Finnish Girl Names
Finnish girl names are some of the loveliest in Europe, and many of them are ordinary Finnish words: Helmi means “pearl,” Tuuli “wind,” Lumi “snow” and Lempi “love.” Others come from the Kalevala, Finland’s national epic, whose tragic heroine Aino has become one of the most popular baby names in the country.
Below you’ll find more than 90 Finnish girl names with meanings and pronunciation, grouped by style. Remember that Finnish stress always falls on the first syllable. For brothers, see Finnish boy names; for surnames and background, visit the Finnish names hub. If you love the wintry ones, our names that mean snow list has more.
Popular Finnish girl names today
Frequent choices for baby girls in Finland in recent years, based on population registry data. Short names with double vowels are especially in fashion.
| Name | Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Aino | “The only one”; Kalevala heroine | 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 | Short form of names like Henrika | EN-nee |
| Pihla | “Rowan tree” | PEEH-lah |
| Siiri | Finnish form of Sigrid, “beautiful victory” | SEE-ree |
| Oona | Finnish form of Una | OH-nah |
| Isla | Scottish, “island” | IS-lah |
| Ellen | Scandinavian form of Helen, “torch, light” | EL-len |
| Olivia | Latin, “olive tree” | O-lee-vee-ah |
| Sofia | Greek, “wisdom” | SO-fee-ah |
| Emma | Germanic, “whole, universal” | EM-mah |
| Linnea | The twinflower, named for Carl Linnaeus | LIN-neh-ah |
| Aurora | Latin, “dawn” | OW-ro-rah |
| Iida | Finnish form of Ida, “work, labor” | EE-dah |
| Vilja | “Crop, grain” | VIL-yah |
| Emilia | Latin, “rival, eager” | EH-mee-lee-ah |
| Ilona | Linked to Finnish ilo, “joy” | EE-lo-nah |
| Selma | Possibly Germanic, “divine protection” | SEL-mah |
| Nelli | Short form of Helena or Cornelia | NEL-lee |
Traditional Finnish-word girl names
During Finland’s national awakening (roughly 1860–1920), parents began choosing Finnish words instead of Swedish or biblical names. These word-names are the most distinctly Finnish of all.
| Name | Meaning | Feel |
|---|---|---|
| Lempi | “Love” | Romantic vintage |
| Rauha | “Peace” | Calm and gentle |
| Sirkka | “Cricket” | Playful |
| Tyyne | “Calm, tranquil” | Serene |
| Impi | “Maiden, virgin” | Old-fashioned |
| Lahja | “Gift” | Sweet meaning |
| Armi | “Grace, beloved” | Soft |
| Saima | From Lake Saimaa, Finland’s largest lake | Scenic |
| Suvi | “Summer” | Bright and modern |
| Satu | “Fairy tale” | Whimsical |
| Taru | “Legend, saga” | Storybook |
| Sointu | “Harmony, chord” | Musical |
| Vieno | “Gentle, mild” | Tender |
| Ilo | “Joy” | Rare and happy |
| Kukka | “Flower” | Simple and sweet |
| Päivi | From päivä, “day” | 1960s–70s favorite |
| Aamu | “Morning” | Fresh |
| Hertta | “Hearts” (the card suit) | Vintage charm |
Kalevala heroines and Finnish goddesses
Women in Finnish myth range from gentle maidens to the formidable witch-queen Louhi. See also goddess names from other traditions.
| Name | Who she is | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Kyllikki | Proud island maiden who marries Lemminkäinen | KUL-lik-kee |
| Marjatta | Virgin who conceives by eating a berry | MAR-yat-tah |
| Annikki | Sister of Ilmarinen the smith | AN-nik-kee |
| Tellervo | Daughter of the forest god Tapio | TEL-ler-vo |
| Mielikki | Goddess of the forest and hunting | MYEH-lik-kee |
| Ilmatar | Air spirit who created the world | IL-ma-tar |
| Louhi | Mistress of Pohjola, the North | LOH-hee |
| Tuulikki | Forest spirit, daughter of Tapio; “little wind” | TOO-lik-kee |
| Päivätär | Maiden of the sun | PAI-va-tar |
| Kuutar | Maiden of the moon | KOO-tar |
Finnish nature names for girls
Finland is 75% forest and full of lakes, so flower, berry and weather names feel perfectly natural. More in nature names for girls.
