What's in a name?

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  Moder Svea, a national emblem of Sweden. Normally depicted as a powerful shield maiden with one or two lions at her feet, her name, Svea, is a Swedish female name which derives from Svea Rike (Realm/Kingdom of the Swedes). She is considered to have been created by Anders Leijonstedt in 1672 but gained popularity through Gunno Dalstierna in 1698. This statue was made by Rolf Adlersparre in 1892-1894 and can be found on 40-42 Stora Nygatan in Gamla Stan (Stockholm).

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  Svea
  Svea is a female name with Swedish roots which since the 17th century has been used as a symbol for Sweden, as in Moder Svea. The name had a popularity peak during the 1920’s. Then the name disappeared but is again on the upswing. Svea is short for Svea Rike or Svearnas Rike. Today there are 11,979 women in Sweden with the name Svea.

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  Actor Erland Josephson.

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  Erland
  Erland is a man’s name with Nordic origins probably meaning “foreign” or “overseas.” It was initially used only as a by-name. It is possible that Erland has a German origin as well. The name had a popularity peak from 1910 to 1940, and during the 1930’s it was one of the most common names in Sweden. Today the name is fairly uncommon: Only 9,781 men in Sweden are named Erland.