Svein
/sveɪn/noun
A Scandinavian masculine given name, especially common in Norway and derived from Old Norse.
Did you know?The name is closely related to Old Norse sveinn, a word that could mean both “boy” and “servant,” reflecting the social world of medieval Scandinavian households and courts.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
Proto-Germanic
*swainaz
“Young man or youth”
Old Norse
Old Norse
sveinn
“Boy, young man, servant, or attendant”
Medieval Scandinavia
Old Norse
Sveinn
“A masculine personal name formed from the common noun for a young man”
Middle English
English
swain
“A young man, servant, or country lover”
16th–17th Century
Scandinavian
Sven
“A Scandinavian masculine given-name form descended from Old Norse Sveinn”
Modern English
English
Svein
“A Scandinavian masculine given name, particularly associated with Norway”