The Swedish name day calendar is a cultural tradition originating from the Christian Calendar of Saints, where specific calendar dates are associated with given names. While the calendar originally featured only the names of saints and martyrs, following the Protestant Reformation, secular names were also introduced. Celebrating a name day is not uncommon in Sweden.
Several name day lists existed after 1972, when the old name day calendar lost its official status. The current calendar was adopted in 2001 by a work group led by the Swedish Academy. Although it has no official status, it is recognized by most publishers. The new calendar is scheduled for updates every 15 years to reflect evolving naming trends. Six days dedicated to traditional or religious feasts have no personal names attached.
Current calendar (as of 2001)
January Nyårsdagen (New Year's Day, no name) Svea Alfred, Alfrida Rut Hanna, Hannele Kasper, Melker, Baltsar August, Augusta Erland Gunnar, Gunder Sigurd, Sigbritt Jan, Jannike Frideborg, Fridolf Knut Felix, Felicia Laura, Lorentz Hjalmar, Helmer Anton, Tony Hilda, Hildur Henrik Fabian, Sebastian Agnes, Agneta Vincent, Viktor Frej, Freja Erika Paul, Pål Bodil, Boel Göte, Göta Karl (*), Karla Diana Gunilla, Gunhild Ivar, Joar
February Max, Maximilian Kyndelsmässodagen (Candlemas, no name) Disa, Hjördis Ansgar, Anselm Agata, Agda Dorotea, Doris Rikard, Dick Berta, Bert Fanny, Franciska Iris Yngve, Inge Evelina, Evy Agne, Ove Valentin Sigfrid Julia, Julius Alexandra, Sandra Frida, Fritiof Gabriella, Ella Vivianne Hilding Pia Torsten, Torun Mattias, Mats Sigvard, Sivert Torgny, Torkel Lage Maria Leap Day (no name)
March Albin, Elvira Ernst, Erna Gunborg, Gunvor Adrian, Adriana Tora, Tove Ebba, Ebbe Camilla Siv, Saga ( 2018 ) Torbjörn, Torleif Edla, Ada Edvin, Egon Viktoria, Victoria (*) Greger Matilda, Maud Kristoffer, Christel Herbert, Gilbert Gertrud Edvard, Edmund Josef, Josefina Joakim, Kim Bengt Kennet, Kent Gerda, Gerd Gabriel, Rafael Marie bebådelsedag (Annunciation to Mary, no name) Emanuel Rudolf, Ralf Malkolm, Morgan Jonas, Jens Holger, Holmfrid Ester
April Harald, Hervor Gudmund, Ingemund Ferdinand, Nanna Marianne, Marlene Irene, Irja Vilhelm, William ( 2011 ) Irma, Irmelin Nadja, Tanja Otto, Ottilia Ingvar, Ingvor Ulf, Ylva Liv Artur, Douglas Tiburtius Olivia, Oliver Patrik, Patricia Elias, Elis Valdemar, Volmar Olaus, Ola Amalia, Amelie Anneli, Annika Allan, Glenn Georg, Göran Vega Markus Teresia, Terese Engelbrekt Ture, Tyra Tyko Mariana
May Valborg Filip, Phillip (*) Filippa John, Jane Monika, Mona Gotthard Erhard Marit, Rita Carina, Carita Åke Reidar, Reidun Esbjörn, Styrbjörn Märta, Märit Charlotta, Lotta Linnea, Linn Halvard, Halvar Sofia, Sonja Ronald, Ronny Rebecka, Ruben Erik Maj, Majken Karolina, Carola Konstantin, Conny Hemming, Henning Desideria, Desirée Ivan, Vanja Urban Vilhelmina, Vilma Beda, Blenda Ingeborg, Borghild Yvonne, Jeanette Vera, Veronika Petronella, Pernilla
