Royal names in Sweden

On Friday, 7 February 2025, at 1.10 pm, the fourth child and first daughter of Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia of Sweden was born at the Danderyd Hospital in Stockholm. The names of the newborn Swedish princess were announced at the council in the Royal Palace of Stockholm at 11.15am on Monday, 10 February 2025. The ducal title of the newborn was also announced.

The big question of course is always which names the baby will receive. The present generation of Swedish royal babies didn’t necessarily receive traditional names. While they often have surprised us with the first name, the other Christian names are more traditional.

• Estelle Silvia Ewa Mary (named after Countess Estelle Bernadotte, the grandmothers Queen Silvia, Ewa Westling and Crown Princess Mary of Denmark). Duchess of Östergötland.
• Oscar Carl Olof (traditional name, followed by the – partial – names of the grandfathers). Duke of Skåne.
• Alexander Erik Hubertus Bertil (non-traditional name, followed by the name of the maternal grandfather, one of the christening names of the paternal grandfather, and the name of the late uncle and godfather of Prince Carl Philip). Duke of Södermanland.
• Gabriel Carl Walther (non-traditional name, followed by the first part of the name of the paternal grandfather, and the name of the maternal grandfather and a maternal uncle of Prince Carl Philip). Duke of Dalarna.
• Julian Herbert Folke (non-traditional name, followed by one of the names of Sofia’s maternal grandfather, and a middle names of the paternal grandfather). Duke of Halland.
• Ines Marie Lilian Silvia (non-traditional name, followed by the name of Sofia’s mother, Carl Philips great-aunt and his mother). Duchess of Västerbotten.
• Leonore Lilian Maria (non-traditional name, followed by the name of the late Princess Lilian and the middle name of the mother of Christopher O’Neill). Duchess of Gotland
• Nicolas Paul Gustaf (non-traditional name, followed by the name of the paternal grandfather and the second name of the maternal grandfather). Duke of Ångermanland.
• Adrienne Josephine Alice (non-traditional name, followed by a Bernadotte name, also carried by her mother Princess Madeleine, and the name of the maternal grandmother of Princess Madeleine). Duchess of Blekinge.

When Julian was born, I said that I would not be surprised if the name, like Alexander and Gabriel, is listed in the Top 100 of Swedish names, which was correct. That also counts for the daughter. While the sons got a rather long name, the daughter received a short name.

By the way: Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden is Duchess of Västergötland, Prince Carl Philip Duke of Värmland and Princess Madeleine is Duchess of Hälsingland and Gästrikland. King Carl XVI Gustaf himself received the title Duke of Jämtland.

Which names were thus far given in the Swedish royal family?

A royalty acquaintance of mine, who like me loves lists, once sent me his list of first names given in European royal families since 1871. Let’s show you the Swedes, the year of birth is between bricks. I myself added the names given to the royal babies since the birth of the first Bernadotte King Karl XIV Johan, then a mere Jean Baptiste Bernadotte.

• Adrienne (2018)
• Alexander (2016)
• Astrid (1905)
• August (1831)
• Bertil (1912)
• Birgitta (1937)
• Carl (1826, 1911)
• Carl Gustaf (1946)
• Carl Johan (1916)
• Carl Oscar (1852)
• Carl Philip (1979)
• Christina (1943)
• Désirée (1938)
• Erik (1889)
• Estelle (2012)
• Eugen (1865)
• Eugenie (1830)
• Gabriel (2017)
• Gustaf (1827, 1858)
• Gustaf Adolf (1882, 1906)
• Ines (2025)
• Ingrid (1910)
• Julian (2021)
• Karl Johan (1763)
• Lennart (1909)
• Leonore (2014)
• Louise (1851)
• Madeleine (1982)
• Margaretha (1899, 1934)
• Märtha (1901)
• Nicolas (2015)
• Oscar (1799, 1829, 2016)
• Sigvard (1907)
• Victoria (1977)
• Vilhelm (1884)