Published on 08/13/2020 13:41 By Olivia Ward-Smith;Mohammed Balquam;Sarah Hallam
Edited by Sarah Hallam | Fact-checked by Mohammed Balquam
Choosing a name for your baby in Sweden is a pretty serious undertaking.
There are rules in place to make sure that the name chosen is appropriate, inoffensive and won’t cause problems for the child in later life. There are also a number of cultural practises that many still choose to follow; a middle name (or two) are very common, though they are instead referred to as ‘given’ names.
Sometimes people choose to go by their second name, rather than their first, or use both names together.
If you’re looking for a name from Sweden for your new baby girl, there is a huge pool to choose from.
Ironically, the most popular girls’ name in Sweden last year was Alice (a name we’re already pretty familiar with), but there are plenty of traditional (and beautiful) Swedish names for you to choose from, many of which we’ve gathered here.
From popular Swedish girls names like Elsa and Alma, to a few more unique gems, we have an extensive list for you to peruse.
Though lots of Swedish names are traditionally assigned to each gender, it’s looking like that may change soon. In tribute to the increasingly-used Swedish gender neutral pronoun ‘hen’, we’ve also included a selection of gender-neutral names.
Take a look at our list of Swedish and pick your favourite.
Popular Swedish Girls’ Names
Some of the most commonly-chosen Swedish girl names, these are among the most fail-safe options on the list if you’re looking for a name that’s tried and tested.
Alma – this pretty Swedish girls’ name means ‘loving’.
Annika – means ‘grace’ or ‘favour’.
Asa – (pronounced aw-suh) means ‘goddess’.
Birgitta – (pronounced b-eer-jee-tah) means ‘strength’.
Ebba – this popular Swedish girls’ name means ‘strong’.
Elin – a sweet little name for your baby girl meaning ‘light’.
Elsa – a very popular name in Sweden, Elsameans ‘noble’.
Filippa – means ‘lover/friend of horses’.
Inger – meaning ‘hero’s daughter’.
Karin – meaning ‘pure’.
Kerstin – (pronounced key-ear-stin) is the Scandinavian form of ‘Christine’, and it means ‘Christian woman’.
Linnea – (pronounced lin-nay-ah) means ‘twinflower’.
Maja –(m-eye-ah) a popular name for girls that means ‘pearl’.
Margareta – a Swedish girls’ name meaning ‘pearl’.
Stina – means ‘Pure’.
Tyra – (pronounced tee-rah) has been in and out of fashion multiple times in Sweden, and seems to again be becoming more popular for baby girls. It means ‘God of battle’.
Ulla – (pronounced eu-la) a lovely Swedish baby girls name meaning ‘determination’.
Wilma – means ‘resolute protection’.
Short Swedish Baby Names
Among the shortest names on this list, these Swedish girl names are sweet and simple.
Agda – means ‘good’ or ‘good-hearted’.
Ase – (pronounced oh-sair) means ‘god-like’.
Asta – means ‘love’ or ‘divine beauty’.
Cajsa – (pronounced kai-sah) a Swedish variation of the name Catherine, Cajsa means ‘pure’ or ‘chaste’.
Ida – (pronounced ee-dah) a beautiful name for girls meaning ‘worker’ or ‘industrious one’.
Liv – (pronounced leev) means ‘life’.
Mari- Mari means ‘rebellious woman’.
Nea – means ‘like a twinflower’.
Pia – a dainty Swedish baby name meaning ‘pious’.
Tuva – a sweet Swedish girls’ name meaning ‘tuft of grass’.
Pretty Swedish Baby Names
These charming Swedish girl names would make a lovely choice for your new baby.
Agneta – (pronounced ang-nyeta) means ‘pure’ or ‘sacred’.
Anja – (pronounced an-yah) a lovely name meaning ‘merciful’ or ‘gracious’.
Annalina – this sweet Swedish baby name means ‘graceful light’.
Atalie – means ‘pure’.
Carin – meaning ‘pure’.
Carita – means ‘love’ or ‘affection’.
Carola – means ‘free woman’.
Cilla – (pronounced sill-uh) means ‘blind’ or ‘ancient’.
Eira – (pronounced eh-ee-rah) means ‘merciful’.
Elise – (pronounced eh-leese) means ‘promise of God’.
Embla – means ‘elm’.
Evelina – a lovely name meaning ‘light’.
Kajsa – (pronounced kye-sah) means ‘pure’.
Karina – a popular name in several European countries meaning ‘pure’.
Katrin – means ‘purity’.
Klara – means ‘clear’.
Krista – means ‘Follower of Christ’.
Lena – (pronounced leah-nah) means ‘light’.
Lindy – means ‘pretty’.
Lotta – this pretty name actually means ‘man’ or ‘masculine’!
Lovisa – (pronounced loo-vee-sah) means ‘warrior’ or ‘fighter’.
Lycka – (pronounced lee-kah) means ‘happiness’.
Malena – means ‘from the tower’.
Marna – a lovely Swedish baby name meaning ‘of the sea’.
Mikaela – (pronounced mih-kay-eh-lah) means ‘God-like’.
Moa – this elegant name means ‘she is mother’.
Monika – means ‘advisor’.
Pernilla – this girls name means ‘rock’.
Petra – means ‘stone’.
Rebecka – the Swedish form of a popular name we all know and love, Rebecka means ‘to tie’ or ‘to ensnare’.
Runa – means ‘secret love’ or ‘secret tradition’.
Sanna – is the shortened Swedish form of ‘Susanna’, which means ‘lily’.
Sassa – means ‘divine beauty’.
Selma – means ‘God’s helmet’.
Siri –(pronounced see-ree) meaning ‘beautiful’ or ‘victory’.
