X-Nico

Name of Sweden

It appeared in Scots during the 17th century in forms such as Swethin and Swadne.

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The name of Sweden was originally a plural form of Swede and is a so-called "back-formation", from Old English Sweoðeod, which meant "people of the Swedes" (Old Norse Svíþjóð, Latin Suetidi).

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There is, however, an alternative hypothesis, first proposed by Ivar Modéer, and later popularized by the Swedish author Jan Guillou that the form is a loan from the Danish form of Sverike (Svearige).

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The word rike, meaning realm or kingdom, is the same as Danish rige and German Reich and also appears in the name of the legislature, Riksdag, Danish rigsdag, German Reichstag.

see also