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HelpMy favourite Finnish names
Every time I talk to my Finnish friends (And Sander, who is a Finland-fan) about names and list my favourites, they always ask me the same question: "Where are all the Finnish names, you?". :D I could have never answered it, because I have never really cared for 90% of Finnish names. But I got tired of that question and spent some of my free time in the music camp I was by reading the Finnish name day calender and underlining all the names I liked. I tried to find "Original Finnish names", so anything like Lauri instead of Laurie didn't work for me. Here's what I got:
And before I forget, here is a little pronunciation guide:
1. Finnish names are pronunced as they are written, the stress is always on the first syllable
2.
A = AH
E = E
I = EE
U = UW
O = AW
J = Y
Y = UY
3. Double vowels are pronunced 2x the normal length. F. ex. Saara is SAH:rah.
My top four combos -
Vieno Illusia
- Illusia comes from "Pessi and Illusia". http://www.kaarinabrooks.com/yrjokokko.htm
Soile Tellervo
- Tellervo is considered as an old lady's name, but I love it.
Ilta Vellamo
Louhi Vanamo - It is maybe not a good idea to name an innocent child after an evil witch, but I'm in love with Louhi and her character.
Aleksi Kuisma / Aleksi Yrjö
- People use Yrjö nowadays as a word for vomit, but it has grown on me as a "different" and definitely not overly sweet name. Maybe it would be still cruel to use it. Kuisma is Finnish variant of Russian Kuzma, which is a form of Cosmo.
Tuomas Pietari / Tuomas Untamo
- Pietari honours my favourite city
Mikko Jousia
- I'm not completely sure of Jousia, but I think it is a form of Joshua. Other alternative is Joosua.
Aave-Yrjänä
- This is more of a joke - Aave is a form of Ave (Ave Caesar!) at the same time meaning ghost in finnish, and Yrjänä a form of Yrjö, which is used... you know, how. And also, Yrjänä is used very often in the context of "Pyhä Yrjänä", meaning "Saint George".
Other faves:
Elvi - Elviira's short form
Eira - I know it is also a Welsh name, but to me it is a name of my favourite part of Helsinki.
Klaara - Because of the nice violinist I got to know. I find Klaara much friendlier than Clara/Klara.
Saima - My longer time-favourite
Aino - Definitely too popular right now, but I've always liked it.
Viena - I dislike the Vienan Karjala (Karelia of Viena)-association, but phonetically it is beautiful.
Sylvi - Pronounced the Finnish way.
Aune
Hilppa - Not sure of the origin. Might be a short form for Hilma of Hillevi.
Inka - Very trendy right now.
Pihla - A short form of Pihlaja, which means rowan
Aulis
Asser - The problem is that I don't know anything of its ethymology
Aleksis - AH-lek-sis, not a-LEK-sis
Aarne / Aarni - though Aa-names seem to be very trendy right now.
Eino - Honours Eino Leino
Touko
Kalevi
Osmo - I know an intelligent and friendly professor named this
Ohto - Another name for bear "ancient" Finns used
Uolevi
WDYT? If you come from a non-English-speaking country, please tell me your "Completely native" favourite names. Do you want to use international or traditional names that are used where you live? (By me the answer is easy - all the names should as international as possible)
And before I forget, here is a little pronunciation guide:
1. Finnish names are pronunced as they are written, the stress is always on the first syllable
2.
A = AH
E = E
I = EE
U = UW
O = AW
J = Y
Y = UY
3. Double vowels are pronunced 2x the normal length. F. ex. Saara is SAH:rah.
My top four combos -
Vieno Illusia
- Illusia comes from "Pessi and Illusia". http://www.kaarinabrooks.com/yrjokokko.htm
Soile Tellervo
- Tellervo is considered as an old lady's name, but I love it.
Ilta Vellamo
Louhi Vanamo - It is maybe not a good idea to name an innocent child after an evil witch, but I'm in love with Louhi and her character.
Aleksi Kuisma / Aleksi Yrjö
- People use Yrjö nowadays as a word for vomit, but it has grown on me as a "different" and definitely not overly sweet name. Maybe it would be still cruel to use it. Kuisma is Finnish variant of Russian Kuzma, which is a form of Cosmo.
Tuomas Pietari / Tuomas Untamo
- Pietari honours my favourite city
Mikko Jousia
- I'm not completely sure of Jousia, but I think it is a form of Joshua. Other alternative is Joosua.
Aave-Yrjänä
- This is more of a joke - Aave is a form of Ave (Ave Caesar!) at the same time meaning ghost in finnish, and Yrjänä a form of Yrjö, which is used... you know, how. And also, Yrjänä is used very often in the context of "Pyhä Yrjänä", meaning "Saint George".
Other faves:
Elvi - Elviira's short form
Eira - I know it is also a Welsh name, but to me it is a name of my favourite part of Helsinki.
Klaara - Because of the nice violinist I got to know. I find Klaara much friendlier than Clara/Klara.
Saima - My longer time-favourite
Aino - Definitely too popular right now, but I've always liked it.
Viena - I dislike the Vienan Karjala (Karelia of Viena)-association, but phonetically it is beautiful.
Sylvi - Pronounced the Finnish way.
Aune
Hilppa - Not sure of the origin. Might be a short form for Hilma of Hillevi.
Inka - Very trendy right now.
Pihla - A short form of Pihlaja, which means rowan
Aulis
Asser - The problem is that I don't know anything of its ethymology
Aleksis - AH-lek-sis, not a-LEK-sis
Aarne / Aarni - though Aa-names seem to be very trendy right now.
Eino - Honours Eino Leino
Touko
Kalevi
Osmo - I know an intelligent and friendly professor named this
Ohto - Another name for bear "ancient" Finns used
Uolevi
WDYT? If you come from a non-English-speaking country, please tell me your "Completely native" favourite names. Do you want to use international or traditional names that are used where you live? (By me the answer is easy - all the names should as international as possible)
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