What should the baby be called?
What should the baby be called? We have gathered the popular, the traditional and the slightly unusual names for girls and boys right here.
Some parents have had a baby name tucked away in their hearts almost forever. Others wish to name their child after a beloved family member. Some choose a name so that it sounds good with a sibling's, and for others it is important that the name is easy to pronounce in English. And then there are all of us who are either completely in doubt or can't agree.
Here we have gathered inspiration for baby names: the most popular girls' names and boys' names, the more traditional names, the slightly unusual ones and some names that may be on the rise.
The 25 most popular girls' names
According to Statistics Denmark's most recent official list (2024-2025) of names for newborns, these were among the most popular girls' names:
- Emma
- Ella
- Luna
- Alma
- Frida
- Olivia
- Ida
- Agnes
- Karla
- Nora
- Sofia
- Ellie
- Lily
- Freja
- Clara
- Asta
- Anna
- Alberte
- Esther
- Ellen
- Aya
- Astrid
- Isabella
- Josefine
- Leonora
There is something lovely about the popular names. They are popular for a reason. Many of them are short, soft and easy to say, but still have plenty of personality.
Names like Emma, Ella, Alma and Frida feel both modern and timeless. And then there are the slightly more classic names like Anna, Astrid and Ellen, which have found new life with a new generation of families.
The 25 most popular boys' names
According to Statistics Denmark's most recent official list (2024-2025) of names for newborns, these were among the most popular boys' names:
- Oscar
- Carl
- William
- Noah
- August
- Aksel
- Emil
- Oliver
- Alfred
- Theo
- Elliot
- Malthe
- Hugo
- Arthur
- Valdemar
- Elias
- Otto
- Viggo
- Lucas
- Matheo
- Lauge
- Felix
- Theodor
- Liam
- Conrad
The boys' names also have a lovely mix of the classic and the modern.
Oscar, Carl, August and Aksel have something old-fashioned and strong about them. Theo, Elliot and Matheo feel a little more international. And names like Otto, Viggo and Lauge have that warm, Nordic ring that many parents have fallen for in recent years.
Traditional girls' names
Traditional girls' names have something special. They often carry family history, familiarity and versatility. These are names that can suit a little newborn, a 7-year-old with knees full of plasters and a grown woman with dreams of her own.
Here are 25 traditional girls' names:
- Anna
- Marie
- Laura
- Johanne
- Ingrid
- Ellen
- Agnes
- Astrid
- Karen
- Kirsten
- Margrethe
- Sofie
- Mathilde
- Caroline
- Cecilie
- Julie
- Katrine
- Ida
- Signe
- Maja
- Josefine
- Victoria
- Frederikke
- Elisabeth
- Clara
Traditional boys' names
Traditional boys' names often have a particular gravitas and are ones we know from generations before us. Some feel very classic. Others have taken on a new softness, because they are now given to little newborns with round cheeks and tiny hands.
Here are 25 traditional boys' names:
- Christian
- Frederik
- Carl
- Johan
- Peter
- Jens
- Niels
- Hans
- Søren
- Anders
- Mads
- Rasmus
- Magnus
- Emil
- Aksel
- Oscar
- Valdemar
- William
- Anton
- Albert
- Holger
- Erik
- Otto
- Theodor
- Johannes
The slightly unusual girls' names
Perhaps you are looking for a name that isn't on every other coat peg at nursery. A name that still feels soft and usable, but has a little more edge, poetry or personality.
Here are 25 slightly unusual girls' names:
- Kaja
- Gry
- Søs
- Saga
- Vilma
- Merle
- Elina
- Solvej
- Alba
- Liva
- Vera
- Noomi
- Uma
- Mynte
- Alva
- Nellie
- Tilde
- Liv
- Ronja
- Isolde
- Viola
- Elva
- Selma
- Mira
- Filippa
The slightly unusual boys' names
There are many lovely boys' names that feel a little more special and that perhaps used to sound old, but suddenly feel completely right again.
Here are 25 slightly unusual boys' names:
- Atlas
- Bjørn
- Vilhelm
- Nohr
- Lauge
- Ebbe
- Storm
- Pelle
- Kalle
- Anker
- Holger
- Louie
- Conrad
- Asger
- Marius
- Viggo
- Villum
- Birk
- Sylvester
- Elton
- Milas
- Tage
- Bille
- Skjold
- Hugo
Names that may be on the rise
We have gathered 15 suggestions for names that are on the rise for girls and boys respectively. These are the names you don't hear so often, but which then suddenly (perhaps) pop up everywhere.
According to Statistics Denmark, Kaja was the girls' biggest climber on the most recent name list, while Atlas was the boys' biggest climber. In addition, Gry entered the girls' top names, while Atlas, Vilhelm and Bjørn entered the boys' most popular names.
Names worth keeping an eye on could therefore be:
Girls' names on the rise
- Kaja
- Gry
- Søs
- Vilma
- Saga
- Aya
- Elina
- Solvej
- Ingrid
- Vera
- Merle
- Leonora
- Alba
- Noomi
- Liva
Boys' names on the rise
- Atlas
- Bjørn
- Vilhelm
- Nohr
- Lauge
- Anke
- Ebbe
- Pelle
- Kalle
- Matheo
- Conrad
- Storm
- Otto
- Viggo
- Hugo
Of course, this doesn't mean these names will necessarily become the next big top names. But they have some of what many parents are looking for right now: they are recognisable, but not overused. They feel either Nordic, soft, strong or a little bit special.
How do you choose the right name?
Choosing a name can be a big decision.
And sometimes you become almost more unsure the more names you look at.
A little tip is to say the name out loud. Many times. Together with the surname and in different situations.
How does it sound when you whisper it to a newborn?
When you call it across a playground?
When one day your child has to introduce themselves with it?
It may also be that you deeply disagree, and then it can sometimes be best to actually wait until the little person is lying in your arms. Because then it is as if it no longer matters so much who “wins”, but that the name simply comes by itself.
With love,
Sara.
Written by Sara Baudtler
