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There is a Finno-Ugric nation living in what is currently Russia named the Merja people, distantly related to the Finnish people. I have always believed that the name Merja was inspired by the national romantics, along with other first names that came into general use via geographical transfer at approximately the same time as Merja. It also conveniently follows the popular model of forming Finnish girls' names: Tarja, Mirja, Marja, Arja, Irja, Erja, Sirja, Sorja...

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Lass