Finnish Names for Boys

Severi

Finnish variation of Severin, French

"stern, serious"

Makes Severin and Severus a little less, well, severe.

Viljo

Finnish variation of William

Inventive nickname option, but with built-in pronunciation problems.

Vaino

Finnish

"wide river, backwater"

A popular Finnish male name properly spelt Väinö, which derives from Väinämöinen – a hero from Finnish legend. Vaino (without the diacritic marks) is a Finnish word meaning "persecution" and so is…

Toivo

Finnish, Estonian

"hope"

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…

Jalmari

Finnish form of Old Norse Hjalmar

"helmet protector"

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

Onni

Finnish

"happiness, luck"

A popular Finnish name with an upbeat meaning, Onni is a popular choice in its native Finland where a recent year saw it rank at #6 — though it has ranked as high as #1 in the 2010s. Fairly intuitive…

Tyko

Finnish form of Tyge or Tycho, Dutch, Greek

"thunder; luck, chance"

A succinct name with a cool -o ending and two great meanings, Tyko holds lots of appeal. It can be considered a variation of the Dutch Tyge, also latinized as Tycho, which comes from the Old Norse…

Ilmarinen

Finnish

"air"

A poetic and powerful Finnish name, Ilmarinen is a god from Finnish mythology, seen as both the creator and a personification of the sky. An immortal creator, he can work with any metal and create…

Runo

Finnish

"poem"

An appealing Finnish name, with a touch of literary magic and whimsy, Runo means "poem" in its native language. Traditionally said with a slightly rolled R and a softer 'oh' sound at the end (more…

Ilari

Finnish form of Hilarius, Roman, Latin

"cheerful"

Light and cheerful as its meaning but with plenty of substance, Ilari is the Finnish form of Hilarius and Hillary. Used as a masculine name in Finland, it is used, albeit quietly, as a unisex option…

Samsa

Finnish, variation of Sampson

"sun"

Also spelled Sampsa, in the traditional Finnish 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…

Kuura

Finnish

"frost, rime"

Predominantly used as a middle name in its native Finland, Kuura is a unisex choice with a wintery feel. Conjuring up images of bright, frosty mornings, it is used fairly evening between girls and…

Kuu

Finnish

"moon"

A Finnish word name that is used nearly exclusively in the middle spot, Kuu is a rare choice, used predominantly for girls but occasionally for boys too. Meaning "moon" is makes a succinct and…

Veli

Turkish, Albanian, Arabic, Finnish

"helper, protector, friend; brother"

A multicultural choice with a sound as friendly as both its meaning, Veli has its roots in Turkish, Arabic, Albanian. and Finnish. As a Turkish and Albanian name, Veli is a form of the Arabic Wali,…

Veikko

Finnish

"brother"

A popular choice in Finland in recent years, deriving from a colloquial word for "brother". Other forms include Veijo and Veli.

Veijo

Diminutive of Veli and Veikko, Finnish

"brother"

Energetic and friendly, Veijo is a Finnish name with a cool -o ending. It is a diminutive of Veikko, itself a diminutive (or colloquial) form of Veli, meaning "brother" in Finnish. Predominantly used…

Sumu

Finnish

"fog, mist, haze"

A unisex Finnish word name with a mystical edge, Sumu means "fog" or "mist". It is used quietly but fairly evenly on both girls and boys.

Toive

Finnish

"wish, hope"

An uplifting Finnish word name, Toive translates to "wish" in English and may therefore be associated with hope too. Used predominantly for girls, it is occasionally given to boys in Finland too.

Ilmari

Short form of Ilmarinen, Finnish

"air"

Poetic and airy, but perhaps a little more grounded than its rare longer form, Ilmari is a Finnish name, with connections to mythology. Ilmarinen is the creator and personification of the sky, who…

Maunu

Finnish variation of Magnus, Latin

"great"

This Finnish variation of the strong and powerful Magnus adds an element of gentleness to the name, while still remaining in touch with its might. Less popular than Mauno (MOW-no) and Manu (MAH-noo),…