A Handbook of Scandinavian Names

Preface

vii A Handbook of Scandinavian Names is both a dictionary of names for girls and boys and a handbook on naming traditions. In our context, Scandinavian names include names used in the countries of Denmark, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden. The languages in these countries are all closely related and belong to the same family of Indo-European languages. Finland is also a Scandinavian country, but it is divided linguistically. There is a Swedish-speaking minority of about 6 percent, and many in this population use Swedish language names. Finnish is the first language of the majority of Finns, however, and Finnish is not Indo-European but part of the FinnoUgric language group, which also includes Hungarian and Estonian. Immigration from Finland to the United States is an integral part of immigration from the other Scandinavian countries, however. For this reason, a section on Finnish immigration is included. The languages of the Sámi people, a minority population living in northern Norway , Sweden, Finland, and Russia, belong to the same group as Finnish. Greenland is a part of Denmark, but the native language, Kalaallisut, belongs to still another family of languages unrelated to Indo-European, the Inuit-Aleut family, spoken by Inuits in Alaska, Canada, and Greenland. Finnish, Sámi, and Kalaallisut (Inuit) names will not be treated in this book. The names of girls and boys are treated in different sections. Each entry gives information about the pronunciation of the name in Scandinavia, in which Scandinavian country or countries the name is primarily used, its origin and meaning, relevant information about its frequency and popularity during the immigration period (ca. 1840–1910), and well-known bearers of the name. The second section of the book is a handbook containing information on a number of subjects relevant to the context of Scandinavian names and naming traditions in the home countries and the United States. Both of the authors have a Norwegian background, and most of our research has been on Norwegian names and naming traditions. Our aim is to cover the entire field of Scandinavian names, but in some instances the material has an unavoidable Norwegian slant. This book should meet the needs of different groups of readers. We hope that all these groups will find something that interests them: Preface viii Preface • Readers looking for information on the names used in their own immigrant families • Readers looking for authentic Scandinavian names for their children • Readers desiring information about the context of using a Scandinavian name • Readers with a general interest in names and naming traditions. Names are part of the broader cultural heritage brought to the United States by immigrants from the Scandinavian countries. Many books have been published in English on other aspects of Scandinavian culture, but until now there has not been a book devoted to Scandinavian names and naming traditions. Naming books are available for other ethnic groups, such as Irish, Scottish, and German. Some Scandinavian names are popular in mainstream American culture, as can be confirmed by looking at any one of the many name books published for the American market. Unfortunately, some of the information in these books is erroneous or misunderstood in the cultural context, and new books use existing books as sources, so myths about Scandinavian names are perpetuated from book to book. There are also a good many Web sites where you can find suggestions for Scandinavian baby names. Unfortunately, many of these resources also give unreliable information on which names belong to the Scandinavian naming vocabulary, as well as the meanings. It is always important to know something about the cultural context of a name, and Scandinavian naming traditions differ from those in the United States, as well as other European countries. It is hoped that this volume will correct misconceptions and be a reliable source for people looking for information on Scandinavian names. ...