June Gun, Gunnel Rutger, Roger Ingemar, Gudmar Solbritt, Solveig Bo Gustav, Gösta Robert, Robin Eivor, Majvor Börje, Birger Svante, Boris Bertil, Berthold Eskil Aina, Aino Håkan, Hakon Margit, Margot Axel, Axelina Torborg, Torvald Björn, Bjarne Germund, Görel Linda Alf, Alvar Paulina, Paula Adolf, Alice Johannes Döparens dag (John the Baptist's Day, no name) David, Salomon Rakel, Lea Selma, Fingal Leo Peter, Petra Elof, Leif
July Aron, Mirjam Rosa, Rosita Aurora Ulrika, Ulla Laila, Ritva Esaias, Jessika Klas Kjell Jörgen, Örjan André, Andrea Eleonora, Ellinor, Leonore (*) Herman, Hermine Joel, Judit Folke Ragnhild, Ragnvald Reinhold, Reine Bruno Fredrik, Fritz Sara Margareta, Greta Johanna Magdalena, Madeleine (*) Emma, Emmy ( 2015 ) Kristina, Kerstin Jakob Jesper, Jasmin ( 2015 ) Marta Botvid, Seved Olof, Olle Algot Helena, Elin
August Per Karin, Kajsa Tage Arne, Arnold Ulrik, Alrik Alfons, Inez Dennis, Denise Silvia (*), Sylvia Roland Lars Saint Tiburtius and Saint Susanna Klara Kaj Uno Stella, Estelle {*} Brynolf Verner, Valter Ellen, Lena Magnus, Måns Bernhard, Bernt Jon, Jonna Henrietta, Henrika Signe, Signhild Bartolomeus Lovisa, Louise Östen Rolf, Raoul Fatima, Leila ( 2011 ) Hans, Hampus Albert, Albertina Arvid, Vidar
September Samuel, Sam ( 2011 ) Justus, Justina Alfhild, Alva Gisela Adela, Heidi Lilian (*), Lilly Kevin, Roy ( 2011 ) Alma, Hulda Anita, Annette Tord, Turid Dagny, Helny Åsa, Åslög Sture Ida, Ronja ( 2018 ) Sigrid, Siri Dag, Daga Hildegard, Magnhild Orvar Fredrika Elise, Lisa, James Matteus Maurits, Moritz Tekla, Tea Gerhard, Gert Tryggve Enar, Einar Dagmar, Rigmor Lennart, Leonard Mikael, Mikaela Helge
October Ragnar, Ragna Ludvig, Love Evald, Osvald Frans, Frank Bror Jenny, Jennifer Birgitta (*), Britta Nils Ingrid, Inger Harry, Harriet Erling, Jarl Valfrid, Manfred Berit, Birgit Stellan Hedvig, Hillevi Finn Antonia, Toini Lukas Tore, Tor Sibylla Ursula, Yrsa Marika, Marita Severin, Sören Evert, Eilert Inga, Ingalill Amanda, Rasmus Sabina Simon, Simone Viola Elsa, Isabella Edit, Edgar
November Allhelgonadagen (All Saints' Day, no name) Tobias Hubert, Hugo Sverker Eugen, Eugenia Gustav Adolf Ingegerd, Ingela Vendela Teodor, Teodora Martin, Martina Mårten Konrad, Kurt Kristian, Krister Emil, Emilia Leopold Vibeke, Viveka Naemi, Naima Lillemor, Moa Elisabet, Lisbet Pontus, Marina Helga, Olga Cecilia, Sissela Klemens Gudrun, Rune Katarina, Katja Linus Astrid, Asta Malte Sune Andreas, Anders
December Oskar, Ossian Beata, Beatrice Lydia, Cornelia Barbara, Barbro Sven Nikolaus, Niklas, Nicolas Angela, Angelika Virginia Anna Malin, Malena Daniel, Daniela Alexander, Alexis Lucia Sten, Sixten Gottfrid Assar Stig Abraham Isak Israel, Moses Tomas Natanael, Jonatan Adam Eva Juldagen (Christmas Day, no name) Stefan, Staffan Johannes, Johan Benjamin (also Värnlösa barns dag) Natalia, Natalie Abel, Set Sylvester
Old calendar (1901–1972)
This is the old Swedish name day calendar, sanctioned by the Swedish Academy in 1901, with official status until 1972.
