Scandinavian names?

After several family trips to Scandinavia and recent obsessions with all things Scandi (tv series, movies, music, the lot), I fell in love with all things Swedish, Norwegian, Danish and Finnish - including names. I came across a list on Nameberry and I could do with instant reactions especially.

[name_m]Feel[/name_m] free to comment on your favourites! :slight_smile:

[name_m]Anders[/name_m] (on-derz)
[name_m]Axel[/name_m]/[name_m]Axl[/name_m] (ahk-zl)
[name_f]Bridgette[/name_f] (brih-get-uh)
[name_f]Britta[/name_f] (breeh-tah)
[name_m]Canute[/name_m] (kun-oot)
[name_f]Caren[/name_f] (car-n)
[name_m]Carlsen[/name_m] (karl-sn)
[name_f]Dahlia[/name_f] (dar-lee-yuh)
[name_f]Elsa[/name_f] (el-suh)
[name_m]Frans[/name_m] (fronz)
[name_m]Fransen[/name_m] (fron-sn)
[name_m]Gunnar[/name_m] (guh-nar)
[name_m]Harald[/name_m] (har-ld)
[name_f]Helga[/name_f] (hel-guh)
[name_u]Jakobe[/name_u] (yah-kob-uh)
[name_u]Jensen[/name_u]/[name_m]Jenson[/name_m] (yen-sn)
[name_m]Jeppe[/name_m] (yep-uh)
[name_m]Johannes[/name_m] (yoh-han-e)
[name_f]Juni[/name_f] (yu-nee)
Jyette (yet-uh)
[name_u]Kai[/name_u] (ky)
[name_f]Karena[/name_f] (kuh-ren-uh)
[name_m]Kaspar[/name_m] (kaz-par)
[name_f]Kirsten[/name_f] (kur-stn)
[name_u]Kristian[/name_u] (kris-tee-yon)
[name_m]Kristoffer[/name_m] (kris-toh-fuh)
[name_m]Leif[/name_m] (layf)
[name_f]Maren[/name_f] (mar-n)
[name_f]Sanna[/name_f] (son-nuh)
[name_f]Sonia[/name_f] (son-yuh)
[name_m]Valentin[/name_m] (vah-ln-ton)

(side note: I am pronouncing all names in a Scandi accent)

I’m Swedish, glad you like Scandinavia :slight_smile: Here are my thoughts on your list:

[name_m]Anders[/name_m] (on-derz - The pronunciation is Norwegian if you want to pron in Swedish its AHN-DERS. Not a popular name in [name_u]Sweden[/name_u] atm, I imagine it has the same feel as for example [name_m]Mark[/name_m] in the us- kind of dated.

