Where does “Sven” come from?
Sven (Norwegian) comes from Norwegian Svein, from Old Norse Sveinn, from Old Norse sveinn, from Proto-Germanic swainaz, from Proto-Indo-European swé — self.
Ancestry of “Sven”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Norwegian | Svein | — |
| 2 | Old Norse | Sveinn | — |
| 3 | Old Norse | sveinn | boy, lad; servant, lackey |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | swainaz | relative; kinsman; young man; herder; herdsman,... |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | swé | self |