Comments on: Banned Names in Norway

By: Kay

Kay — Thu, 26 Feb 2026 17:09:03 +0000

Half the new American names would be banned! No Taylor, Tyler, Madison, Harper! The style here is to use last names as first names!

By: Alene

Alene — Mon, 09 Feb 2026 14:45:32 +0000

My mother was born in Norway. Our home here was bilingual; she knew what my name means; I have the honor of being named “Alene”. Americans think it’s pretty; relatives in Norway always apologize and ask why did she name you “Alone”? Better to be Alone than to be Lonely!

By: Kjell Johansen

Kjell Johansen — Fri, 30 Jan 2026 04:45:17 +0000

I have a good norsk name Kjell. But had trouble telling people in the US, where I have seen since 1948, how to pronounce it. So I finally said take the words “church” and “hell” , put them together to get “Chell” or if the person is musical I tell them to say the string instrument “cello” but drop the “o”.

By: d bee

d bee — Fri, 10 May 2024 14:30:06 +0000

In my Norwegian ancestry, within a particular family branch, an additional surname or middle-name is shown, sometimes within “quotation” marks. PAALSKAAS or PAALSKAAR, or something very similar. I’ve been unable to track it as an ancestral name, as such. Any ideas anyone? Thank you.

By: Rain

Rain — Thu, 04 Apr 2024 20:08:44 +0000

Perhaps some parents need a little guidance in discerning the difference between “band names” and “banned names.”

By: Scott

Scott — Sun, 25 Jun 2023 03:23:28 +0000

I read in a book today that the name “Metallica” was approved for a girl in Norway. Wonder whether she’s one of the people whose middle name is “Batman?”

There’s a popular saying, “I don’t care what you call me, just don’t call me late for dinner.”

By: Mildred Howard

Mildred Howard — Thu, 04 May 2023 23:05:18 +0000

what about the surname Dobyn,Dobbyn?

By: Lumixia

Lumixia — Mon, 10 Apr 2023 13:50:02 +0000

My children, are from the Erickson line that turned Ericksen sometimes after WWI and a sailor misspelling it. As immigrants got off the boats saying their name. But my Son is Leif Ericksen, and daughter Lunairia Ericksen. I, have the madian name of Christensen, and am now a Holland. All of Which come from Norse Decent. And with How names are pronounced differently, I can see how Namings can be complicated.

By: AF

AF — Mon, 14 Mar 2022 22:25:50 +0000

In reply to Sheila R. I had a Colombian housemate here in Canada. Back home, his siblings included Carlos and Leidi or Leidy..... so I assumed that was a normal name until I just read your comment. Intriguingly, my housemate's own name is John. (Yes, John. Not Juan!)

By: Sheila R

Sheila R — Tue, 30 Nov 2021 14:13:09 +0000

I’m from Colombia and there’s so many children with such a “unique names” or misspelled or even worse misused foreign words as names, Leydy (lady), Usnavy, (yes like, US NAVY) or Geyson (Jason) are just common examples of why I think the idea to pre-approval for a name is appropriate.