Which are the most common names in your region/state/country? For Sweden, the most common names - as we speak - are Maria, Anna, Margareta, Elisabeth and Eva for girls. For boys it is Erik, Lars, Karl, Anders and Johan. Hmm. This will of course change with the ongoing generation shift. As far as I am concerned, Elisabeth, Margareta, Eva and Maria are not at all that common anymore. Lars, Karl and Anders are also quite "outdated". Apparently in 2016, the most common girls' names wwre Alice, Lilly (so edgy with an English name in Sweden lol), Maja, Elsa and Ella. For boys, the top five consists of Oscar, Lucas, William, Liam and Oliver. The most popular baby names of the 1990's were Emma, Sara, Elin and Marcus, Erik, Simon. This makes alot of sense and feels very familiar; pretty much what everyone was called in school when I was growing up.
In France for people above 60, you will have a lot of composed name like Jean-something. For instance, Jean-Pierre, Jean-Marie... For women, a lot of name like Nathalie, Marie. Ten years ago and still todat, short names were a trend among youngester, and you will find a lot of names like : Théo, Matteo, Lucas for boys, Lea, Maeva... American names are often markers of poor white social classes (and not poor only in money) and considered slighty vulgar : Dylan, Kevin, Jordan. The last years, a lot of people gave custom and unique first names to their children, it's become hard to give a trend.
In Sweden, Nathalie is a rather uncommon name, but it has gained lots of popularity the last few years. Not at all a name associated with elderly here. Lol. I thought everyone was named Romain and Romaine over there.
In 2016 the most popular names for girls in Germany: Mia Emma Sofia / Sophia Hannah / Hanna Emilia Anna Marie Mila Lina Lea / Leah Lena Leonie Amelie Luisa / Louisa Johanna Emily / Emilie Clara / Klara Sophie / Sofie Charlotte Lilly / Lilli Lara Laura Leni Nele / Neele Ella Maja / Maya Mathilda / Matilda Ida Frieda / Frida Lia / Liah / Lya Greta Sarah / Sara Lotta Pia Julia Melina Paula Alina Marlene Elisa Lisa Mira Victoria / Viktoria Anni / Annie / Anny Nora Mara / Marah Isabell / Isabel / Isabelle Helena Isabella Maria In 2016 the most popular names for boys in Germany: Ben Paul Jonas Elias Leon Finn / Fynn Noah Luis / Louis Lukas / Lucas Felix Luca / Luka Maximilian Henry / Henri Max Oskar / Oscar Emil Liam Jakob / Jacob Moritz Anton Julian Theo Niklas / Niclas David Philipp Alexander Tim Matteo Milan Leo Tom Mats / Mads Carl / Karl Erik / Eric Linus Jonathan Jan Fabian Leonard Samuel Rafael / Raphael Jona / Jonah Jannik / Yannik / Yannick / Yannic Simon Vincent Mika Hannes Lennard / Lennart Till Aaron Here are the "Top 500" of the year 2016 in Germany: https://www.beliebte-vornamen.de/jahrgang/j2016/top-500-2016
The most popular baby names in 2017 for girls were Alice, Olivia and Ella and for boys it was William, Oscar and Liam. Now, there is nothing wrong with these names as such, I think they sound pretty nice, but living in Sweden, I just can't keep wondering why Anglo names like these are so popular here. In the top list, we also find names like Lilly, Zoey, Wilma and Noah - huge wtf considering this is not a English speaking country!
I guess this has to do with international contacts. Alice is the English form of the German name "Adelheid", comes from "adal"-"heit", noble-kind. Olivia comes from the Latin word "Olive". The oil-fruit "olive" is a symbol for peace. Olive trees become very old and need a long peaceful time to grow. "Ella" is a universal short-cut because lots of names end with -ella, -ela. In the origin it came from the word "Helena" - the Greek woman. A symbol for beauty. William is an old German-French name "William the conqueror" and lots of other Williams for example. First part is "will" second part has to do with arms (protection). Behind this name is the wish of strength to realize something - a name of a warrior. Oscar is a Scandinavian name which was very popular in the French, English and Italian language too. A problem because of the Hollywood price "The Oscar". Liam is a form of William. "Strong-willed guardian" could be a good translation. ...
I knew someone who is married in Swabia (South Germany) and gave his children Nordic names. Very strange - but lots of Swabians in this area at this time made it in this way. Imagine Albert Einstein would had been named Sven Einstein. You would think the name Albert is strange and Sven is okay. But it is indeed an interesting question of sociology why people are doing such things and what are the psychological laws behind such a behavior. Names follow the laws of fashions, I guess. But who knows the laws of fashions, except His Magnificence Karl Lagerfeld, the chevalier (= knight, Ritter) of the lion Coco Chanel?
Haha. Depends on context; obviously, in Sweden, Sven would be more normal than, say, Wolfgang. However, it is not the first time that I hear of a German named Sven - there is a footballer whose name is Sven Bender. Albert isn't that strange really, a very traditional Germanic name that even has its Latin equivalence in Alberto. In the past, I suppose, it was more about tradition where you would name your children after relatives. Today, I feel, fashion/pop culture plays too big of a role in the naming process; apparently Neo is a boy's name that is increasing in popularity here and there just can not be any other explanation than the movie Matrix. A bit degenerated imo. I like that the old Norse names of Freja and Saga are on the rise though.
You underestimate that Germans are only Germans for others. Germans are not a nation. In the formula "Holy roman empire of german nation" the word "German" means only "united". The cultural dimension is Middle Europe, Scandinavia and England too, where the so called "Germanics" lived who had celtic ancestors too. Often we do not know whether an ancient tribe was Celtic or Germanic. The ancient name for the Swabians is for example "Sueben" - very similar to the word "Sweden" - and in Baden-Würtemberg, where the Swabians live today live "Alemans" too. Alemania is another name for Germany. While Alemans are a real existing nation or population exists normally no German who is a German. It exists no tribe with the name "German" (or "Norman" (=Scandinavian) and so on). Example: A friend of me (Bavarian) was together with two others (a Friesian and someone from the near of Kassel). My friend and the Hessian went away - the Friesian cried "La da tid!" - the North-Hessian asked "What did he say?" (Was hat er gesagt?). The Bavarian translated "Lou da'r'amal d'ahoy". I hope you can see that it was impossible for the Hessian to understand both forms of German. Correct German would had been "Lasst euch Zeit". You are not able to imagine in this context that a name like "Sven Einstein" would be a very confusing name in the South. You are by the way right. Albert is an English-Scandinavian or Germanic name too. But Sven is a typical name for Nordic Germans and/or Scandinavians. The Alemans and Sueben speak a broad "hyggelig" German - Sven is a spiky peaked sharp name. This causes a paradox in the melody of the language. Sven Bender is by the way born in Brannenburg near Rosenheim - in the South in Bavaria. His twin has the name Lars. Also typically nordic names. This would be a paradox if the parents are Bavarians. By the way: In Bavaria the most names have to do with names in the bible - what's the greatest common source for names in whole Europe.
I see this with great concern because the Nazis used - better to say misused - with their idiotic Anti-Semitic Aryan nonsense Nordic names and Nordic gods. On the others side: Last year we found out, that we have a Swedish choir here in our area im Bavaria (the girl who made this choir is from Sweden) and we celebrated this year Sancta Lucia too. A wonderful celebration and I was very impressed from some typical Swedish elements in the music for choirs.
Here in Southern California the most common names are Juan, Carlos, Jesus (heysoos) George (horhey), lupe, Joker, spider, tiny. Etc.
