Finnish Names
Finnish names look unlike anything else in Europe: double vowels (Aada, Eetu), umlauts (Väinö) and surnames that end in -nen or -la. That’s because Finnish isn’t a Germanic or Slavic language at all but a Uralic one, related to Estonian and, more distantly, Hungarian. Many favorite names come straight from nature or from the Kalevala, the national epic compiled by Elias Lönnrot in the 19th century.
This hub gathers 78 Finnish names with meanings and a few pronunciation hints (Finnish stresses the first syllable, always). For longer lists, visit Finnish girl names, Finnish boy names and Finnish last names. Neighbors worth a look: Swedish names, since Swedish is Finland’s second official language.
Finnish Names: browse all lists
Popular Finnish girl names
These names are regularly among the most given to baby girls in Finland (Digital and Population Data Services Agency data). The full list is on Finnish girl names.
| Name | Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Aino | “The only one”; heroine of the Kalevala | EYE-no |
| Aada | Finnish form of Ada, “noble” | AH-dah |
| Helmi | “Pearl” | HEL-mee |
| Eevi | Finnish form of Eve, “life” | AY-vee |
| Venla | Finnish form of Wendla, possibly “wanderer” | VEN-lah |
| Lilja | “Lily” | LIL-yah |
| Elsa | Short for Elisabet, “pledged to God” | EL-sah |
| Hilla | “Cloudberry” | HIL-lah |
| Kerttu | Finnish form of Gertrude, “strength of the spear” | KERT-too |
| Enni | Diminutive of names like Enna or Henrika | EN-nee |
| Pihla | “Rowan tree” | PEEH-lah |
| Siiri | Finnish form of Sigrid, “beautiful victory” | SEE-ree |
| Oona | Finnish form of Una, possibly “lamb” or “one” | OH-nah |
| Isla | Scottish island name, very popular in Finland lately | IS-lah |
| Ellen | Scandinavian form of Helen, “torch, light” | EL-len |
Popular Finnish boy names
A mix of old-fashioned Finnish names back in fashion and short international ones. More on Finnish boy names.
| Name | Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Väinö | From Väinämöinen, the Kalevala’s wise singer | VAI-nuh |
| Onni | “Luck, happiness” | ON-nee |
| Eino | Possibly from Enoch or Einar | AY-no |
| Aatos | “Thought” | AH-tos |
| Toivo | “Hope” | TOY-vo |
| Leo | Latin, “lion” | LAY-o |
| Elias | Greek form of Elijah, “my God is Yahweh” | EH-lee-as |
| Eeli | Finnish form of Eli, “ascension” | AY-lee |
| Niilo | Finnish form of Nils, from Nicholas | NEE-lo |
| Lenni | Short form of Leonard, “brave lion” | LEN-nee |
| Otto | Germanic, “wealth” | OT-to |
| Oiva | “Excellent, splendid” | OY-vah |
| Ilmari | The smith god of the Kalevala | IL-ma-ree |
| Kalle | Finnish form of Karl, “free man” | KAL-leh |
| Juho | Finnish form of Johannes, “God is gracious” | YOO-ho |
Kalevala and Finnish mythology names
The Kalevala turned Finnish folk poetry into a national epic, and its characters became first names. See also mythology boy names and goddess names.
| Name | Who they are | Gender |
|---|---|---|
| Kyllikki | The proud island maiden wooed by Lemminkäinen | Girl |
| Marjatta | Virgin who bears a son at the epic’s end | Girl |
| Annikki | Sister of the smith Ilmarinen | Girl |
| Tellervo | Daughter of the forest god Tapio | Girl |
| Mielikki | Goddess of the forest and the hunt | Girl |
| Ilmatar | Virgin spirit of the air, mother of Väinämöinen | Girl |
| Louhi | Powerful mistress of Pohjola, the North | Girl |
| Ahti | God of the sea and fish | Boy |
| Tapio | God of the forest | Boy |
| Sampo | The magic mill of plenty | Boy |
| Kullervo | Tragic hero of the Kalevala | Boy |
| Pellervo | Spirit of fields and crops | Boy |
Finnish nature names
Finns spend summers at lakeside cottages, and it shows: flowers, weather and forest animals are classic name sources. Compare with our nature names.
