In accordance with Finnish law, a person's personal name is made up of a personal name and surname. It is also allowed to assign no more than three names at the time of registration of the birth or baptism of the child. But mostly only one or two are common. According to Finnish ancient customs, the first-born is named after the paternal grandfather or grandmother, the second children are named after the maternal grandfathers or grandmothers; the following are named as parents and close relatives, godparents. Another feature of Finnish names is that they come before the family name, are not inflected, and are pronounced with the accent on the first syllable.
Along with this, there are certain requirements for names:
- it is not recommended to call sisters and brothers the same first names;
- don't call a child offensive;
- undesirableuse family name as personal name;
- registration of diminutive words instead of full ones is allowed.
In Finland, since the 19th century, all names are chosen from the official almanac, which used to be published by the Royal Academy and is now published by the University of Helsinki. The tradition of forming a nominal almanac and fixing words in it is still maintained. To date, the almanac produced by the University of Helsinki has recorded about 35,000 names used throughout Finland.
The whole variety of names given to a person at birth are classified as follows:
- words from the Catholic calendar and the Bible;
- Finnish names derived from Swedish;
- borrowed from the Russian calendar;
- The personal name of a person from Finnish words that were fashionable in the 19th and 20th centuries. For example, if we translate the word ainoa from Finnish, it will mean the word the only one, and if we translate the word "gift" into Finnish, we get lahja;
- names derived from popular European ones.
Over time, the Finnish personal name of a person from birth more and more turns into an international, pan-European name. And yet now in Finland there is such a trend: parents with great desire to name the child some kind of native Finnish word. A similar return to the old names has not lost its meaning even today.original value. Here are some examples.
Male Finnish names:
Ahde - hill;
Kai - earth;
Kari - underwater rock;
Louhi - rock;
Lumi - snow;
Merituul - sea wind;
Niklas - peaceful ruler;
Otso (Otso) - bear;
Pekka - ruler of fields and crops;
Rasmus - favorite or desired;
Sirka (Sirkka) - cricket;
Terho - acorn;
Tuuli - wind;
Vesa - escape;
Ville - defender.
Finnish female names:
Aino (Ainno) - the only one;
Ayli - saint;
Aamu-Usva - morning mist;
Vanamo (Vanamo) - probably "twice blooming";
Helena (Helena) - torch, light;
Irene (Irene) - bringing peace;
Kia (Kia) - swallow;
Kukka - flower;
Kullikki - woman;
Raiya - boss;
Satu (Satu) - a fairy tale;
Saima - from the name of the Finnish lake;
Hilda - fighting.
Unelma is a dream.
Evelina - life force.
Summing up, let's say that all Finnish names are a cultural monument. After all, the personal name of a person is not only the official designation of a person, but also a historical beginning that preserves the memory of the past.
