List of Traditional Finnish Girl Names and their Meanings

If you’re looking for a traditional Finnish girl name, you’re at the right place. It doesn’t matter if you want to get inspiration for naming your daughter or you want to know the meaning of your name or that of somebody close to you, I’ve got you covered!

Today, I am here to share with you a complete list of girl names of Finnish origin, as well as their meanings. Read on and you will surely find at least a new favorite – all of these names are really amazing!

Aada – Finnish short form of the name Adela, which comes from the Germanic element adal, meaning “noble.”

Aino – In Finnish, Aino means “the only one.”

Anneli -This name is a Finnish diminutive of the name Anna, which is a form of the name Hannah. Derived from the Hebrew name Channah, this name means “grace, favor.”

Anni – Another Finnish version of the name Anneli.

Armi – A name that means “grace” or “mercy” in Finnish, embodying a sense of beauty and kindness.

Aurora – While Latin in origin, meaning “dawn,” Aurora is also the name for the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis), a spectacular natural phenomenon often visible in Finland.

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Charlotte – The French feminine form of the name Charles, which comes from the Germanic name Karl, meaning “man.”

Eerika​ – A Finnish form of the name Erica, which is the feminine form of the name Eric. This name comes from the Old Norse name Eiríkr, which is derived from the elements ei, meaning “ever, always” and ríkr, meaning “ruler.”

Eeva – Finnish form of the name Eva, which is a Latinate form of the name Eve. The name Eve is derived from the Hebrew name Chawwah, which comes from the Hebrew word chawah, meaning “to breathe.”

Eliina – Finnish form of the name Helen, which comes from the Greek name Helene. This name was possibly derived from the Greek word Helene, meaning “torch” or selene, meaning “moon.”

Eliisa – Finnish short form of the name Elizabeth. From the Greek name Elisabet, which comes from the Hebrew name Elisheva, this name means “my God is an oath.”

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Fanni – Finnish diminutive of the name Francisca, which is a feminine form of the name Francis, which is the English form of the Late Latin name Franciscus, meaning “Frenchman.”

Helka – Finnish form of the name Helga, which is a feminine form of the Old Norse name Helgi, derived from the word heliagr, meaning “holy, blessed.”

Helmi – This name means “pearl” in Finnish, it can also be a diminutive of the name Vilhelmina.

Iida – Finnish form of the name Ida, which is derived from the Germanic element id, meaning “work, labor.”

Hulda – Derived from the Old Norse word huld, meaning “hiding, secrecy.”

Irja – Most likely a Finnish diminutive of the name Irina or Irene, which comes from the Greek name Eirene, meaning “peace.”

Kaisa – Finnish diminutive of the name Katherine, which comes from the Greek name Aikaterine. This name was possibly derived from an earlier Greek name Hekaterine, which comes from the Greek word hekateros, meaning “each of the two.”

Kerttu – Finnish form of the name Gertrude, which is derived from the Germanic elements ger, meaning “spear” and thrud, meaning “strength,” giving this name the meaning “spear of strength.”

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Lotta​ – Finnish short form of the Swedish name Charlotta, which is a variant of the name Charlotte.

Loviisa – Loviisa is the Swedish feminine form of the name Louis, which is the French form of Ludovicus, the Latinized form of the name Ludwig. The name Ludwig comes from the Germanic name.

Lumi – This name means “snow” in Finnish, reflecting the country’s beautiful, snowy landscapes and nature’s purity.

Meri – A beautiful and simple Finnish name meaning “sea.” It reflects the country’s profound connection to its surrounding seas and love for nature.

Minttu – This name means “mint” in Finnish.

Milja – Finnish version of the name Emilia, which is the feminine form of the name Emil. This name was derived from the Roman family name Aemilius, which comes from the Latin word aemulus, meaning “rival.”

Oona – Finnish and Irish version of the name Úna, which is possibly derived from the Irish word uan, meaning “lamb.”

Olivia – This particular spelling of the name was first used by William Shakespeare, possibly based on the names Oliver or Oliva, or simply derived from the Latin word oliva, meaning “olive.”

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Pihla – Referring to the rowan tree, Pihla is a name that connects directly to the Finnish affinity for forests and nature.

Raakel – Finnish form of the name Rachel, meaning “ewe” in Hebrew. It’s a name that has been adopted into Finnish naming traditions, maintaining its original biblical meaning.

Rauha – A traditional Finnish name meaning “peace.” It reflects a deep value and longing for harmony and tranquility.

Sara – A form of the name Sarah more common in Norway, this name means “lady, noblewoman.”

Satu – This name means “fairy tale” or “story” in Finnish, reflecting the country’s rich tradition of storytelling and folklore.

Saima – Named after Finland’s largest lake, Lake Saimaa, this name is deeply rooted in Finnish nature and geography.

Suvi – Meaning “summer” in Finnish, this name is popular for girls born during the warm and luminous summer months in Finland.

Siiri – Finnish diminutive of the name Sigrid, which comes from the Old Norse name Sigriðr, derived from the elements sigr, meaning “victory” and friðr, meaning “beautiful, fair.”

Sofia – Sofia is a form of the name Sophia that is common in Norway, this name means “wisdom” in Greek.

Taimi – Meaning “sapling” or “young tree” in Finnish, Taimi symbolizes growth and new beginnings, connecting to the deep Finnish respect for nature.

Tarja – A name that became popular in Finland during the 20th century. It’s unique to Finnish culture, though its exact origins and meaning are not well defined, it’s known for its strength and simplicity.

Tuuli – Meaning “wind” in Finnish, this name evokes the powerful and ever-present force of nature in Finnish landscapes.

Ulla – Scandinavian diminutive of the names Ulrika or Hulda.

Ulrika – A Swedish feminine form of the name Ulrich, which comes from the Germanic name Odaric, meaning “prosperity and power.”

Veera – Derived from the Russian name Vera, meaning “faith” in Russian. It has been popularized in Finland and is appreciated for its simplicity and strong meaning.

Vieno – A name that means “gentle” or “soft” in Finnish, Vieno conveys a sense of delicacy and grace.

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The most common Finnish girl names

You may have noticed that some of these names look similar to other Scandinavian names like Swedish or Norwegian. However, most of these names are unique to Finland and definitely very beautiful.    

Some of the most common names from this list are: 

Aada, Kerttu, Minttu, Siiri, and my personal favorite Kaisa.

Final words

You now have a full list of traditional Finnish names for girls, and I am sure you will find it more difficult now to choose a single one – they’re all beautiful and even exotic.

If you want more inspiration in terms of names, make sure to check out my previous articles sharing traditional Icelandic girl names and their meanings, Swedish Girl Names, or a full list of Norwegian Girl Names Ideas.

Over to you now. Do you know any other Finnish girl names that are not on the list? Share them with the world by commenting below.