| Name | Meaning | Gender |
|---|---|---|
| Tuuli | “Wind” | Girl |
| Taimi | “Seedling, sapling” | Girl |
| Kielo | “Lily of the valley” | Girl |
| Ruusu | “Rose” | Girl |
| Lumi | “Snow” | Girl |
| Tähti | “Star” | Girl |
| Vuokko | “Anemone” | Girl |
| Orvokki | “Violet, pansy” | Girl |
| Halla | “Frost” | Girl |
| Otso | “Bear” (poetic, honorific word) | Boy |
| Pyry | “Snowstorm, flurry” | Boy |
| Visa | “Curly birch” | Boy |
Finnish forms of international names
Many biblical and saints’ names reached Finland through Swedish and the church, then took on a Finnish shape.
| Finnish name | English equivalent | Gender |
|---|---|---|
| Juhani | John | Boy |
| Mikko | Michael | Boy |
| Matti | Matthew | Boy |
| Pekka | Peter | Boy |
| Antti | Andrew | Boy |
| Heikki | Henry | Boy |
| Liisa | Elizabeth | Girl |
| Katariina | Katherine | Girl |
| Maija | Mary | Girl |
| Anneli | Anna / Annelie | Girl |
Common Finnish last names
Most Finnish surnames describe the landscape, and the ending -nen means roughly “little” or “of,” while -la marks a place or farm. See the full list of Finnish last names.
| Surname | Meaning | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Korhonen | Possibly from korho, “deaf, careless” | The most common Finnish surname |
| Virtanen | “Stream” | Very common in the west |
| Mäkinen | “Hill” | Landscape name |
| Nieminen | “Cape, peninsula” | Coastal origin |
| Mäkelä | “Hill farm” | -la marks a place |
| Hämäläinen | “From Häme” | Regional surname |
| Laine | “Wave” | Short and popular |
| Heikkinen | “Son of Heikki” (Henry) | Patronymic |
| Koskinen | “Rapids” | River landscapes |
| Järvinen | “Lake” | Finland has 188,000 lakes |
| Lehtonen | “Grove, glade” | Nature surname |
| Saarinen | “Island” | Architect Eero Saarinen |
| Salminen | “Strait, sound” | Coastal |
| Heinonen | “Hay” | Farming roots |
Tips for using Finnish names
- Stress always falls on the first syllable in Finnish. Double letters are held longer: Aada is AH-dah, Otto has a clearly doubled t.
- Umlauts matter. Väinö and Vainö are not the same name, and ä is pronounced like the a in “cat.” If you’ll live outside Finland, check how official forms handle ä and ö.
- Finland celebrates name days (nimipäivä). Picking a name from the Finnish almanac gives your child a second birthday of sorts.
- Nature names like Tuuli, Lumi and Otso are short, easy in English and unmistakably Finnish.
- Finnish law requires first names to fit Finnish naming practice, so parents in Finland often choose from established names in the almanac or approved lists.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most common name in Finland?
Among all living Finns, Maria and Juhani are the most common names overall, largely because they’re so often used as middle names. Among babies, names like Aino, Helmi, Eino, Väinö and Onni have been popular recently.
What is the most common Finnish last name?
Korhonen is the most common Finnish surname, followed by Virtanen, Mäkinen, Nieminen and Mäkelä.
Why do so many Finnish surnames end in -nen?
The suffix -nen is a diminutive or adjectival ending, so Virtanen is roughly “of the stream.” It was especially common in eastern Finland and spread nationwide when surnames became compulsory in 1921.
What are Finnish names from the Kalevala?
Aino, Väinö (from Väinämöinen), Ilmari, Kyllikki, Marjatta, Kullervo and Tellervo all come from the Kalevala epic.
What does Onni mean in Finnish?
Onni means “luck” or “happiness.” It has been one of the most popular boy names in Finland in recent years.