Geographic Names
Judith Maxwell

When we look at the map of Finland, there are certain words or portions of
words that are often seen as part of a town or city name. These words can
tell us about the area in which the town or city is located. Some common
words of this type and their English translations include

erämaa = wilderness or wilds
harju = esker
joki (and the form 'joen') = river or stream
jänkä = bog
järvi = lake
koski = rapids or small waterfall
kuru = gorge or canyon
köngäs = waterfall
lahti = bay, inlet, gulf, or cove
lampi = pond, small lake, or tarn
maa = land or country
niemi = cape, promontory, or headland
oja = stream, brook, or ravine
pahta = steep cliff
pää = upland, highland, fell, or felltop
saari = island or isle
salmi = sound or strait
selkä = ridge
suu = mouth (as of a river) or outlet
tunturi = hill or fell
vaara = forest-clad or wooded hill

Of course, these words are also commonly used as part of family names. As
such, they can describe the farm or manor house where a family once lived
and from which their name was derived.

From the November 2003 Finger Lakes Finns Newsletter.

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