Popular in Denmark

Most American parents would choose to use the more commonly seen variant, AXEL.

Good choice if you want to avoid connections with the Canadian province, but the confusing spelling is probably not worth the hassle.

It looks unfamiliar at first, but we think this strong Danish name is worthy of further consideration. It has a great meaning and is unusual without being a mouthful or too challenging. To us it feels like an arty or creative name, perhaps because one famous bearer, Asger Jorn, was an avant-garde sculptor and painter.

This Scandinavian name was made famous in English-speaking countries as the name of the dog in the "Thin Man" series. Danish actress Asta Nielsen was another famous bearer. Asta can be considered as a short form of Astrid or Augusta.

A Top 30 name in Sweden, derived from Eberhard (strength of a wild boar) or Esben (god bear) – either way, a strong meaning.

In the US, the preferred boys' spin on the mega-popular Emily and Emma is Emmett, but in much of Europe it's Emil. As Emmett gets trendier in the US, parents in search of a more unusual Em name may look to Emil.

One of the most popular names in Scandinavia, Freja--or Freyja--was a major deity of Norse paganism. Beautiful, blonde and blue-eyed, she was the goddess of love, beauty and fertility. In the US, the name is most likely spelled Freya.

The dynamic personality and paintings of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo have inspired growing numbers of parents to resurrect this form of the name. It does much better in certain European countries, especially in Denmark and Norway. The Frieda and Freida spellings were more popular in the US until the middle of the 20th century.

Gry is becoming a popular name in Denmark where it is currently in the Top 50. Despite its beautiful meaning, the similarity of its sound to the English word gruel is unlikely to make this a winning choice for English-speakers.

Derived from the Old Norse elements holmr "island" and geirr "spear". This is a widespread name in Scandinavia, and belonged to a legendary Danish hero, Holger Danske (Ogier the Dane). According to legend, Holger Danske was a fearsome warrior under Charlemagne, who never died but sleeps in the cellar of Kronborg Castle at Elsinore, ready to rise again if Denmark is ever in danger.

The luminous Ingrid Bergman's appeal was strong enough to lend universal charisma to this classic Scandinavian name, which has been somewhat neglected in the US. Even today, a child named Ingrid would be assumed to be of Scandinavian ancestry, signaling the name has never been fully integrated into the English lexicon the way other European choices from the same era like Danielle or Kathleen have.

Manly almost to the point of macho.

Both Karla and Carla are sliding down the ranks, though Karla remains far more popular in the USA than Carla.

German, Scandinavian and Polish spelling of Konrad, borne by several German and Polish rulers throughout history, as well as the German chancellor Konrad Adenauer.

Lark is getting some new and well-deserved attention as a post-Robin and Raven bird name. Although it was first recorded as a name in the 1830's, it has never appeared on the Social Security list.

Lauge is unheard of in most English-speaking countries, but is in the Top 50 in many Nordic countries. Despite is lovely meaning, Lauge's pronunciation and spelling issues are unlikely to make it popular outside of Scandinavia.

Its mellifluous sound makes Leonora--which has a rich history and a tie to the popular Leo names-- a keen possibility for revival. Though it's been hiding below the Top 1000 since the 1940s, Leonora is being rediscovered by stylish parents in the US and Europe.

In old Norse mythology Lifa/Liva is one of only two people that are destined to survive Ragnarok (Nordic armageddon) and will therefore be the parents of a new race of man.