Sweden has hundreds of thousands of Anderssons who are not related, a law that lets you invent your own surname, and almost nobody called “Mr”. Here is where the names come from, how Swedes use them, and what the name law allows.
When you need this
You meet three Anderssons in one office and wonder if they are cousins. A Swedish form asks for förnamn, efternamn and tilltalsnamn. You are not sure whether to call your host, doctor or manager by their surname.
Or the question is practical: you married in Sweden, you are moving here, or you are having a baby and need to register its name. Then the name law, Lag (2016:1013) om personnamn, decides what you may choose.
Why so many names end in -son
Swedish surnames used to change every generation. A man called Johan had a son Anders, known as Anders Johansson; if Anders named his son Per, the boy became Per Andersson. Daughters got -dotter: Anna Johansdotter.
At the end of the 1800s men’s -son names started to be passed on unchanged, and became family names. Women’s -dotter names never did and faded out. The first family-name ordinance of 1901 then made everyone carry a surname. The names froze where they stood, which is why a few patronymics now cover a huge share of the population.
Two other layers sit on top:
| Type | Examples | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Patronymic (-son) | Andersson, Johansson, Karlsson | Father’s first name, frozen around 1900 |
| Two-part “nature” names | Lindqvist, Bergström, Sjögren | Taken by townspeople, built from -berg, -gren, -qvist, -lund |
| Soldier names | Rask, Svärd, Tapper, Modig | Given to soldiers, short and martial |
The most common names today
All of Sweden’s 15 most common surnames end in -son. Andersson is first, just ahead of Johansson. Skatteverket (the Swedish Tax Agency) has published name statistics since SCB, Statistics Sweden, stopped producing them. Many older pages still quote SCB’s last lists, and some still name Johansson as the top surname.
For babies born in 2025, the most popular names were Vera for girls and Noah for boys. Next came Astrid, Alice, Olivia and Elsa, and Hugo, Liam, Nils and Alfred. Skatteverket counts each spelling separately, so its lists are not directly comparable with SCB’s older rankings. The exact counts are in the table under Practical information.
First names, surnames and tilltalsnamn on forms
Swedish forms and records split a name into three parts:
| Field | Means | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Förnamn | All given names | Many Swedes have two or three |
| Tilltalsnamn | The first name you are called by | Not always the first one listed |
| Efternamn | Surname | Can be a double surname of two names |
A Swede registered as “Karl Johan Erik” may go by Erik, and that is the tilltalsnamn. In Dalarna you may also meet a gårdsnamn (farm name), an old byname placed before the first name or between first name and surname, as in Prins Greta Andersdotter. Middle names (mellannamn) disappeared as a category in 2017; people who had one could keep it.
How Swedes use names day to day
Swedes address almost everyone by first name and the informal du: colleagues, teachers, doctors and bosses alike. Surnames are for forms and official letters, and titles survive mainly with royalty and in court. Use first names from the start; “Mr Svensson” sounds stiff. Our guide to Swedish etiquette covers the rest.
A few consequences for visitors:
- A shared surname means nothing. Over 200,000 people are called Andersson. Searching for one Swede by surname alone is hopeless; add a town or first name.
- Families often have different surnames. Spouses may keep, swap or combine names, and children can carry either parent’s surname or a double one.
- Andersson no longer means “son of Anders”. A Johansson’s father is as likely to be called Per.
- Asking how someone prefers to be called is normal. Names are seen as a personal choice.
The name law: what you can choose
The current law has applied since 1 July 2017, and Skatteverket decides every application. It is fairly liberal, with a few firm limits.
Surnames. You may take a surname from a parent or spouse, or a double surname of at most two names, in a fixed order and optionally hyphenated. You may take any surname borne by at least 2,000 people; Skatteverket keeps that list (about 500 names) and updates it by 1 April each year. You may revive an ancestral surname from two to four generations back. And you may create a new one.
A newly formed surname must be a single word, must not be used as a first name, and must not be offensive or confusable with:
- someone else’s lawful surname
- an extinct historic family name
- a well-known foreign surname or famous artist’s name
- a protected business name or trademark
Skatteverket publishes the proposal in Post- och Inrikes Tidningar, the official gazette, and anyone may object within one month. Rare surnames are protected: using one without right can bring a court claim and damages.
Revived -dotter names are legal too. A child can be named, for example, Annasdotter after a parent called Anna.
Who it covers. The law applies to Nordic citizens resident in Sweden and may be applied to other foreign residents. A short-term visitor has no Swedish name to change. A name acquired in another EEA country or Switzerland through birth or marriage can be registered here free of charge.
Changing your name
You apply to Skatteverket in writing, and the application must give your personnummer or coordination number, so register first if you are new (see the personnummer explained). Some first-name changes can be done online.
| Change | Fee |
|---|---|
| Spouse’s surname or a double surname of both | Free |
| Parent’s surname, spelling or gender form | Free |
| First names | 250 kr |
| Tilltalsnamn only (online) | Free |
| New surname, listed common name, ancestral name | 1,800 kr |
Free family changes take weeks; paid surname changes take months, partly because of the one-month objection period. Current processing times are under Practical information.
