Scandinavian Baby Names

Come 2013, baby names will take a turn to blonder, Nordic climes. This year the hottest names will be Scandinavian inspired -- think Soren, Axel and Magnus. (In fact, we're already starting to see the uptick: Country crooner Jennifer Nettles and The Hunger Games star Elizabeth Banks both recently chose Magnus for their newborns.) This comes on the heels of everything Scandinavian -- design, food -- being hot, plus the popularity of The Avengers' hunky superhero Thor. American parents are warming to the sound of these strong, unfussy names -- especially for boys, says Linda Rosenkrantz of Nameberry.com. So look for Scandinavian monikers -- including the exotic-but-not-too-weird Axel, Viggo, Leif and Lars -- to hit as hard as Thor's mighty hammer.