Norwegian Girls Names

We bring you the Top 10 list over popular Norwegian Girls Names in 2012.

It's really close race in the top, and last year's winner Emma had to let Nora take over the throne this year.

Like for any other country, the Norwegian girl's names are changing with fashion and popularity, but many of the most popular ones has long traditions in Norway.

New names get's popular as new, foreign names are turning up from popular TV-series, or when a new baby is born in the Norwegian Royal Family.

But in the end, the traditions have proved their importance, and right now there is a wave of old names entering the stage.

Anne is still the most common woman's name in Norway, and is also popular as a baby girl' name.  At the most, during the 1800's, 9% of all Norwegian women had Anna as their first name.

Marie is another popular name in Norway, also in combination with other first names, and has been popular over the last 20 years.

If you are looking for a good, traditional Norwegian name for your baby girl, the the names Ingrid, Anna, Maria, Astrid and Karen are good choices.

Some of the Norwegian girls names are concidered to be "bedrock" in names traditions.

They are always there, no matter changes in fashion and popularity trends. They of course change in popularity, but are never out.

Examples of these "bedrock" names are Anna and Marie.

Some of the traditional names are Norwegian forms of names from the Bible, and from Christian Saints.

These names are i.e. Kari and Maria.

Top 10 popular Girl's Names in 2012

1. Nora / Norah

After 12 years on the Top 10 list, Nora finally reaches the first place.

Both in 2007 and in 2008 it ended no#5. In 2009 it climbed to 3rd place, and In 2010 it was back in 5th place.  In 2011 it was close, and ended as no# 2.

The name Nora is German, from the name Leonora, which comes from the Italian name Eleonora, and has the meaning from Greece:  Brilliant, sparkling, glorious.

2. Emma

Emma is almost keeping it's position as the most popular girl's name in Norway, but from beeing the winner in 2011, it ended second place this year.

Ït was second place in also in 2008, before it climbed to first place both in 2009 and in 2010.

Emma is a German name, and means "the hard-working".

3. Sofie or Sophie

Sofie / Sophie was number 4 in the Top 10 list last year, and has climbed to 3rd place in 2012.

It was no#10 in 2007, and no#7 in 2008. In 2009, 2010 and 2011 it was the 4th most popular girl's name in Norway.

It’s worth to mention that if you include the form Sofia /Sophia (with an ”a” ending), then Sofie/Sofia is the absolutely most used name for newborn girls in Norway.

Like the name Sofia, this name comes from the Greek word for "wisdom".

4. Linnea

Still a very popular name. Number 4 this year, which is a small increase in popularity.

This was also the winner in the girl's name competition in 2008, after beeing only no. 12 in 2007. In 2009 it reached the second place and held it through 2010. Last year (2011) Linnea was the 5th most popular girl's name in Norway.

The name Linnea has been very popular in Sweden for many years, and now also in Norway.

The name comes from Swedish, and the flower "linnea", which was named after the famous swedish botanist, Carl von Linne.

5. Sara or Sarah

From beeing numer 3 in 2010 and 2011, it fell down to number 5 in 2012.

Sara was the winner in 2007, and the 3rd most popular name in Norway in 2008. It had a small change in 2009, when it dropped down to a 5th place.

The name has its meaning from the Arabic expression for emperess.

6. Emilie

A climber is coming up. The popularity has actually been almost exploding, after almost beeing out of use for many years.

In 1987 only 7 babys in Norway was named Emilie! In 1999, Emilie was the most popular girls name in Norway!

In 2010 and 2011 it reached a number 8 ranking, and climbed to 6th place this time. Emilie is also ranking among the most popular names in the USA and in the UK.

Emily is derived from the Latin feminine name Aemilia. Aemilia may derive from the word aemulus meaning "rival", but it can also mean "friendly".

7. Ingrid, Ingerid or Ingri

An old, traditional, everlasting name in Norway, that reached 7th place this year.

Ingrid ranked no#8 in 2007 and 2008, before it fell down to 10th place in 2009. In 2010 it was number 6 in the Top10 list, before it dropped down to number 9 in 2011.

The name Ingrid comes from the name of the old Norse God "Ing", so the meaning is "Ing-beautiful".

8. Thea or Tea

Two places down this time.

Thea was no#2 in 2007, and no#4 in 2008, before it fell down to a 6th place in 2009. In 2010 it was the 7th most popular girls name in Norway, and even climbed back up to 6th place in 2011.

The name has its meaning from the name Dorothea, which in Greece means Gift from God.

9. Leah / Lea

Leah is back!

The newcomer on the 2008 list,  Leah, was out of the Top 10 again in 2009 as it ended no#13.

Both in 2010 and 2011 it was still out of the Top 10 list, but now it's back.

10. Sofia / Sophia

The name Sofie / Sophie was ranked number 3 in 2012.  This is the –a ending of the name, and even then it’s in the Top 10 list.

I really do not understand why it has been split into two different names, as they are quite similar, and has the same meaning.

Anyway: In the official Top 10 list over most popular Norwegian girl’s names, this is number 10.

Names that did not make it

Maja /  Maia / Maya

Number 7 last year, Maja /Maia / Maya did not make it this time. However, it’s a real jumper!

Maja had a popularity rank of 17 in 2009. In 2010 it made a big jump to 10th place, and in 2011 another climb to be no#8.

Other forms of the same name is Maia and Maya.

This girl name probably comes from the Greec and Roman goddess Maia and the meaning is unknown. It might also be a short form of Maria, which comes from the old, Hebraic name Miriam, who also has unknown meaning.

 

Julie

Last years numer 10, Julie, is also out of the Top 10 in 2012.

Julie was no#4 in 2007, but fell down to be no#10 in 2008. Climbed one place up to no#9 in 2009, but in 2010 it fell out of the Top Ten list. Now it's back in business, and is among the Top10 again.

Julie comes from the name Julia, the latin name of Julius, Greek for "favorite", or "everybodys favorite".

 

Hermine, Eva, Ella and Live are upcoming names in the statistics.

 

(source: klikk.no / ssb.no)

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