Whether you’re a huge ABBA fan, love hockey, have a Swedish breed (such as a Swedish Vallhund), we’ve got plenty of Swedish dog names for you!
This post covers 85 different Swedish names for male and female dogs, as well as a few that are not gender-specific.
Because names are important, we’ve also included the meaning of each dog name. We hope you find one that suits you and your pup well!
For more naming options, check out our dog name generator tool.
Note: this post may contain affiliate links. If you use these links to buy something, we may earn a commission. Thanks for reading!
Dog naming tips:
What’s in a name? Your dog is a wonderful creature no matter what you call them, but some names may be easier for them to understand than others. When choosing your pet’s name, keep these tips in mind:
- Names that are shorter (1-2 syllables) may be easier for your dog to understand
- Likewise, names with hard consonant sounds will be easier for your pup
- Try not to pick a name that rhymes with key words that you’ll use, for example “Beau” is a lovely name but it rhymes with “no”, which may be confusing.
Also, make sure that you’re comfortable with your dog’s name too! If you don’t feel comfortable yelling your dog’s name in your backyard, or in a park, it’s probably a sign to keep looking for the right name.
Swedish Dog Names for Male Dogs
Here are 40 different Swedish names for male dogs, including inspiration taken from famous Swedes, places, foods, and the Swedish language:
- Alexander: a common Swedish name, and also the name of True Blood actor Alexander Skarsgård.
- Arvid: is an old Norse name that means “forest of eagles” (pretty cool, huh?)
- Avicii: the name of the late Swedish DJ, popular for songs like “Levels” and “Wake Me Up.”
- Axel: not just the name of the Guns ‘N’ Roses frontman but the 32nd most popular boy’s name in Sweden, which means “my father is peace.”
- Benkt: means “blessing” in Swedish.
- Björn: Swedish for “bear”, which would be a good name for a Newfie or another big, lumbering breed.
- Bosse: a common Swedish name for dogs, means “boss”.
- Edvard: means “rich guardian” and would be a great name for a protective family dog.
- Fisk: simply means “fish”, which could either be a silly dog name or a name for a dog that loves the outdoors.
- Fjord: part of the beautiful landscape of Scandinavia.
- Frans: means free, which could be a dog who’s a bit too independent for their own good.
- Greger: means “vigilant” or “watchful” and is the Swedish version of Gregory.
- Gunner: a common name in the US as well, “Gunner” is of Nordic origin and refers to artillery men.
- Gustav and Gustaf: the name of many Swedish kings, including the current King Carl XVI Gustaf.
- Halsten: this name is of Old Norse origin and means “rock stone”.
- Halvar: literally means “half year” but is also from the Old Norse name Halvard, meaning “defender of the rock”.
- Hedvig: means “warrior in the war”
- Henrik: a popular name for Swedish men, and the Swedish form of “Henry”.
- Hugo: means “mind”
- Ivar: another Swedish male name meaning “warrior”
- Jesper: means “treasurer” and is pronounced with a “y” sound.
- Larsson: the last name of famous Swedish author Stieg Larsson, who wrote The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.
- Liam: Liam is a name in other languages such as Irish and is a shortened version of William.
- Lucas: this is a name found in many languages and means “light”
- Ludvig: means “famous warrior”.
- Nils: means “people of victory” and is similar to Niels Bohr, a Danish scientist.
- Nobel: pronounced “Noh-BELL” after Alfred Nobel, inventor of dynamite and the Nobel Peace Prize.
- Olaf: not just a name from Frozen! Olaf means “ancestor’s descendant”.
- Roffe: pronounced “RAWF-uh”, this is a Swedish name meaning “legendary wolf”.
- Rune: after the Viking symbols.
- Sigge: means “victor”, and is pronounced “SIG-uh”
- Skarsgård: after famous Swedish actor Stellan Skarsgård, and his sons Alexander Skarsgård and Bill Skarsgård.
- Stellan: this name means “peaceful” or “calm”.
- Stieg: a common boys name and the first name of Swedish author Stieg Larsson, who wrote The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.
- Svans: means “tail”, good for a dog who loves to wag.
- Tungsten: means “heavy stone” and is the name of an element discovered by a Swedish chemist.
- Viggo: while this name instantly makes us think of Viggo Mortensen, the name itself is centuries old and means “war”.
- Viking: after the Norse warriors.
