Top 10 Typical Swedish First- & Last Names

Swedish last names - How to be Swedish

Every Swede has at least two names. A first- and a last name. Using names is convenient because it makes it easier for you to understand who your best friend is talking about, or if you want to check out some attractive person’s profile on Facebook.

Unfortunately though, Swedes haven’t been very innovative when it come to creating new names. Many Swedes share the same last name. And as you already suspected it usually ends with “-sson”.

Further below, lists with the Top 10 most popular first-names in Sweden.

Swedish last names

More than one third of all Swedish surnames end with –sson. (Source: SCB.) Those names are so common that you will probably find at least one of them on every mailboxes in any Swedish apartment building.

Book about Sweden - How to be Swedish

List of 10 Most Common Swedish Surnames

The 10 most popular surnames in Sweden.

Minor name variations, such as Karlsson and Carlsson are collected under the variation that is most common. For example, the amount of people with the name Carlsson is added to Karlsson.

Rank Surname Amount
1 Andersson 241 854
2 Johansson 241 685
3 Karlsson 214 920
4 Nilsson 165 106
5 Eriksson 143 219
6 Larsson 120 795
7 Olsson 109 964
8 Persson 104 111
9 Svensson 97 761
10 Gustafsson 94 403

What typical Swedish last names mean

The following words appear often in Swedish names and refer mostly to nature.

  • Ström – stream (river)
  • Berg – mountain/hill
  • Lind – linden
  • Ek – oak
  • Sjö – lake/sea
  • Sund – sea gate/strait
  • Å – small stream/creek
  • Ö – island
  • Björk – birch
  • Ny – new
  • Söder – south
  • Lund – small forrest
  • Gren – branch
  • Fors – cataract
  • Vik – bay
  • Holm – little island
  • Qvist/Kvist – twig

Swedish first-names for girls

Are you a woman, moving to Sweden? If you don’t like your current first-name you might want to change it to one of the top 10 Swedish girl names from the list below.

Top 10 Swedish girl names

For new borns in 2015

Rank Female first name Amount
1 Elsa 872
2 Alice 847
3 Maja 674
4 Saga 671
5 Ella 627
6 Lilly 613
7 Olivia 583
8 Ebba 576
9 Wilma 575
10 Julia 574

What’s your favorite?

Complete list with top 100 Swedish girl names.

Swedish first-names for boys

Here are the 10 names that where the most popular for new born boys in 2015.

Top 10 Swedish boy names

Rank Swedish Male Names Amount
1 William 977
2 Lucas 802
3 Liam 752
4 Oscar 737
5 Elias 732
6 Hugo 711
7 Oliver 709
8 Charlie 664
9 Axel 627
10 Vincent 602

Complete list with Top 1oo Swedish boy names.

 

So, dear soon to be new-Swede, if you feel like making a change to the name written above your door bell or on your business card, and want to sound more Swedish, feel inspired by the list above.

Or find more Swedish name lists.

Learn more about Sweden and the Swedes

If you are interested in Swedish culture and quirks, you might want to read this book How to be Swedish – A Quick Guide to Swedishness, In 55 Steps.

Order now on Amazon!

 

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