Svea – (pronounced sve-ah) means ‘of the Swedes’. In fact, Svea is essentially the old Swedish way of saying Sweden; if you’re looking for a truly Swedish name, this might be it!
Ulva – means ‘wolf’.
Strong Swedish Baby Names
These fierce Swedish girl names have connotations of strength and power; what better gift to give to your baby girl?
Benedikta – (pronounced ben-eh-dick-tah) means ‘blessed’.
Berit – (pronounced bee-yuh-reet) means ‘intelligent’ or ‘splendid’.
Britt – means ‘strong’ or ‘powerful’.
Dagmar – a powerful girls’ name meaning ‘day’ and ‘daughter’.
Gittan – means ‘strong’ or ‘powerful’.
Gull – is a Swedish girls’ name meaning ‘goddess’.
Gunhild – means ‘war’.
Gunilla – means ‘battle maiden’ or ‘battle in war’.
Hedda – a bold girls’ name meaning ‘fight’ or ‘war’.
Helmi –meaning ‘protector’.
Hildur – means ‘battle’ or ‘fighting a war’.
Jonna – means ‘God’s mercy’ or ‘God is merciful’.
Ragna – means ‘powerful’.
Ronja – (pronounced ron-yah) means ‘bringer of victory’.
Signe – (pronounced sig-neh) this Swedish baby name means victory.
Sigrid – (pronounced see-grid) means ‘victory’ or ‘wisdom’.
Tekla – means ‘divine fame’.
Teresia – means ‘reaper’.
Toril – means ‘temper’.
Ulrika – means ‘power’ and ‘prosperity’.
Valborg – meaning ‘Mighty Mountain’.
Valdis – a Swedish girl name meaning ‘goddess of those killed in battle’.
Vanda – means ‘a Wend’.
Vilma – a girls’ name meaning ‘determined protector’.
Viveka – means ‘Little woman’.
Traditional Swedish Girl Names
Looking for something traditional for your baby girl? Try these Swedish girls’ names.
Brigitta – a relatively popular name in Sweden, Brigitta means ‘mighty’.
Erika – (pronounced eh-ree-kah) means ‘forever powerful’.
Tilda – means ‘Heroine’.
Tove – another popular Swedish name, Tove means beautiful/peace of Thor (the Norse god of thunder).
Vilhelmina – a traditional name meaning ‘determined protector’.
Gender Neutral Swedish Names
These unisex names are perhaps the most versatile of the list; perfect for a baby of any gender!
Alva – this Swedish baby name means ‘elf’.
Alvah – an alternative spelling of this pretty Swedish name meaning ‘elf’.
Carson – means ‘son of Carr’.
Duane – (pronounced like Dwayne) means ‘dark’.
Inge – (pronounced in-guh) a good unisex choice for your baby meaning ‘Ing’s Soldier’.
Tova – (pronounced toe-vah) a beautiful Swedish name meaning good or beautiful Thor, the Swedish God of Thunder.
Tyri –(pronounced teer-ee)means ‘thunder fighter’ or ‘Thor’s warrior’.
Old Swedish Names
Some of these old Swedish girls’ names are among the least common names on the list, but with their roots dating back to Old Swedish, they have a rich heritage.
Berit –this Swedish girls’ name means ‘intelligent’.
Freja – (pronounced fray-ya) an Old Norse name that has become one of the most popular names in Sweden (and, indeed, in Scandinavia), Freja means ‘noblewoman’ or ‘lady’.
Gunnhildr – an Old Norse name with connotations of ‘war’ and ‘battle’.
Helga – this Old Norse name meaning ‘divine woman’ may not be one of the most popular Swedish names in this day and age; chances are you’ve heard of it nonetheless.
Hella – a derivative of Helga, Hella means ‘blessed’ or ‘holy’.
Solveig – (pronounced soul-vay) means ‘daughter of the sun’, a lovely choice for your baby girl.
Swedish Girls’ Names From Norse Mythology
If you’re looking for a Swedish girls’ name with historic significance, these are the names of some of the legendary women in old Norse mythology.
Alfhild – this Swedish girls’ name means ‘battle of elves’.
Borghild – a bold choice for your baby girl, this name means ‘defence in battle’. Borghild was the wife of the hero Sigmund in Norse mythology.
Saga – means ‘seeing one’ and was the name of the Norse goddess of history and poetry. Nowadays in Sweden, the word means ‘story’ or ‘fairytale’.
Siv – this Old Norse name means ‘bride’. Siv was the wife of Thor, the god of thunder and lightning, in Norse Mythology.
Swedish Girls’ Names Inspired by Celebrities
These Swedish girls’ names were made popular by notable figures in Sweden – why not give your baby girl an illustrious name that will make her feel special?
Agnetha – name of one of the members of Sweden’s most popular musical export (who else but ABBA?), Agnetha means ‘holy’ or ‘pure’.
Astrid – means ‘divinely beautiful’ and is one of the most popular Swedish girls’ names. It is also the name of one of Sweden’s most beloved authors, Astrid Lindgren, who wrote the famous ‘Pippi Longstocking’.
Birgit – name to the legendary opera singer, Birgit Nilsson, the name Birgit means ‘strength’.
Greta – means ‘pearl’, and is name to the crusading young environmental activist Greta Thunberg (and, of course, classic film actress Greta Garbo).
Ingrid – name to the Academy Award-winning Hollywood starlet Ingrid Bergman, this name means ‘beautiful’ or ‘beloved’. A lovely choice for your baby girl!
Sources
https://parenting.firstcry.com/articles/60-best-swedish-baby-names-for-girls/
https://momlovesbest.com/swedish-girl-names