Nickname help!
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Scandinavian baby girl names are strong, beautiful, and possibly the perfect choice for your little one. Here, we’re sharing some of our favorites.
Scandinavia is the northern region of Europe known for its Viking past, its fairy tales, and its sophisticated contemporary design style.
Technically, the name refers to the three kingdoms of Sweden, Norway, and Denmark.
But the other Nordic countries of Finland and Iceland also share a lot of the same cultural and linguistic history.
So, did someone ask, What are some Viking girl names? Well, you’re very much in the right place.
Here are some of the most popular, unique, and beautiful Scandinavian girl names from across the region.
50 Scandinavian baby girl names and meanings
- Agnes. A common name across the whole Scandinavian region and beyond. It comes from the Greek word meaning “pure” or “chaste”.
- Aino. Meaning “the only one”. We like it a lot, and so do many others in Finland and Estonia, where it often tops the lists of most popular names.
- Alberte. Of course, it’s quite similar to the male name Albert, meaning “wise” and “graceful”. But this Scandinavian female name has an elegant twist.
- Alma. The most popular girl name in Denmark right now, according to Statistics Denmark, and a favorite across the region. It comes from the Latin almus meaning “nourishing”.
- Astrid. The fourth most popular Scandinavian girls’ name in Sweden, it means “divinely beautiful”. Can’t argue with a name like that!
- Clara. The Scandinavian version of Claire, it’s also popular in other cultures across Europe.
- Elise. A variation on Elisa, or a shortened version of Elisabeth. Elise means “my God is abundance”.
- Elsa. Probably destined to be the most popular name in the world, Elsa is another variation on Elisabeth — and obviously the snow queen from Disney’s Frozen, too.
- Eva. Well-liked across Scandinavia and much of the western world, Eva means “life”.
- Eveliina. A name that’s common in Finland, Eveliina is a local twist on Eva.
- Freja. It means simply, “lady” or “mistress”. But it’s a top 10 girls’ name in both Denmark and Sweden.
- Frida. Of German origin, Frida means “peace”. The Mexican artist Frida Kahlo gave the name new popularity across the world.
- Gry. It means “dawn”.
- Guðrún. According to Statistics Iceland, this is the country’s most popular girl name. It’s spelled Gudrun in the rest of Scandinavia, and it means “God’s lore”.
- Hedda. It means “warrior in the war”. A name for a strong and courageous little girl. For the readers among you, it’s also the famous character from Hedda Gabler, a popular play by Norwegian writer Henrik Ibsen.
- Hedwig. Contender for the most famous owl in literature? Thanks, J.K. Rowling. The name started life as a popular Scandinavian saint’s name for girls.
- Helga. Meaning “holy” or “blessed”, Helga is a popular name across northern Europe.
- Helmi. Used in Finland as a short name for Vilhelmiina, Helmi means “pearl” or “bead”.
- Iben. A unique Norwegian name referring to the wood of the yew tree.
- Ida. “Industrious” or “prosperous”. It’s a top 20 name for girls across Scandinavia.
- Ingrid. A combination of the Norse fertility god Ing and the word fríðr, meaning “beautiful”. A name was famously borne by actress Ingrid Bergman.
- Íris. Meaning “rainbow”.
- Juni. Simply, it means June. But it’s a very cute name that’s popular across Scandinavia.
- Katarina. Related to the name Catherine, it means “pure”.
- Karla. “Womanly”. It’s a name particularly popular in Denmark.
- Kerttu. The Finnish form of Gertrude, Kerttu means “warrior”.
- Kristín. Currently the third most popular name in Iceland, this Scandinavian name for girls means “follower of Christ”.
- Lærke. Referring to “lark” (the bird), this name has been consistently popular in Denmark for nearly a century.
- Lilja. A Swedish and Finnish name, it means “lily”.
- Linnea. One of Scandinavia’s most common girl names, it means “lime” or “linden tree”.
- Mathilde. “Battle-mighty”.
- Maya. From the Greek, meaning “good mother”.
- Merle. It comes from Muriel, or the French word for “blackbird”.
- Mette. Meaning “pearl”.
- Mille. A Scandinavian name related to Camilla, it actually means “helper of the priest”.
- Nora. One of the top names in Norway, it means “honor”.
- Oda. “Riches”. One of the most beautiful and simple Scandinavian female names.
- Oline. A female version of Olaf.
- Selma. It may have Celtic roots (meaning “beautiful view”) or Arabic roots (meaning “peaceful”). Either way, we think it makes a very lovely name.
- Signe. Pronounced ‘sin-ya’, Signe means “victory”. It’s particularly popular in Sweden.
- Sigrid. “Victor”, “wisdom”, “beauty”. A lot of meanings for this popular Scandinavian name.
- Sigríður. An Icelandic version of Sigrid, but with the Icelandic ‘ð’ (a letter pronounced a little like ‘th’).
- Sofie. A classic with a Scandinavian twist. It means “wisdom”.
- Solveig. “Strength of the house”. Most popular in Norway and Iceland.
- Thelma. “Will”. She’ll grow up to be a girl you won’t mess with.
- Tiril. A Norwegian name with origins that are a little obscure. But it’s still beautiful and unique.
- Tuva. It may mean “tuft of grass”, and it’s a great Scandinavian name that you don’t hear much across the rest of the world. We like it.
- Vera. A name of Slavic origin meaning “faith”.
- Vilde. It means “battle of the elves”. Yep, you read that right. What a magical name for your daughter!
- Wilma. “Helmet” or “protection”.
50 more Scandinavian names for girls
- Aleksandra
- Alina
- Amalie
- Andrea
- Anna
- Aurora
- Birna
- Ebba
- Edith
- Eline
- Ella
- Ellinor
- Emilie
- Emma
- Enni
- Esther
- Erla
- Harpa
- Helena
- Hilla
- Hulda
- Ilona
- Ines
- Isabella
- Isla
- Johanne
- Josefine
- Julia
- Kaarina
- Karen
- Laura
- Lea
- Leia
- Leonora
- Linda
- Livia
- Lo
- Luna
- Margrét
- Marie
- Meja
- Mia
- Nova
- Olivia
- Saga
- Sara
- Thea
- Venla
- Victoria
- Viola
What is the most beautiful name for a baby girl?
Finding the most beautiful name for your baby girl is what this whole adventure is about.
And maybe you’ve found it among these Scandinavian baby girl names.
But there are many more wonderful baby girl names out there.
Why not try one of these lists for further inspiration?
Happy naming!