My children's names

How did you choose name for your children?



Nora has been one of my favourite names for many, many years - long before I met Magnus, long before I even knew I wanted a family. I think I first fell in love with the name when I was ~10 years old and went to the theatre with my best friend to see Ibsens Et Dukkehjem (A Doll's House). Nora is the main charachter in the play.

Nora is also from a book I read and loved when I was young: Maria Gripe's "Agnes Cecilia - en sällsam historia" ("Agnes Cecilia" in English).

So when I met Magnus, I said that if we have a daughter, I want her name to be Nora. Actually, I said I want her name to be Nora Nenita. If he liked it. And he did ;)

Nenita is my middle name too, and my aunt's first name. It's spanish.



When I was pregnant with Annabel we decided Magnus was the one to choose a name. But when I mentioned Annabel, he fell in love with that name to ... and an Annabel it is. I suggested we'd take a middle name from his family, so her name is Annabel Eva - Eva from her grandma.

Annabel is a very uncommon name in Sweden, but it's not an unknown name. There's a song about Annabell Olsson that I think most of us have heard, at least when we were children. It's written by Lennart Hellsing who's written many popular Swedish songs, poems and books for children.

Here's the text, followed by a (terrible) google translation:

Annabell , Annabell,
Annabell Olsson,
hon sitter och drömmer,
när månen går opp.
Hon vandrar i trädgårn,
och luktar på blommor,
och sjunger bland liljor,
och rosendeknopp.

Annabell, Annabell,
Annabell Olsson,
hon torkar ej disken,
och bäddar som vi.
Hon väljer bland pärlor,
och trär dem på snoddar,
i siden och sammet,
hon dansar förbi.

Annabell, Annabell,
Annabell Olsson,
är inte som andra,
som bråkar och slåss.
Hon är en förtrollad,
prinsessa från sagan,
som råkat gå vilse,
och bor här bland oss.

**********

Annabell, Annabell,
Annabell Olsson
she sits and dreams,
when the moon is up.
She walks in the garden,
and smell the flowers,
and sing among the lilies,
and rose bulbs.

Annabell, Annabell,
Annabell Olsson
she does not dry the dishes,
and make the beds as we do.
She chooses among pearls,
and threading them on strings,
in silk and velvet,
she dances past.

Annabell, Annabell,
Annabell Olsson
is not like others,
who argue and fight.
She is an enchanted,
princess from the fairy tale,
who get lost,
and live here among us.

You can hear the song on youtube, here.