Swiss first names reflect changing tastes and social values

First names in Switzerland have become shorter, softer and more diverse, reflecting changing ideas about sound, childhood and social identity, SRF reports. Names such as Noah, Mia, Leon and Lea have replaced earlier favourites including Franziska, Patrick, Christian and Ruth.

According to linguist Simone Berchtold of the University of Zurich, current trends favour one or two-syllable names containing the letters A, E, I, L, M and N. Parents often look for names they find melodious, while sounds such as R, K, T and ch are often perceived as harder.

Name trends follow cycles similar to those in fashion. A name typically rises in popularity, remains fashionable for about 30 to 40 years and then declines, Berchtold said. Baby-name consultant Andrea Horka said names can return after 80 to 100 years, although not all do.

Emma and Emil, which were popular at the beginning of the 20th century, are now returning because they fit current preferences for softer-sounding names. Berchtold said names such as Ursula and Kurt could also return, but that this could not be predicted.

Names reveal social change

Name diversity has increased significantly. Popular names among the baby-boomer generation, such as Ursula and Daniel, accounted for almost 3 per cent of women or men in their respective birth cohorts. Current trend names rarely reach 1 per cent.

Shortened forms have also become more common. While Theodor was once shortened to Theo in everyday use, Theo is now used as the official name on identity documents. Berchtold said this reflected the greater importance given to childhood in society, where children were no longer treated as “small adults”.

A first name can provide clues about a person’s possible age, background or religious affiliation, Berchtold said. However, Horka said it generally revealed more about the parents than the child, who does not choose their own name. The choice can indicate the social environment in which the parents move, as names are often specific to particular social circles.

The stigmatisation of names such as Kevin and Chantal, once portrayed as markers of lower educational backgrounds, appears to be declining. Horka said the same examples continued to be used, with no new names becoming similarly heavily stigmatised.

Research shows that names perceived as foreign can still lead to unconscious disadvantages when people apply for jobs or housing. But as name diversity grows, such prejudices lose strength, Berchtold said, because stereotypes need a certain frequency to develop.

About the figures

The article’s graphics use Swiss Federal Statistical Office data on people living in Switzerland in 2025. Name popularity was calculated as a percentage of each birth cohort. The figures for older cohorts are less representative because they include only people who were still alive in 2025. Names accounting for less than 0.003 per cent of the total population were excluded.

Berchtold is a linguist at the universities of Zurich and Bern who researches the development of names, including family names and first names in Switzerland. Horka is a baby-name consultant from Zurich.