i fridens namn

Swedish

Alternative forms

• i hela fridens namn
• i herrans namn

Etymology

i (“in”) +‎ fridens (“the peace's (referring to peace with God)”) +‎ namn (“name”)

Adverb

i fridens namn (not comparable)

1. (idiomatic) in heaven's name

   Vad i fridens namn har hänt här?

   What in heaven's name happened here?

Usage notes

Bit closer to "the heck" or "on earth" in tone. The etymology is bound to be unknown to most native speakers.

References

• namn in Svensk ordbok (SO)