Scandinavian Names for Boys
Across 8 pages
of 8
Havelock
Scandinavian
"sea competition"
A name from medieval romance with an endearingly clunky sound, à la Sherlock. The most famous modern wearer was twentieth-century psychologist/sexologist Havelock (born Henry) Ellis.
Janne
Finnish variation of John
"God is gracious"
This common name in Finland, which is also a diminutive for Jan in Sweden, might feel a bit feminine in the English-speaking world, too close to girls' names Jan and Jane.
Janson
Scandinavian
"Jan's son"
Intriguing way to honor an ancestral John.
Jenson
Scandinavian
"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…
Jens
Scandinavian variation of Johannes or John, Hebrew
"God is gracious"
Short but substantial Nordic name that travels well -- although it runs the risk of being confused with all the feminine Jen names.
Jokum
Jokum is a masculine name of Scandinavian origin, primarily found in Denmark and Norway. It derives from the biblical name Joachim, which comes from Hebrew roots meaning 'established by God' or 'may…
Johannes
German, Dutch, Scandinavian, and Estonian variation of John
"God is gracious"
An Old World name that might have a chance to rise again with other ancient and worldly forms. Be sure to say yo-HAHN-es.
Jockum
Jockum is a distinctive masculine name with Scandinavian roots, primarily found in Sweden and Finland. It evolved as a variant of Joakim or Joachim, which derives from the Hebrew name Yehoyakim,…
Claus
Scandinavian and German variation of Nicolas
A very Christmas-y Christmas baby name , that may avoid the Santa image by instead adopting the alternative spelling Klaus.
Kent
English surname and place-name
"edge"
Kent is a no-nonsense, brief, brisk one-syllable name, almost as curt as Kurt.
Harald
Harald is a masculine name of Norse origin meaning 'army ruler' or 'leader of warriors,' composed of the elements 'har' (army) and 'vald' (rule). This ancient Germanic name has been borne by numerous…
Kristoffer
Scandinavian variation of Christopher, Greek and Latin
"bearer of Christ"
This Scandinavian spin on Christopher gives that enduring classic a lighter, more individual twist, though many may see it as simply a kree8iv spelling. Not true: It has authentic roots as a…
Lamont
Scandinavian
"man of law"
Outmoded comic book choice.
Latham
English, Norse
"the barn"
An outdoorsy but smart feeling choice, Latham could be perfect for those looking for undiscovered last names as first names. Similar in style to Graham, Layton, and Linden, it has its origins in the…
Lars
Scandinavian from Latin Laurentius
"crowned with laurel"
Lars is a perfect candidate for a cross-cultural passport: it has been heard often enough here to sound familiar and friendly, yet retains the charisma of a charming foreigner. In this country Lars…
Haldan
Scandinavian
"half Danish"
If you fit this definition, this might be a clever choice, especially as a middle name.
Lothar
German
"famous army"
Lothar is cloddish, till you add a dashing io to the end...
Ludvig
Scandinavian variation of Ludwig, German
"famous warrior"
Unlikely to catch on in the Anglophone world, where parent name Ludwig still conjures up images of Beethoven. But Ludvig actually ranks among the top boy names in Norway and Sweden, while German form…
Sander
Dutch and Scandinavian, diminutive of Alexander
"defending men"
Sander is a more conventional form of Zander or Xander, heard frequently on its own in Europe. It is now a Top 20 name in Norway, and is also popular in Denmark, Belgium and the Netherlands.
Kristian
Danish, Albanian, Breton, Bulgarian, Danish, Estonian, Finnish, Norwegian, Swedish variation of Christian
Variation of Christian.