January Nyårsdagen (no name) Svea Alfred Rut Hanna Trettondedag jul (no name) August Erland Gunnar Sigurd Jan Frideborg Knut Felix Laura Hjalmar Anton Hilda Henrik Fabian Agnes Vincent Emelie Erika Paulus Botilda Göte Karl (*) Valter Gunilla Ivar
February Max Kyndelsmässodagen (no name) Disa Ansgar Agata Dorotea Rikard Berta Fanny Eugenia Yngve Evelina Agne Valentin Sigfrid Julia Alexandra Frida Gabriella Hulda Hilding Martina Torsten Mattias Sigvard Torgny Lage Maria, Maja (only in Leap Years)In leap years February 24 was considered leap day with no name associated to it, thus moving the following February name days one day forward.
March Ernst Gunborg Adrian Tora Ebba Camilla Filippa Torbjörn Ethel Edvin Viktoria (*) Regina Greger Matilda Kristoffer Herbert Gertrud Edvard Josef Joakim Bengt Viktor Gerda Gabriel Marie bebådelsedag (no name) Emanuel Rudolf Malkolm Jonas
Holger Ester, Noa
April Harald Gudmund Ferdinand Ambrosius Nanna Vilhelm Ingemund Hemming Otto Ingvar Ulf Julius Artur Tiburtius Olivia Patrik Elias Valdemar Olaus Petri Amalia Anselm Albertina Georg Vega Markus Teresia Engelbrekt Ture Tove Mariana
May Valborg Filip Göta Monika Gotthard Sigmund Gustava Åke Johann Esbjörn Märta Carlos Linnea Halvard Sofia Hilma Rebecka Erik Alrik Karolina Konstantin Henning Desideria Ragnvald Urban Vilhelmina Blenda Ingeborg Baltsar Fritjof Isabella
June Gun, Gunnel Rutger Ingemar Holmfrid Bo Gustav Robert Salomon Börje Svante Bertil Eskil Aina Håkan Justina Axel Torborg Björn Germund Flora Alf Paulina Adolf Johannes Döparens dag David Rakel Selma Leo Petrus Elof
July Aron Rosa Aurora Ulrika Melker Esaias Klas Kjell Götilda Anund Eleonora Herman Joel Folke Ragnhild Reinhold Alexis Fredrik Sara Margareta Johanna Magdalena/Madeleine Emma, Emmy Kristina Jakob Jesper Marta Botvid Olof, Olle Algot Helena, Elin
August Per Kajsa Tage Arne Ulrik Sixten Dennis Sylvia (*) Roland Lars Susanna Klara Hillevi Ebbe Stella Brynolf Verner Helena Magnus Bernhard Josefina Henrietta Signe Bartolomeus Lovisa Östen Rolf Fatima, Leila Hans Albert Arvid
September Samuel Justus Alfhild, Alva Moses Adela Sakarias Regina Alma Augusta Tord Dagny Tyra Ambjörn Ida Sigrid, Siri Eufemia Hildegard Alvar Fredrika Lisa Matteus Maurits Tekla Gerhard Signild Einar Dagmar Lennart Mikael Helge
October Ragnar Love, Ludvig Evald Frans Bror Jenny, Jennifer Birgitta Nils Ingrid Helmer Erling Valfrid Teofil Manfred Hedvig Finn Antoinetta Lukas Tore Sibylla (changed from Kasper in 1934) Birger Seved Sören Evert Inga Amanda Sabina Simon Viola Elsa Edit
November Allhelgonadagen Tobias, Tim Hubert Sverker (changed from Nore in 1905) Eugen Gustav Adolf Ingegerd Vendela Teodor Martin Luther Mårten Konrad Christian Emil Leopold Edmund Napoleon Magnhild Elisabet Pontus Helga Cecilia Klemens Gudrun Katarina Torkel Astrid (changed from Estrid in 1907) Malte Sune Anders
December Oskar/Oscar Beata Lydia, Cornelia Barbro Sven Nikolaus Agaton Virginia Anna Malin Daniel Alexander Lucia Sten Gottfrid Assar Inge Abraham Isak Israel Tomas Natalie Adam Eva Juldagen (no name) Stefan—Staffan Johannes Menlösa barns dag (no name) Abel Set Sylvester
Notes
References
External links Name days - Svenska akademien