Swedish, Norwegian
Swedish and Norwegian short form of Maximilian.
Milla f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish
Short form of Camilla and other names that end in milla.
Mille f & m Norwegian, Danish, Swedish
Danish and Norwegian short form of Emilie (feminine) and Swedish short form of Emil (masculine).