- William: a common Swedish name meaning “resolute protector”
- Zetterberg: after the NHL hockey player Henrik Zetterberg.
Female Swedish Dog Names
Next up are another 32 Swedish dog names, this time for female dogs!
- Abba: the name of quite possibly the most famous pop band on earth.
- Agnes: is a Swedish name meaning “chaste” or “holy”
- Algot means “noble great”, and is also an IKEA product.
- Älskad: is Swedish for “beloved”
- Anja: is a Swedish name meaning “graceful”.
- Asta: means “divine beauty” (and of course your pup is the most beautiful!)
- Astra: means “star”
- Aurora: while not technically a Swedish name, the Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights, are frequently visible in the upper part of Sweden.
- Brita: means “the high one”.
- Ebba: means “strong”.
- Elsa: the name of the (Norwegian) Disney princess from Frozen but means “pledged to god” or “truth”.
- Emelie: depending on who you ask, means “rival” or “industrious”.
- Eva: is name used in many languages but in Swedish it means “life”.
- Flicka: is Swedish for “girl” and is pronounced “FLEEK-uh”.
- Freja: means lady or noblewoman, for a confident and classy dog.
- Greta: after environmental activist Greta Thunberg or famous actress Greta Garbo.
- Juni: pronounced “YOO-ni” is the Swedish word for the month of June.
- Klara: means “clear” and “bright”.
- Lisbeth: the protagonist from The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, and means “pledged to God”.
- Madga: after Magdalena “Magda” Forsberg, a fantastic biathlete from Sweden in the late 90s and early 00s.
- Maja or Maj: means “pearl” or “splendid”, and is also the word for the month of May.
- Morgan: a name that’s popular in the US too, that means “morning”.
- Ragna: Ragna is an Old Norse name meaning “counsel”.
- Robyn: name of dance-loving Swedish pop star.
- Ronja: means a lot of things, including “bright”, “dawn”, and “the advice of the ruler”.
- Saga: the word meaning “legendary tale” originates from Scandinavia.
- Signe: another victory name meaning “new victory”.
- Sigrid: means both “victory” and “beautiful”.
- Stella: means “star”, and is one of the more popular dog names in the US.
- Thea: is a Swedish name meaning “courageous, gift of god”.
- Tova: is Swedish for “beautiful”, and similar to Tove, the name of Swedish pop star Tove Lo.
- Wilma: means “resolute protection”.
Gender-Neutral Swedish Dog Names
If you prefer a Swedish dog name that’s not quite as gendered, or works for either girl or boy dogs, keep reading. The following list is largely based on fun words in the Swedish language:
- Bamse: means “bear” or “teddy bear”.
- Fika: is the Swedish word for a coffee break that’s more akin to tea time–there are often snacks, and it’s a common part of culture to take a break and enjoy some caffeine.
- Glögg: a mulled wine drink common throughout Scandinavia, and a fun word to say.
- Hund: pronounced “hoond”, this would be like naming your dog “dog”… but in Swedish.
- Kul: means “fun” or “cool” in Swedish, and sounds very similar to “cool” but with a more rounded vowel sound.
- Ludde: is another common name for dogs in Sweden, meaning “fluffy” or “wooly”.
- Malmö: the name of the third largest city in Sweden
- Palt: is a Swedish potato dumpling
- Skål: means “cheers” in Sweden, and is a great name for a fun-loving pup.
- Stockholm: the name of the largest city in Sweden, and the Swedish capital.
- Vacker: means “beautiful” or “good-looking”
- Vasa: a Swedish surname and given name, and also the name of a 17th century Viking ship.
Most Popular Dog Names in Sweden
This might come as a surprise but some of the top dog names in Sweden are very similar to the most popular dog names in the US. According to Svedea, the most popular dog’s names in Sweden (for 2020) were:
- Molly
- Bella
- Charlie
- Doris
- Ludde
- Sigge
- Sally
- Wilma
- Bamse
- Elsa
- Alice
- Stella
- Bosse
- Ronja
- Selma
While some of the names are new to us, at least a third of them can also be found on the most popular dog names list for the United States.
Wrap Up
Keep in mind that while umlauts make dog names extra cute, they might be difficult to have printed on dog tags or other items.
Check out our dog name generator for more great ideas!
If you’ve got the perfect name picked out, check out our two-part guide on how to prepare for your new dog, including what to buy and how to prepare your house.
