Surprisingly Usable Names from Finland

  1. Aili
    • Origin:

      Finnish and Sami variation of Helga, diminutive of Aileen, Anglicization of Eilidh
    • Meaning:

      "holy, blessed; bright and shining light"
    • Description:

      An attractive Scandinavian take on Helga, or a potential Helen nickname.
  2. Anja
    • Origin:

      Scandinavian; Finnish; Slovene; Croatian; Serbian, from Russian
    • Meaning:

      "grace"
    • Description:

      Anja is one of the most international of several versions of Ann/Anna now being imported, also including Anya and Annika.
  3. Anneli
    • Origin:

      Scandinavian variation of Annalie or Hannah
    • Meaning:

      "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.
  4. Aava
    • Anna-Liisa
      • Edvard
        • Eero
          • Origin:

            Finnish variation of Eric
          • Meaning:

            "eternal ruler"
          • Description:

            Creative gem perfect for an architect's son, in tribute to modern Finnish-American architect Eero Saarinen.
        • Esa
          • Esteri
            • Origin:

              Finnish variation of Esther, Persian
            • Meaning:

              "star"
            • Description:

              A vintage Finnish name most common in the early 20th century.
          • Eliisa
            • Hanna
              • Origin:

                Spelling variation of Hannah
              • Description:

                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.
            • Hillevi
              • Justus
                • Origin:

                  Latin
                • Meaning:

                  "just"
                • Description:

                  More unusual than Justin, less word-like than Justice, this New Testament name could make an intriguing choice. After being off the popularity lists from 1904 to 1993, it is now being used in steady numbers.
              • Kaj
                • Origin:

                  Danish
                • Meaning:

                  "earth"
                • Description:

                  Kaj is a name that looks great on paper, but while it's pronounced with to rhyme with rye, it is sure to be pronounced by most people to rhyme with "raj" or, much worse, "Madge".
              • Kalevi
                • Origin:

                  Variation of Kaleva, Finnish
                • Meaning:

                  "ancestor of the Finns"
                • Description:

                  Kalevi is a variant form of Kaleva, the name of a character from Finnish legend — the ancestor of all Finns. Although both are masculine names, Kalevi may be better suited for non-Finnish boys, since an A ending is often viewed as feminine.
              • Klaus
                • Origin:

                  German variation of Claus, diminutive of Nicolas
                • Description:

                  Two drawbacks: some unpleasant World War II associations, and the Santa clause.
              • Lars
                • Origin:

                  Scandinavian from Latin Laurentius
                • Meaning:

                  "crowned with laurel"
                • Description:

                  Lars is a perfect candidate for a cross-cultural passport: it has been heard often enough here to sound familiar and friendly, yet retains the charisma of a charming foreigner.
              • Lilja
                • Origin:

                  Icelandic, Faroese, and Finnish variation of Lily; "lily"
                • Meaning:

                  "lily"
                • Description:

                  Cute and quirky Lily alternative.
              • Lumi
                • Origin:

                  Finnish
                • Meaning:

                  "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.
              • Lillevi