Active discussions

Help protect children from gaming harms.

Take our survey

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

Girl ‘Scandinavian’ names

146 replies

scotscorner · 02/10/2022 08:20

Hi, advice appreciated! Nearly 27 weeks pregnant and DH and I struggling to compromise on girls’ names. (It could be a boy so we may escape the issue).

He has set his heart on baby girl’s name being: Gudrun. I understand this is not totally uncommon in Germany/Iceland/Scandi countries but we are in UK, have no connection to these countries and more importantly I just don’t like it! (He accepts I have vetoed Gudrun).

He is now pushing for other Scandi style names and I am struggling a bit. It wouldn’t be my preference although some of the names are quite nice. He also likes:
Signe
Sigrid
Astrid
Saga

I really want Nora which he says he likes but always does little sad faces as he doesn’t like it ‘as much as any of the Scandi style names’.

I like relatively uncommon names but I just think it’s a bit odd to choose a name from a specific culture/background when you have literally no connection to that place - what do others think?

and does anyone have any other Scandi-sounding names that we might both like??

thank you!

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
Karamna · 02/10/2022 09:25

Not Scandinavian but inspired by your lists:

Stella
Nerissa
Persephone
Sage
Sabrina
Sasha
Sylvia
Saira
Imogen
Iseult
Tamsin
Elise
Aurora
Honora
Cora
Dora

ThatshallotBaby · 02/10/2022 09:22

Inge?
I had a cousin called Inge-lise, with an a ending. Always thought it was a beautiful name.

BreatheAndFocus · 02/10/2022 09:22

I don’t like Gudrun at all, but Astrid has been somewhat anglicised and is much nicer. How about Anna, Freja, Ingrid, Sonja, Elsa, Anneli, Kajsa, Eva or Karin?

Karamna · 02/10/2022 09:16

Erika
Kaia
Karina
Asti
Kirsten
Dahlia
Karin
Sula
Karmen
Maia
Freya
Rayna
Aina
Mea

SushiSuave · 02/10/2022 09:12

Anya?

WeWantTheFinestWines · 02/10/2022 08:51

Don't go for a name with an 'e' at the end. English speakers don't know what to do with that and end up pronouncing it as a strong 'ee', when it is meant to be a weak schwa, more like an 'uh'. Example: "Anne" in English ignores the 'e', but in Scandi it would be 'Annuh'. The closest in English is an 'a', so you would have to ask people to call you Anna, if you were an original Scandi Anne, as it's closer than the English 'Ann', which is how it would be pronounced by a English speaker, but sounds nothing like a Scandi 'Anne'. Difficult to explain in writing, but as a Scandi person with a name ending in 'e' I promise you I have spent my life telling English people how to say my name. Don't land a child with that. If any suggestions here are followed by (I think it's pronounced...) then don't go for that. Whatever you choose, make sure it's clear by the spelling, to an English speaker, how it's pronounced. For the love of God.

UnityO · 02/10/2022 08:50

Love the name Astrid!

Also:
Annaliese
Freja
Liv
Annika
Malin

JaninaDuszejko · 02/10/2022 08:39

Have you any link to Orkney or Shetland? Scandinavian names are common there. Of your DH's choices I think Astrid works well in the UK and Sigrid is known because of the popstar.

Anyway a few more options. Some work better in the UK (I'm guessing you are English) than others:

Ingrid, Inga, Solveig, Britt, Birgitta, Freja/Freya (very popular right now though), Frida, Fritha, Ola, Elsa, Anna, Erika, Annika, Helga, Hilda, Kirsten, Tove, Gunni, Marta.

Stickstickstickstickstick · 02/10/2022 08:37

I’ve encountered a family with scandi names who aren’t actually Scandinavian and their names were lovely. I think the girls were called Inke (in-ka) and Astrid? Ingrid is also gorgeous. Inga/Inge is also cute.

It’s a bit odd that he’s so set on scandi names but at least he’s not determined to name her Keighleigh-mai or something 🤷🏻‍♀️

Carpedimum · 02/10/2022 08:36

I like Saga, Gretchen, Ingrid & Astrid. How do they fit with the surname? Don’t forget to think about the initials too!

Violettaparma · 02/10/2022 08:33

Astrid and Ingrid are both nice, and I don't think you would particularly need a Scandi connection to use.
Also like Gretchen, which sounds a bit like Gudrun, but nicer and more well known.

Petrarkanian · 02/10/2022 08:31

Vibeke

Sandysandwich · 02/10/2022 08:31

Clara
Tova
Kari
Juni
Tora
Nissa
Saffi
Emma
Eva
Ola
Freja / Freya

MrJi · 02/10/2022 08:31

One of my Mother’s friends when she was young was Freda (Frida? I can’t remember the spelling). She was older than my Mum so would have been born in the late 1920s or early 30s. She wasn’t Scandinavian, and I have heard of other women called Freda, as it can be a pet name for Wilfrida or Frederica .
My Swedish friend is called Petra, again this is also used in the UK , so not solely a Scandinavian name.

UnagiForLife · 02/10/2022 08:30

how about Pernille (pronounced Per-Nella I think)

Enko · 02/10/2022 08:29

Gudrun is not good in the UK for sure

I'm not a fan of Nora personally but it's very popular in Danmark at the moment 12th on the top 100

What about Solvej?

UnagiForLife · 02/10/2022 08:26

Heidi springs to mind, is that Scandinavian? It’s lovely.

coldcoldheartt · 02/10/2022 08:25

Runa is gorgeous !

coldcoldheartt · 02/10/2022 08:24

Ah i really like Astrid and Saga. I would also pull a sad face at Nora BUT I'm with you on using another countries names when you have no connection there. So yea sorry I'm ZERO help Grin

toastofthetown · 02/10/2022 08:23

Ingrid
Linnea
Liv
Runa

Enjoysomerum · 02/10/2022 08:22

I love the name Ingrid. I know a Noora from Finland and that's lovely too.

Swipe left for the next trending thread