Newlyweds: apply for your spouse’s surname no later than the wedding day and it counts from the wedding. Our guide to getting married in Sweden covers the rest of the paperwork. A child aged 12 or over must consent to any change made for them.
Do not book flights in your new name yet. The change applies only once registered, and then your passport, driving licence and e-ID need renewing. Skatteverket suggests waiting until after a trip to apply if your passport is valid.
Naming a baby in Sweden
Every child born in Sweden must be given at least one first name, applied for within three months. The first application is free. The surname can be either parent’s current or former surname, a double surname of both, a parent’s first name plus -son or -dotter, or a surname a sibling already carries. If no surname application arrives in time, the child gets the birth parent’s surname.
There is no list of banned names. The law refuses first names that could offend, cause the child discomfort, or are otherwise unsuitable. Skatteverket’s examples include names too like surnames or containing digits. Names traditionally used for another gender are allowed. Miss the first-name deadline and Skatteverket sends reminders, then an order that can carry a fine.
Practical information
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Who decides | Skatteverket; forms SKV 7500 (first names), 7502 and 7504 (surname), 7506 (new surname), 7508 (consent) |
| Fees (Förordning 2017:120) | First names 250 kr; new or listed surname 1,800 kr (3,600 kr for several unrelated adults together); family routes free |
| Processing (checked 2026-10-06) | Newborn ~4 weeks; spouse’s surname ~3 weeks; free surname ~8 weeks; first names ~6 weeks; paid surname ~24 weeks |
| Most common surnames (Skatteverket 2026 list) | Andersson 211,808 · Johansson 209,813 · Karlsson 155,861 · Nilsson 145,963 · Eriksson 118,182 |
| Top baby names 2025 (published 15 June 2026) | Girls: Vera, Astrid, Alice, Olivia, Elsa · Boys: Noah, Hugo, Liam, Nils, Alfred |
| Newborn deadline | Three months from birth |
| Objection period for new surnames | One month after publication in Post- och Inrikes Tidningar |
FAQ
Why do so many Swedish surnames end in -son?
They began as patronymics: Johan’s son was called Johansson, and his son, if named Anders, became Andersson. At the end of the 1800s men’s -son names started to be inherited unchanged, and the 1901 ordinance made everyone carry a surname. So the names froze. All of the top 15 surnames today end in -son.
What is the most common surname in Sweden?
Andersson, narrowly ahead of Johansson. Skatteverket’s 2026 list of free surnames counts about 212,000 Anderssons and 210,000 Johanssons, followed by Karlsson, Nilsson and Eriksson. The counts change slightly each year, and Skatteverket updates the list by 1 April. Hundreds of thousands of unrelated people share each of these names.
How do I change my name in Sweden?
Apply to Skatteverket in writing or, for some first-name changes, online. Taking a spouse’s or parent’s surname is free and takes weeks; a new surname or one from the list of common names costs 1,800 kr and takes about 24 weeks. Changing first names costs 250 kr. You need a Swedish personnummer or coordination number.
Can I make up a new surname in Sweden?
Yes. A newly formed surname must be one word, must not be used as a first name, and must not be offensive or confusable with someone else’s surname, a famous name or a trademark. Skatteverket publishes the proposal in Post- och Inrikes Tidningar, and anyone may object within a month. The fee is 1,800 kr.
Are there banned baby names in Sweden?
There is no list of banned names. The law refuses first names that could offend, cause the child discomfort, or are otherwise unsuitable, and Skatteverket judges each case; names too like surnames or containing digits are examples it gives. Names traditionally used for another gender are allowed. Parents apply within three months.
What were the most popular baby names in Sweden in 2025?
Vera for girls and Noah for boys, according to Skatteverket’s list published in June 2026. Next came Astrid, Alice, Olivia and Elsa for girls, and Hugo, Liam, Nils and Alfred for boys. Skatteverket took over these statistics from SCB from 2023 and counts each spelling separately.
Do Swedes use Mr and Mrs?
Rarely. Swedes address almost everyone, including doctors, teachers and bosses, by first name and the informal du. Surnames appear on forms and in official letters, and titles survive mainly with royalty and in court. Using a first name from the start is normal and polite; see the etiquette guide for more.
Related guides
- Swedish name days — what your first name means in the almanac.
- The personnummer explained — you need one before any name application.
- Getting married in Sweden — the paperwork around the free spouse-name route.
- Swedish birthdays — the bigger personal celebration next to the name day.
- Minority languages in Sweden — Sami, Finnish and Meänkieli traditions outside the -son pattern.
Facts verified 2026-10-06. Sources: Sveriges riksdag (Lag 2016:1013, Förordning 2017:120), Skatteverket, Isof, SCB — full register in this topic’s source file. Found something outdated? Tell us and we’ll fix it.