Finnish Baby Names for Girls
Updated Wed Jan 31 2024
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To the American ear, Finnish baby names sound much quirkier than the Scandinavian baby names of Sweden, Denmark, and Norway. While there is a lot of crossover between Finnish and Scandinavian names, many Finnish names are closely related to Baltic names, particularly those from Estonia.
The most popular Finnish names for girls in Finland include Eevi, Venla, Aino, Aada, and Helmi. You may be familiar with Finnish girl names such as Lotta, Hanna, Anneli, Ulla, Minna, and Lumi, which is a rising name in the US and popular on Nameberry. Rarer Finnish names for girls that deserve your attention include Auri, Suvi, Ailana, Elvi, Ilta, and Kesia. Here are some of the most accessible baby names to the English speaker, ordered by their current popularity on Nameberry.
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- Lumi
Origin:
FinnishMeaning:
"snow"Description:
Lumi may be a rare girls' name in the USA and England, but it comes in the Top 50 in Finland, where it means snow. Given the popularity of Winter, Holly, Ivy and many other wintery-christmassy names, we think that short and spunky Lumi definitely has potential for greater usage outside its home country as one of the more unusual names for Christmas babies.
- Anja
Origin:
Scandinavian; Finnish; Slovene; Croatian; Serbian, from RussianMeaning:
"grace"Description:
Anja is one of the most international of several versions of Ann/Anna now being imported, also including Anya and Annika.
- Minna
Origin:
Diminutive of Wilhelmina, GermanMeaning:
"resolute protection; love"Description:
One of those pan-European nickname names much more familiar in Scandinavia and Eastern Europe than in the US, though related name Mina is making a comeback here. Light and bright, it could be an alternative to Mila, Minnie, or Millie.
- Sade
Origin:
Finnish, Nigerian and Yoruba, diminutive of FolashadeMeaning:
"rain; honor bestows a crown"Description:
The one-named singer clarified the confusing pronunciation on this one (in her case, it's shah-DAY), but a number of parents have looked for more phonetic spellings. The Finnish version means "rain."
- Hanna
Origin:
Spelling variation of HannahDescription:
This simplified version is not nearly as popular as the original (it also destroys a perfectly good palindrome), and has been on the decline in recent years.
- Auri
Origin:
FinnishDescription:
An airy variant of the Finnish name Aura, which derives either from the Greek "aura" (breath; breeze) or from Old Norse "aurr" (earth; clay). It is also sometimes encountered as a short form of Aurora or Aurelia.
- Via
Origin:
Nickname nameDescription:
Could be a short form of Sylvia, Olivia, or any other similar name. Or a vivid Italian word name.
- Lumia
Origin:
Finnish, ItalianMeaning:
"snow; citron"Description:
Although Lumi (Finnish for "snow") is far more popular, the elaboration Lumia is used in Finland as well. It's also a technical word in English for patterns of light used as an art form, and in Italian it refers to the citron fruit and tree – a pear-shaped citrus fruit also known as a sweet lemon. Nokia chose the name for a brand of smartphone, now discontinued.
- Maire
Origin:
Finnish, Irish variation of MaryMeaning:
"sweet; drop of the sea, bitter"Description:
Both Maire and Mare have begun making inroads with parents seeking novel yet authentic ways of honoring an ancestral Mary. The Finnish variation derives from the word mairea, meaning "sweet."
- Suvi
Origin:
FinnishMeaning:
"summer"Description:
To the non-Scandinavian ear, a cute and unusual nickname name, used by Finnish supermodel Suvi Koponen. It has a zippy, yet sunny feel to it, and could make an interesting alternative to Susie.
- Aili
Origin:
Finnish and Sami variation of Helga, diminutive of Aileen, Anglicization of EilidhMeaning:
"holy, blessed; bright and shining light"Description:
An attractive Scandinavian take on Helga, or a potential Helen nickname.
- Sanna
Origin:
Swedish, Finnish, InuktitutMeaning:
"lily"Description:
If you're ready to move beyond Anna and Hannah, consider this traditional Scandinavian short form of Susanna, historically very popular in its native lands.
- Anneli
Origin:
Scandinavian variation of Annalie or HannahMeaning:
"grace"Description:
Anneli is one of the hundreds of Anne variations with an intriguing spelling. This name has been popular throughout Scandinavia over time and would certainly translate easily to English-speaking countries.
- Sari
Origin:
ArabicMeaning:
"noble"Description:
Sari is a cute spin on Sarah, though some may hear it as "sorry," and it is also an item of clothing worn in India. These days many people will also confuse Sari with Suri, the lovely and unsual name of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes' much-publicized young daughter.
- Lotta
Origin:
Short form of Charlotta or CarlottaDescription:
This nickname-name is very popular in Germany, though Lottie is still the preferred version in the US. The problem, of course, is that you'll have to put up with a lotta jokes. See?
- Aino
Origin:
FinnishMeaning:
"the only one"Description:
What a lovely name for the much-longed for daughter - no wonder Aino is in the Top 5 in Finland, whence the name originates. Like other popular Finnish names, Aino is short and avoids the ubiquitous "a" ending we usually see in feminine names, which gives it a fresh feel and sound.
- Lilja
Origin:
Icelandic, Faroese, and Finnish variation of Lily; "lily"Meaning:
"lily"Description:
Cute and quirky Lily alternative.
- Emmi
Origin:
Diminutive of Emma and EmilyDescription:
With the enormous popularity of Emily and Emma, we're sure to see more of Emmi, Emmie, Emme, and Emmy, whether as short forms or standing on their own.
- Taina
Origin:
Tupi, Finnish variation of TatianaMeaning:
"star; secret"Description:
Taina is a feminine Tupi name meaning "star." A nice choice for those looking for something celestial but less common than Stella or Astrid. Taina also means "secret" in Russian and is a Finnish form of Tatiana.
- Tuuli
Origin:
FinnishMeaning:
"wind"Description:
A sweet and intuitive Finnish word name. The double U's up the quirkiness, for English speakers at least. Also used in Estonia, notable bearers include actress Tuuli Narkle, cartoonist Tuuli Hypén, singer Tuuli Rand, and footballer Tuuli Tasa.