So there is this strange naming trend in Sweden going on
that is not so far off from some American style baby naming trends --- Not the
Aiden, Caden, Jaden’s because, they are obviously so 2010, or even the Wyatt,
Bennett, Lincolns of late, but the W kids.
In Sweden W and V are interchangeable and they even do not
get separate sections in the phone book. So it makes sense that people would
try to give their kids a uneeek name like Kewin.
But it does not stop there, some names I have seen this year
include:
Wiktor
Oliwer
And the all American
Wincent – because how you go wrong naming your child
something with Win in it.
But Kewin just makes me giggle. And I just see their future
blonde Swedish rap name K-win in the
future.
I am not sure if these names are traditional, are inspired
by Hemmakwell ads, or just a way to have your Swedish kids stand out in a
crowd.
While the W names seem to be mainly male, I have seen a few
people suggest Towa, in stead of Tova. But I have not seen any Nowa instead of
Nova. Maybe that will be the wave of the future?
Posts
I've also seen it written as Cevin. I'm not entirely sure if they thought "c" and "k" were interchangeable in English much as "v" and "w" are in Swedish. I might be wrong, but isn't Kevin considered something of a trailer trash name in Sweden? I know there are always jokes about it on Flashback, especially when they let rip on tv shows like Lyxfällan. A boy named Kevin or Liam is one of the "Lyxfällan Bingo" certainties.
ReplyDeleteWictor just makes me laugh - I always pronounce it with the English "w" in a quasi-Russian voice a bit like Natasha in Rocky and Bullwinkle. My Swede just sadly shakes his head, though he did laugh at my initial struggle with names like Ewa and Siw.
Ooh, how could I forget Ewa? Good point on Kevin, I thought it was just Kewin with the w that fell into the WT category, but could be the whole thing? I should read Flashback more often :)
DeleteI have been a frequent reader of this blog for a couple years, and let me just say I'm very happy to see that posts are more frequent. I was a little afraid this summer that you were letting this blog slide. :(
ReplyDeleteKnow that you have at least one devoted reader.
Thanks, I am still here, just have my hands full at moment. Trying to keep up with the blog, but took a very 'Swedish' summer and tried to stay a bit more 'offline'
DeleteYes, Kevin (as most english/american names) is considered trashy here in Sweden. But Viktor and Oliver are considered perfectly normal swedish names, although alternative "elaborate" spellings can turn almost any name inte a WT one.
ReplyDeleteI dont think that Wiktor and Wiktoria is part of any new trend. My great grandmother was born in the late 1870's and she was named Wiktoria and I was named after her in the 1960's.
ReplyDeleteThere are other languages than English. In German, W is pronounced like V in English and V is pronounced like F. For example, Volkswagen is pronounced "folkswagen".
ReplyDelete