Names

The Institute for the Languages of Finland conducts onomastic research, oversees name planning, compiles related publications, and maintains a comprehensive Names Archive.

The Names Archive contains a corpus of material on Finnish, Swedish and Saami names for the purpose of research and name planning. The corpus consists mostly of place names in Finland and neighbouring regions, proper names, names appearing in official documents, and a cartographic collection.

Our work in the field of name planning is designed to familiarise Finns with traditional naming practices, present-day usage and formation of proper names and toponyms, and their standard orthography. We offer expert academic advice and toponymic guidance to relevant authorities. We also provide guidance in the usage and selection of proper names and keep up with new developments in foreign toponyms and proper names as well as related international recommendations.

Our onomastic research focuses on toponyms and their current usage, variants and history. We have research projects in progress on topics such as Finnish urban toponyms, names cited in official documents and key place names.