Finnish Baby Names

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.

Classic Finnish name also found in neighboring Estonia.

A nickname for Jaakko, the Finnish form of Jacob.

Aatos is currently popular among baby boys in Finland.

Tarvo has two potential origin stories. The first is that it derives from the Old Finnish word tarvas, meaning "wild aurochs," a wild species of cattle that is now extinct. The second possible derivation is from the Estonian tarv, meaning "energy."

Aimo was most common in Finland and Scandinavian during the first half of the 20th century.

This elegant Finnish feminization of Wendell is one of those rare names that has never appeared on the US official charts, but is straightforward to spell and say. It has been among the most popular girl names in Finland for at least 15 years, and would be a lovely, unique way to honor Finnish culture.

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.

The Estonian writer Mats Tõnisson created Milvi as a nickname for Miranda. It's also connected to the Estonian word miilama, meaning "glow" or "burn slowly".

Teemu ultimately derives from the Greek name Nicodemus via the Icelandic Demus and Finnish Tiemus.

Sohvi is the Finnish translation of Sophia, although Sofia ranks as the most popular variation in Finland.

Variation of Gertrude.

Along with Mika, a nickname for Mikael.

The Finnish word for "victory" is a rare name even throughout the Nordic country, but with its on-trend V sound it could make a striking choice.

The Finnish word for "mint" is a popular name in Finland, comparable to the Danish Mynte.

In Finnish mythology, Ukko is the primary deity — the god of thunder and the sky.

A lovely and typical name on the eastern shore of the Gulf of Bothnia that no one in the English-speaking world will know how to pronounce. Maia sounds (virtually) the same and is far more familiar outside Finland and Latvia.

In Finnish mythology from the traditional native epic poem Kalevala, Sampsa is a mythical person who sows all the forests of the land. It is also considered a variation of Biblical Sampson, taken from Saint Sampson the Hospitable, a saint of the Eastern Churches who served the poor of his city.