| Ylva | Solveig | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | she-wolf | Sun's strength |
| Origin | norse | Norse |
| Gender | Girl | Girl |
| Pronunciation | IHL-vah | SOL-vay |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| First appeared | 0 | 1909 |
| Peak year | 2017 (7) | 2021 (33) |
| In 2025 | 0 | 17 |
| Trend | Steady | Rising |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Ylva | Solveig |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 23 | 150 |
| 2010s | 12 | 178 |
| 2000s | 0 | 120 |
| 1990s | 0 | 65 |
| 1980s | 0 | 23 |
| 1970s | 0 | 47 |
| 1960s | 0 | 48 |
| 1950s | 0 | 25 |
| 1940s | 0 | 65 |
| 1930s | 0 | 112 |
| 1920s | 0 | 109 |
| 1910s | 0 | 110 |
| 1900s | 0 | 5 |
From the Old Norse 'ylgr', the feminine of 'ulfr' ('wolf'), meaning 'she-wolf'. Formed on the same pattern as other Norse female-animal nouns; the masculine equivalent is Ulf.
Solveig joins the Old Norse for “sun” and “strength” or “house.”
Solveig is more popular than Ylva today: about 17 US babies were given the name Solveig in 2025, compared with 0 named Ylva.
Ylva means she-wolf (norse origin), while Solveig means Sun's strength (Norse origin).
In US records, Ylva first appears in 0 and Solveig in 1909, so Ylva has the longer recorded history.