​
​
Advanced Search

List of names from Astrid Lindgren stories

shvibziks
By shvibziks
Updated Tue May 23 2023
Astrid Lindgren is a sacred part of every Scandinavian child's upbringing, the majority of us have read several of her stories, and seen the television adaptions of them. Lindgren had an exceptional way of capturing names that were both popular yet also quirky and unique when naming her characters. Several of the names enjoy a big popularity all over Scandinavia today still.
  1. Anna

    • Origin:

      Variation of Hannah, Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "grace"

    • Description:

      Anna has become the dominant form of the Ann family, offering a touch of the international to English speakers and a bit more style than the oversimplified Ann or Anne.
  2. Alma

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "nurturing, soul"

    • Description:

      Alma is a somewhat solemn, soulful name that had a burst of popularity a century ago, then faded into the flowered wallpaper, and is now finding its footing once more.
  3. Sofia

    • Origin:

      Greek

    • Meaning:

      "wisdom"

    • Description:

      Sofia is a refined variation of the Greek name Sophia, which was derived directly from sophia, the Greek word for wisdom. It was the name of a Roman saint—the mother of Faith, Hope, and Charity—and queens of Russia and Spain.
  4. Jonas

    • Origin:

      Greek variation of Jonah

    • Meaning:

      "dove"

    • Description:

      Jonas has a slightly more grandfatherly image than the English version of his name, but that only adds to its retro appeal. And though it may lag behind Jonah in this country, Jonas is riding a huge wave of popularity in Europe, where it ranks highly in Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Norway.
  5. Alfred

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "wise counselor; elf counsel"

    • Description:

      Alfred is up off his recliner! If you're looking for a path to Fred, you can go directly to Frederick or take the long way around with the so-out-it's-in-again Alfred. Alfred is quite popular in several European countries, especially England and Wales, Norway, Sweden, and Denmark.
  6. Ida

    • Origin:

      German

    • Meaning:

      "industrious one"

    • Description:

      Many vowel names stylish a century ago are coming back, and Ida seems like a possible, logical successor to Ada and Ava.
  7. Greta

    • Origin:

      German, diminutive of Margarethe

    • Meaning:

      "pearl"

    • Description:

      Greta is an Old World name long tied to the iconic Garbo, but now synonymous with environmental activism.
  8. Emil

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "rival"

    • Description:

      Derived from the Latin word aemulus, Emil is a name with international appeal. Concise and sturdy but with the gentle Em sound, Emil is popular across Europe, from Azerbaijan to Finland, from Germany to Norway, and Denmark. Alternative spelling Emile also ranks highly in Belgium and Canada.
  9. Erik

    • Origin:

      Spelling variation of Eric, Old Norse

    • Meaning:

      "eternal ruler"

    • Description:

      While substituting a C for a K is a modern trend, Erik is in fact the traditional spelling of the name, derived from the Old Norse Eiríkr and introduced to the English speaking world in the Anglo-Saxon period. Now, Erik is popular in Scandinavia and throughout much of Central and Eastern Europe, where it ranks in the Top 100 in Germany, Slovenia, Hungary, and more.
  10. Anders

    • Origin:

      Scandinavian variation of Andrew

    • Meaning:

      "strong and manly"

    • Description:

      Friendly, unusual, but a decidedly Old Country version of Andrew and one of the classic Scandinavian names. It made a brief appearance in the US Top 1000 in 2006 and then reentered in 2010. Its rising popularity could be attributed to the interest in Anderson, which has been gaining steadily over the last fifteen years.

      Trivia tidbits: The patronymic Andersson is the second most popular surname in Sweden, and in Denmark, Donald Duck is called Anders.

  11. Annika

    • Origin:

      Swedish diminutive of Anna

    • Meaning:

      "grace"

    • Description:

      Annika is a surprise hit of recent years, inspired by golfer Sorenstam; for Trekkies, it was also the name of a 'Star Trek:Voyager' character. Some people's first memory of it might be as Pippi Longstocking's friend. A nice namesake for an ancestral Ann.
  12. Lisa

    • Origin:

      English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Italian

    • Meaning:

      "pledged to God"

    • Description:

      Elvis naming his daughter Lisa Marie and Nat King Cole's hit song "Mona Lisa" conspired to catapult one of Elizabeth's many offshoots to a high of #4 in 1970.
  13. Anton

    • Origin:

      German, Russian, and Scandinavian variation of Anthony, Latin

    • Meaning:

      "from Antium"

    • Description:

      Cultured and cultivated in an old-style, Old World way, Anton is popular across Europe. It may be associated with the classic Russian playwright Anton Chekhov and also with ballroom dancer Anton Du Beke.
  14. Karl

    • Origin:

      German and Scandinavian variation of Charles

    • Description:

      Manly almost to the point of macho.
  15. Maja

    • Origin:

      German, Slovene, and Scandinavian form of Maya; also, Arabic

    • Meaning:

      "splendid"

    • Description:

      Whether you pronounce it my-a, ma-zha or ma-ha, Maja is an intriguing choice. Sometimes associated with Goya's famous painting "The Naked Maja." As a cognate of Maya, it's a Top 10 name in Slovenia and Sweden and is also popular in Germany and Norway.
  16. Alva

    • Origin:

      English form of Irish Ailbhe, Swedish and Norwegian feminine form of Alf

    • Meaning:

      "white; elf"

    • Description:

      While the male Alva or Alvah relates directly to the minor Biblical character, the female version is more likely an Anglicized form of the Irish name Ailbhe, or a feminine form the name Alf (and Alf- beginning names), popular in its native Sweden and Norway. Best known as Thomas Edison's middle name, Alva has true unisex roots.
  17. Tommy

    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Thomas

    • Meaning:

      "twin"

    • Description:

      A surprising number of parents choose to put the nickname Tommy on their son's birth certificate rather than the more traditional Thomas. Perhaps even more surprising is thE fact that Tommy has never been off the United States popularity charts. More recently, however, the name has been trending downward.
  18. Hubert

    • Origin:

      German

    • Meaning:

      "bright, shining intellect"

    • Description:

      A name that sounds so old-fashioned some parents out there might conceivably find it quirky enough for a comeback, along with other one-time fuddie-duddies like Oscar and Homer.
  19. Oskar

    • Origin:

      German variation of Oscar

    • Description:

      Oskar is to Oscar as Jakob is to Jacob: more distinctive and continental.
  20. Mattias

    • Origin:

      Scandinavian, spelling variation of Matthias

    • Meaning:

      "gift of God"

    • Description:

      This particular spelling was chosen by Will Ferrell for his son, brother to Magnus. These names are both popular in Sweden, birthplace of their mother, Viveca Paulin.