Swedish Names

This softer version of Adolf is sadly still off-limits due to the connotations with Hitler.

Agata is an Agatha form widely used throughout Europe. And the hard t may be more appealing to your ear than the th sound.

Teodora is an extremely attractive and international choice, with several equally attractive, user-friendly nicknames and a little more edge than the English form, Theodora. Appealing short forms might include Tea, Dora, or Dory.

Moa is among the Top 100 Swedish baby names but virtually unknown in the US. Might Moa be a substitute for Mia or Maya? An intriguing idea. There is a Swedish author named Moa Martinson.

So uncool it's almost cool, Bertie makes for a boyish nickname for Alberta, Roberta, Bertille, Albertine... or just use it on its own, à la Billie or Frankie.

Well used in northern Europe, almost unknown here.

Pelle is one of several possible Peter-related Scandinavian choices. In Swedish or Norwegian, the name Pelle rhymes roughly with Ella.

Streamlined spelling found all across Europe. The Spanish Filipo has extra zip.

Paulo suffers in comparison to the richer and more authentic-sounding Paolo.

Majken, which is related to Maiken and Maike, is a popular name in Sweden whose variations are used throughout Scandinavia as cooler forms of Mary. Majken is virtually unknown in the U.S. and probably not bound for emigration.

Melker, a modern phonetic spelling of ancient Three Wise Men name Melchior, is in the Swedish Top 100 though not used in the US, where it would be heard as "milker." Nickname Mel is not exactly a fashionable choice at the moment either.

Like Stian, a more manageable short form of the unwieldy Srigandr, but with a less euphonic sound. Stig Larsson is a successful Swedish novelist, not to be confused with the even more successful late Swedish novelist Stieg Larsson (born Karl Stig-Erland LArsson), author of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo</>..

A common Scandinavian name, but hard to imagine being used elsewhere.

Concise and clipped European version of the earnest Ernest.

Once a short form of names containing this syllable, it is now used on its own, though we'd prefer Sven.