Finnish Names

Upbeat name that cheers you as soon as you hear it. One famous bearer is Maori feminist Meri Te Tai Mangakāhia.

If you've heard this name, it's probably from the hero of the acclaimed Julia Glass novel, Three Junes, or else the political scientist Richard Fenno. As well as a Finnish name, it's alos a Frisian diminutive from names in the Frederick family, making it is a cousin of Freddie, Fritz and Fedde. This name is so rare it's never appeared on the charts, but with its energetic O ending it might appeal if you're looking for an alternative to names like Otto and Arlo.

Valo, an unusual entry in the o-ending category, can work for girls in the US. On Nameberry, it's especially popular among visitors from Bangladesh.

This pretty Finnish name is a diminutive of a diminutive, going from Sarah to Sari to Saija.

A name made most famous by the operetta The Merry Widow which features "The Vilja's Song". A vila is a woodland spirit or fairy in Slavic mythology. Vilja also means "grain" in Finnish and "will, intent" in Swedish, and is very popular as a girls' name in Scandinavia, ranking in the Top 100 in both Finland and Norway.

An attractive Finnish name with the potential to cross borders.

Distinctive-sounding Scandinavian name. with deep roots. Short form is the attractive Jari.

A popular choice in Finland, where it ranks among the Top 50 boy names.

We like Matti in theory, but in practice it’s likely to get confused for the girlish Maddie.

This name was on the U.S. Top 1000 in the early 20th century, when recent immigrants frequently chose native names that have since died out for American babies. But if you're of Finnish or Estonian ancestry, you may want to consider reviving this one with a positive meaning.

This common name in Finland, which is also a diminutive for Jan in Sweden, might feel a bit feminine in the English-speaking world, too close to girls' names Jan and Jane.

An unusual name that has not ventured outside the Finnish culture.

Adolph is of course a name that is shunned by most people around the world, but Aatu is a form that feels far enough away from the original to be usable.