| Name | Meaning | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Tuuli | “Wind” | Airy classic |
| Taimi | “Seedling, sapling” | Growing things |
| Kielo | “Lily of the valley” | Finland’s national flower |
| Ruusu | “Rose” | Also Finnish Sleeping Beauty, Ruusunen |
| Lumi | “Snow” | Short and cool |
| Tähti | “Star” | Celestial |
| Vuokko | “Anemone” | Spring flower |
| Orvokki | “Violet, pansy” | Old-fashioned |
| Halla | “Frost” | Crisp and modern |
| Ruska | “Autumn foliage colors” | Lapland’s famous fall |
| Sini | “Blue” | Short and bright |
| Meri | “Sea” | Coastal |
| Pilvi | “Cloud” | Dreamy |
| Kaisla | “Reed, bulrush” | Lakeside |
| Minttu | “Mint” | Fresh and cute |
| Marja | “Berry” | Classic |
Finnish forms of classic girl names
International names adapted to Finnish sounds. Many Finnish women carry Maria as a middle name.
| Name | English equivalent | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Maria | Mary | Most common female name in Finland overall |
| Liisa | Elizabeth | Timeless |
| Katariina | Katherine | Also Kaarina, Kati, Katja |
| Maija | Mary | Friendly form |
| Anneli | Anna | Soft classic |
| Kaarina | Karin / Catherine | Traditional |
| Johanna | Joanna | Popular for decades |
| Elina | Helen | Elegant |
| Riikka | Frederica | Crisp |
| Leena | Helena / Magdalena | 1960s favorite |
| Kirsi | Kirsten (Christina) | Short and strong |
| Kristiina | Christina | Classic |
| Tiina | Christina | Friendly short form |
| Sanna | Susanna | Former PM Sanna Marin |
| Pirjo | Birgitta | Very Finnish sound |
| Riitta | Birgitta | Popular mid-century |
Girl names of famous Finnish women
Artists, writers and leaders who put these names on the map.
| Name | Meaning | Famous Finn |
|---|---|---|
| Tarja | Finnish form of Daria, “possessing good” | Former president Tarja Halonen |
| Tove | Scandinavian, linked to Thor | Moomins creator Tove Jansson |
| Minna | Short form of Wilhelmina, “protector” | Writer Minna Canth |
| Kaija | Finnish form of Kaia (Katherine) | Composer Kaija Saariaho |
| Helene | Greek, “torch, light” | Painter Helene Schjerfbeck |
| Eeva | Finnish form of Eve, “life” | Writer Eeva Kilpi |
How to choose a Finnish girl name
- Pick a meaning you love: Finnish word-names like Helmi (pearl), Lempi (love) and Satu (fairy tale) come with built-in stories.
- Test the umlauts. Päivi and Päivätär are beautiful, but outside Finland ä is often written as a, which changes the name. Aino, Lumi, Suvi and Tuuli avoid the issue.
- Double vowels are long, not diphthongs: Eevi is AY-vee and Iida is EE-dah. Tell teachers once and they’ll get it right.
- Finnish middle names are common and often honor a grandmother, so a vintage name like Rauha or Tyyne works beautifully in the middle slot.
- For more Nordic inspiration, compare with Swedish girl names and Norwegian girl names.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most popular Finnish girl names?
Names such as Aino, Helmi, Aada, Olivia, Sofia, Eevi, Lilja and Venla have been among the most given to baby girls in Finland in recent years.
What is a beautiful Finnish name for a girl?
Helmi (“pearl”), Tuuli (“wind”), Lumi (“snow”), Satu (“fairy tale”) and Kielo (“lily of the valley”) are among the most beautiful Finnish girl names.
What Finnish girl name means love?
Lempi means “love” in Finnish. It was popular in the early 1900s and is starting to come back.
What does Aino mean?
Aino means “the only one.” In the Kalevala, Aino is the young woman who refuses to marry the old sage Väinämöinen and becomes a fish in the lake.
What Finnish name means snow?
Lumi means “snow.” Related wintry names include Halla (“frost”) and Kuura (“hoarfrost”).