[name_m]Axel[/name_m]/[name_m]Axl[/name_m] (ahk-zl)- A classic Swedish name, still pretty popular amongst Swedes.
[name_f]Bridgette[/name_f] (brih-get-uh)- Not herd of in [name_u]Sweden[/name_u], we would use [name_f]Birgitta[/name_f] but I cannot imagine this name on a baby girl today.
[name_f]Britta[/name_f] (breeh-tah)- Also an old dated scandinavian name, I can imagine it sounds more interesting outside of Scandinavia. Worn mainly by elderly ladies today. It might be ripe for a comeback though with names like [name_f]Edith[/name_f] and [name_f]Elsa[/name_f] being given to tons of Swedish babies today.
[name_m]Canute[/name_m] (kun-oot)- Never herd of.
[name_f]Caren[/name_f] (car-n)- Swedish variation would be [name_f]Carin[/name_f]. Same feel as [name_f]Britta[/name_f].
[name_m]Carlsen[/name_m] (karl-sn)- Not herd of.
[name_f]Dahlia[/name_f] (dar-lee-huh)- Wouldn’t see this as a Scandinavian name and haven’t met anyone with the name in [name_u]Sweden[/name_u].
[name_f]Elsa[/name_f] (el-suh)- Super popular in [name_u]Sweden[/name_u] atm
[name_m]Frans[/name_m] (frons)- I think this is an up and coming name, doesn’t feel super Swedish but its cute.
[name_m]Fransen[/name_m] (fron-sn)- Not herd of in [name_u]Sweden[/name_u]
[name_m]Gunnar[/name_m] (guh-nar)- Mostly worn by elderly men, some parents have started considering it again though
[name_m]Harald[/name_m] (har-ld)- Sounds super Norwegian to me, not often herd of in [name_u]Sweden[/name_u]
[name_f]Helga[/name_f] (hel-guh)- Same feel as [name_f]Britta[/name_f]
[name_u]Jakobe[/name_u] (yah-kob-uh)- In Swedish it would be [name_m]Jakob[/name_m] JAH-KOBB
[name_u]Jensen[/name_u]/[name_m]Jenson[/name_m] (yen-sn)- not herd of in [name_u]Sweden[/name_u]
[name_m]Jeppe[/name_m] (yep-uh)- A nickname for [name_m]Jesper[/name_m]
[name_m]Johannes[/name_m] (yoh-han-e)- Pretty common in [name_u]Sweden[/name_u], I’m 24 and have a lot of friends with this name. [name_m]Don[/name_m]'t think its popular for new borns today though.
[name_f]Juni[/name_f] (yu-nee)- Cute name, pretty popular by new parents
Jyette (yet-uh)- not herd of
[name_u]Kai[/name_u] (ky)- In [name_u]Sweden[/name_u] we would spell it [name_u]Kaj[/name_u], also a name worn by elderly men but I actually really like it
[name_f]Karena[/name_f] (kuh-ren-uh)- In sweden we would spell it [name_f]Karina[/name_f], same feel as [name_m]Anders[/name_m]
[name_m]Kaspar[/name_m] (kai-par)- We would spell it [name_m]Kasper[/name_m] [name_u]KASS[/name_u]-[name_m]PEHR[/name_m] in [name_u]Sweden[/name_u]
[name_f]Kirsten[/name_f] (cur-stn)- Not a common name in [name_u]Sweden[/name_u]
[name_u]Kristian[/name_u] (kris-tee-yon)- Same feel as [name_m]Johannes[/name_m], pretty common
[name_m]Kristoffer[/name_m] (kris-toh-fuh)- Also same feel as [name_m]Johannes[/name_m] and [name_m]Kristoffer[/name_m]
[name_m]Leif[/name_m] (lay)- Same feel as [name_u]Kai[/name_u], not popular at all in [name_u]Sweden[/name_u]
[name_f]Maren[/name_f] (mar-n)- not herd of in [name_u]Sweden[/name_u]
[name_f]Sanna[/name_f] (son-nut)- Same feel as [name_m]Johannes[/name_m] and [name_m]Kristoffer[/name_m]
[name_f]Sonia[/name_f] (son-huh)- Cute name, same feel as [name_f]Britta[/name_f] but probably given to more babies
[name_m]Valentin[/name_m] (vah-ln-ton)- Doesn’t feel at all Scandinavian but have herd of some people with the name. Mainly norwegians though.

My favourite names from this list is: [name_m]Axel[/name_m], [name_f]Elsa[/name_f], [name_f]Sonia[/name_f], [name_u]Kai[/name_u] and [name_f]Juni[/name_f]

The most typical Swedish name imo is: [name_m]Gustav[/name_m], [name_m]Johan[/name_m], [name_m]Carl[/name_m], [name_m]Filip[/name_m], [name_m]Fredrik[/name_m], [name_m]Oskar[/name_m], [name_f]Anna[/name_f], [name_f]Maja[/name_f], [name_f]Kajsa[/name_f], [name_f]Astrid[/name_f], [name_f]Ingrid[/name_f], [name_f]Alice[/name_f], [name_f]Linnea[/name_f]

Not remotely Scandi but I’m a [name_u]Brit[/name_u] like you and the ones that appeal most to me are: [name_m]Axel[/name_m], [name_f]Britta[/name_f], [name_m]Frans[/name_m], [name_m]Jeppe[/name_m] (prefer [name_m]Jesper[/name_m] though - awesome name), [name_f]Juni[/name_f], [name_m]Kaspar[/name_m], [name_m]Leif[/name_m] and [name_m]Valentin[/name_m]. I also love [name_m]Oskar[/name_m], [name_f]Astrid[/name_f] and [name_f]Liv[/name_f].

I think some of these might be tough to wear in the UK, like Jyette or [name_m]Canute[/name_m] (I’m thinking of the teasing potential for that last one especially!)