Awesome Norwegian Names

Sharper and steelier than Martha, but with the same underused vintage appeal.

Siri is a charming and lively Scandinavian name that is no longer on the table given the ubiquity of Apple's digital Siri. Too bad, because Siri -- along with variations Syrie and Cyrie -- is unique, enchanting, and adorable. But now taken.

This suffix is used as an independent name, but doesn't your little girl deserve more?

Milly and her more popular sister Millie are adorable Old Lady nickname-names springing back to life. Nearly 100 baby girls were named Milly, just Milly, last year, and Millie is in the US Top 500. Milly is the Molly of the new generation.

Tove is a modern variation of an Old Norse name, related to Thor. Tuva is a form of the name popular in modern Scandinavia.

Gray-bearded name heard primarily in Sweden and Germany.

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. 

Cai is a name with rich multicultural origins. In Welsh, it means 'rejoice' and is a form of the Arthurian knight Sir Kay. In Chinese, Cai (蔡) is a respected surname and can also be a given name meaning 'talent' or 'ability.' The name has gained modest popularity in Western countries as parents seek short, distinctive names with cross-cultural appeal. In Scotland and Ireland, it may be a shortened form of Cailan or related Celtic names. Cai's simplicity and strong sound make it an increasingly attractive choice for boys, especially among parents looking for names that are brief yet meaningful and easy to pronounce across languages.

This is a more spunky and Nordic looking variant of Erica, but the k also makes the connection to the beautiful flower less apparent.

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

Manly almost to the point of macho.

Rosemarie had its moment in the sun back in the middle of the last century, when parents were looking for new ways to recycle traditional family names. So a child might combine her two grandma's names and become Rosemarie (or Annmarie or Maryjean), but these combination names feel dated now.

Vivi is a short form of all the Vivian and Viveca forms that is sure to get a lot more attention now that a little Jolie-Pitt girl has been named Vivienne.

Milla originated as a diminutive of names like Camilla and Ludmilla, but has since become well established as a name in its own right in several European countries. Milla Jovovich is a Ukrainian-born actress and supermodel, while Milla is also used for a character in the novel and musical adaptation, Wicked.

The connection to Freud is a strong one, but this German name has a strong and interesting sound and great nickname potential: Ziggy, Iggy, Sim, Sid...

Hedda is a card-carrying member of the league of older, slightly bohemian urban names like Nedda, Andra, and Petra; also linked to Ibsen heroine Hedda Gabler, as well as being the basis of cruel joke names like Hedda Hare.

Ulla, the beautiful Swedish secretary in The Producers (played by Uma Thurman in the movie) who purrs, "Ven you got it, flaunt it," has changed the image of this name forever. Ulla may stand on its own or be an abbreviation of Ursula or Ulrika; Ula may be seen as another spelling.

Mythological goddess of fertility whose name seems, ironically, among the least attractive.

This simplified spelling is a bit too polyester, though this is also the authentic Slavic version of an Old Testament name that's being rediscovered.

Both Karla and Carla are sliding down the ranks, though Karla remains far more popular in the USA than Carla.