By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 14 pages
of 14
Norse
"brave warrior, or Thor's stone"
Dustin's popularity in recent years has probably had more due to its similarity to Justin than to idolization of Dustin Hoffman -- himself named after silent screen cowboy star Dustin Farnum -- who…
Scandinavian, German, Polish, and Russian variation of Carina
This sweet and loving name, favored in recent years by a mix of Hispanic-American parents and Bob Dylan fans, was chosen for her daughter by TV actress Melina Kanakaredes.
Diminutive of Olivia, English, Norse
"olive tree; life, protection"
Liv combines the succinct charm of a nickname—people might assume it's short for Olivia—with the solidity of being a classic stand-alone Scandinavian name with a life-force meaning. It was brought…
Swedish; Danish; Norwegian
"heir, descendant"
Leif is one of the most recognizable Scandinavian names , thanks to Icelandic explorer Leif Erikson, and is still one of the best, with a pleasant aural association with the word leaf. Leif Erikson,…
Dutch form of Jasper, Persian
"bringer of treasure"
This ancient name, also spelled Caspar, is finally shedding its ghostly image and moving into the 21st century. Popular in the Netherlands and Scandinavia, where it's sometimes shortened to Cas,…
Scandinavian variation of Andrew
"strong and manly, masculine"
Friendly and rugged at the same time, Anders is a Scandinavian form of the Andrew and Andreas family, used across Norway, Denmark, Sweden, and in the US. Consistently in the American Top 1000 since…
Scandinavian
"army ruler"
The name of the last Anglo-Saxon king of England before the Norman conquest, and a name that's long been associated with a pipe-smoking, bespectacled grandpa or uncle. After years in style limbo,…
Swedish and Finnish variation of Michaela, Hebrew
"who is like God"
Variation of Michaela often used in Scandinavian countries. Oscar-winning actress Mikey Madison's formal name is Mkaela, spelled this way. Mikaela is a Top 20 name in Puerto Rico.
Hawaiian
"sea"
This appealing multi-cultural name, pronounced KYE, is beginning to be used for girls as well as boys. Among its many derivations and meanings: "sea" in Hawaiian, "forgiveness" in Japanese, "willow…
Spelling variation of Cara or Norse mythology name
"wild stormy one"
Kara and the soundalike (though not necessarily related) Cara are among the most multi-cultural names around. Cara has roots in Latin, Italian, Irish, Spanish, and Portuguese, and Kara can be viewed…
"fair; Ing is beautiful"
The luminous Ingrid Bergman's appeal was strong enough to lend universal charisma to this classic Scandinavian name, which has been somewhat neglected in the US. Even today, a child named Ingrid…
Variation of Axel, Scandinavian version of Absalom
"father of peace"
Guns 'n' Roses musician Axl (born William) Rose created this name by dropping a vowel, a la Barbra Streisand. The traditional Axel is more popular, though celebrity parents Fergie and Josh Duhamel…
Danish, Albanian, Breton, Bulgarian, Danish, Estonian, Finnish, Norwegian, Swedish variation of Christian
Variation of Christian.
Russian and Scandinavian variation of Sophia
"wisdom"
Early European import, well known in the 1940s via Norwegian skating movie star Sonja Henie, that has sailed back across the Atlantic, despite the rising popularity of other Russian names.
Meaning unknown
When the King was alive, and for years afterwards, few people (except Declan McManus who became Elvis Costello) dared use his singular name, but now it's very much up for grabs. The name Elvis is…
"son of Jens"
The surname name Jenson is in the British Top 100 thanks to champion race car driver Jenson Button. Jenson might be an honorific for an ancestral John, the English form of Jens or Johannes, or even…
"cheerful"
Though Tate is used almost exclusively for boys, we can see Tate as a stronger surname alternative to Kate or a clipped form of Tatum.
Norse and Scandinavian
"thunder or brave and daring"
Some sources give Thorin as a variation of the thunder god name Thor, equivalent to Thoren, while others says it comes from the verb að þora, meaning "to dare." This is a dwarf's name that first…
"yew wood, archer, warrior"
Closer to the original Norse name Ívarr , it is part of a small group of names with similar roots: Ivor, Iver, Ivo, Ives, and Evander, which all make rugged yet gentle feeling choices. Used…
Norse feminization of Eric or Italian word name
"eternal ruler; heather"
The straightforward Erica is a Norse feminization that was long associated with the complex, mega-popular character Erica Kane, played by Susan Lucci for decades on the soap opera All My Children .…
