Maja climbed one place from 2007 to claim top spot in the popular names list. She was followed by Julia and in third place Emma, according to the family website Alltombarn.se. Lukas climbed from fourth place in 2007 to first in 2008 and was followed by perennial favourite Oskar, and Elias.
Vilma and William were the most popular names in 2007, but experienced something of a cold shower in the popularity stakes among Sweden’s parents in 2008 with Vilma down to ninth and William to fourth.
“A very significant change is that parents now strenuously avoid names placed in the previous year’s top ten list. One does not wish to be one of a crowd today,” said Anders Malmsten to Alltombarn.se.
Among the names listed in the top 100 names there are several strong challengers. What about Iris, Joline, Hedda, Hedvig and Leah? – all newcomers to the list. On the male side there are four newcomers to the list: Harry, Milo, Sam and Hjalmar.
Iris and Harry were both considered modern names at the beginning of the twentieth century. Names commonly return to popularity with a hundred year gap.
“It is now Harry’s time, although Harry Potter must have been a factor. I have been expecting it,” said names researcher Eva Brylla to news agency TT.
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