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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:
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Wailywailywaily · 02/10/2022 10:06

I love Liefe, Freya, Freda, Inge

Original poster
scotscorner · 02/10/2022 10:06

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.

I know where you’re coming from - we do actually have a close family member by marriage who is Scandi and their kids have the kind of “-e” names you mean. They live in the relevant country now but when in England always had names mispronounced…

OP posts:
DisplayPurposesOnly · 02/10/2022 10:08

Nina

SE13Mummy · 02/10/2022 10:15

Nameberry has some lists of names that are popular in Scandinavian countries.

Over the years, I've taught a few girls with Scandinavian links. Their names included Astrid, Mia, Lotte, Sarah, Tilly, Klara, Emma, Anna and Welma.

inheritanceshiteagain · 02/10/2022 10:20

Liesel?

Aixenprov · 02/10/2022 10:27

Elke - pronounced El-ka

German but similar sounding to Scandi

BellaVida · 02/10/2022 10:38

Astrid is a beautiful name. A few other names of people I’ve known with Scandinavian connections and liked are:
Annalise
Viveca
Karina

I also really like Dahlia

Karamna · 02/10/2022 10:40

Cariad
Carissa

balalake · 02/10/2022 11:19

You mean there is a choice other than Sofie?

Astrid I suggest.

postcardpuffin · 02/10/2022 11:26

Ingrid
Linnea
Anya
Eleanora
Clara

erikbloodaxe · 02/10/2022 12:48

I have a Freyja and a Helga. Lovely strong names that match their personalities. I have no connection to any Scandi country and apart from on Mumsnet nobody actually cares. My name is Roman..... I'm getting on I know but my parents didn't have a connection to an ancient empire.

My girls are cats but still great names Grin

Lucasboo · 02/10/2022 13:25

As echoed by another poster Signe is not pronounced how most English people think it is.

i went to Uni with a Gudrun she had no scandi connections. Surely no worse than Elsie or Dorothy loved on here but sound like wrinkly stockings and blue rinses.

I wouldn’t worry too much either about the getting something English people can pronounce that sounds the same in other countries as you can guarantee that’s precisely why car and IT manufacturers choose them to. My friend opted for this 16 years ago and called her kid Alexa and look what happened there - she never lived it down at school.

Not Scandi but Dutch and not that common is Renske which my friend used and gets lots of positive comments

timoteigirl · 02/10/2022 13:27

Some names suggested here are more German than Scandinavian. can he say what it is he likes about Scandinavian names? Does the meaning matter or just the sounds?

Gudrun is a granny name, not for a young girl. Like I said in another thread, maybe look at current names that have been popular to avoid giving an old-fashioned name - that is if that matters to you.

Anyway, I came to suggest Linnea.

LegoFiends · 02/10/2022 13:27

Aster
Ylva
Elin

midsomermurderess · 02/10/2022 13:42

I like Thora. I think it might have Coronation Street vibes but that surely only really with the 50s and over. For a child born now, no one would think of it.

Lucasboo · 02/10/2022 13:44

Gudrun is also a character in. DH Lawrence novel and long used in this country. My friend Gudrun was anything but old fashioned and everyone thought her name was cool.

Danica
Idony
Klara

shortandpaleandoldandugly · 02/10/2022 13:52

Brigitte or Briggita
Clara or Clary
Beatrice

timoteigirl · 02/10/2022 14:42

Lucasboo · 02/10/2022 13:44

Gudrun is also a character in. DH Lawrence novel and long used in this country. My friend Gudrun was anything but old fashioned and everyone thought her name was cool.

Danica
Idony
Klara

Lucasboo, I don't know your friend and cannot comment if she is old-fashioned or not. My comment was that the name Gudrun is currently a name for the elderly. Look at this www.namn.nu/namn/gudrun/ from 74.8 years or older. That's why I said when looking at names from other countries or cultures they may be trendy or fresh here but oldfashioned elsewhere.

MurderAtTheBeautyPageant · 02/10/2022 14:48

Don't go for a a Scandi style name if you don't like any of them, OP. I'm glad you've vetoed Gudrun, that's a horror of a name.

Aping all things Scandinavian is a bit tired.

MurderAtTheBeautyPageant · 02/10/2022 14:49

I do like Malin though.

Astrid certainly appears to be the Chosen Mumsnet Name for 2022. I don't really get the appeal.

basilmint · 02/10/2022 14:51

DH has a Danish cousin called Pernilla which I quite like. Might be dated now though!

basilmint · 02/10/2022 14:56

charlies-names.com/en/top-names-denmark-2022/

Most popular Danish names. Just call her Lily or Ella!

Notagardener · 02/10/2022 15:00

Someone mentioned Persephone.
Made me laugh for various reasons...

SingingSands · 02/10/2022 15:14

Lagertha

My cousin named his DD this. I'd never heard of it!

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