Baby names. Help?

[Nukkepöksy]

Hi Finland Forum lovelies! I often crawl back these forums for minor decisions on some of my major life events. You've helped me deal with finding a job in Helsinki, dealing with metro smurfs, choosing a wedding cake, and now baby names!

Hubby and I live in Canada, and are going to start trying in about a year. Just for fun, we started talking about possible names. We decided we want to give the future babies Finnish first names since they have his (Irish) last name. I have a number of family members (now passed away) I want to recognize, but I don't want to name the kids something that might sound silly to a Finn in this new modern world. I'm worried some of the names might be really outdated, or might rhyme with something dirty I'm not aware of. Some of these names I also just found online, and I'm not sure if they're legit. Thanks for the help, and give me honest opinions on whether or not you find the following positively horrid! Here are some of our ideas:

Girl:
Aune
Ilja (or is this a boy's name??)
Aija
Aino
Auli
Oona
Leena
Lumia
Tuija
Viia
Vilja

Boy:
Akseli
Aukusti
Ilmari
Oiva
Olavi
Viljo
Valio

Thanks

[onkko]

You can check first names in here http://verkkopalvelu.vrk.fi/Nimipalvelu/default.asp?L=3 (vrk = population register centre so they do have info about all given names)
According to them Ilja has been/is name for less than 689 mans and less than 26 women

most popular in 2011

Code: Select all

    	MEN 	  	  	WOMEN 	 
Juhani 	1551 	  	Maria 	2079
Mikael 	1440 	  	Sofia 	1796
Johannes 	1420 	  	Emilia 	1652
Olavi 	1197 	  	Olivia 	898
Onni 	1098 	  	Aino 	806
Matias 	1054 	  	Amanda 	778
Elias 	991 	  	Matilda 	687
Oliver 	911 	  	Helmi 	681
Ilmari 	848 	  	Aurora 	669
Eemeli 	708 	  	Ilona 	657

[Nukkepöksy]

You can check first names in here http://verkkopalvelu.vrk.fi/Nimipalvelu/default.asp?L=3 (vrk = population register centre so they do have info about all given names)
According to them Ilja has been/is name for less than 689 mans and less than 26 women

most popular in 2011

Code: Select all

    	MEN 	  	  	WOMEN 	 
Juhani 	1551 	  	Maria 	2079
Mikael 	1440 	  	Sofia 	1796
Johannes 	1420 	  	Emilia 	1652
Olavi 	1197 	  	Olivia 	898
Onni 	1098 	  	Aino 	806
Matias 	1054 	  	Amanda 	778
Elias 	991 	  	Matilda 	687
Oliver 	911 	  	Helmi 	681
Ilmari 	848 	  	Aurora 	669
Eemeli 	708 	  	Ilona 	657

Thank you for that link! I was sad to see that Ilja isn't really used. It was my top name, because it sounded so pretty to me. Oh well. I was also sad to see most of my grandparent's names haven't been used since the 1930s or so. :/ I'm going to save that link, but I'm still looking for personal opinions.

[Rip]

Thank you for that link! I was sad to see that Ilja isn't really used.

I see no problem as a boy's name (although I understand if in your case you'd want a name that is more common (in Finland)). Viia sounded rather peculiar to me, but based on the link supplied it has had at least some amount of use recently.
In case you didn't know, the reason why "Valio" is out of fashion
http://img.mtv3.fi/mn_kuvat/mtv3/etusiv ... 793583.jpg
(+ butter and cheese)

[Nukkepöksy]

Thank you for that link! I was sad to see that Ilja isn't really used.

I see no problem as a boy's name (although I understand if in your case you'd want a name that is more common (in Finland)). Viia sounded rather peculiar to me, but based on the link supplied it has had at least some amount of use recently.
In case you didn't know, the reason why "Valio" is out of fashion
http://img.mtv3.fi/mn_kuvat/mtv3/etusiv ... 793583.jpg
(+ butter and cheese)

Yeah, I knew about the dairy company. I was just hoping it was still popular. It was also my favourite name, and was the middle name of my grandfather.

[onkko]

Thank you for that link! I was sad to see that Ilja isn't really used. It was my top name, because it sounded so pretty to me. Oh well. I was also sad to see most of my grandparent's names haven't been used since the 1930s or so. :/ I'm going to save that link, but I'm still looking for personal opinions.

Most of "most popular" names today sound in my ears old. Seems that names go in cycles
So dont decide to not give name just because its not been used recently, give name what sounds good in your ears. Of course you should think twice before giving Anu to name for someone whos surname is Saukko and of course like Rip said check if name has new meaning.

Juhani, what was most popular last year, has been most popular in 1940-59 and maria in 1900-19.

We have this saying in finland "ei nimi miestä pahenna jos ei mies nimeä"

[onkko]

Also i would like to add that atleast in finland its possible to give 3 first names and its common to have atleast 2 and only one is "by natural selection" or when baby is older by his/her choise used.
So for example you could name your son Juhani Ilja Valio.

[Nukkepöksy]

Most of "most popular" names today sound in my ears old. Seems that names go in cycles
So dont decide to not give name just because its not been used recently, give name what sounds good in your ears. Of course you should think twice before giving Anu to name for someone whos surname is Saukko and of course like Rip said check if name has new meaning.

Juhani, what was most popular last year, has been most popular in 1940-59 and maria in 1900-19.

We have this saying in finland "ei nimi miestä pahenna jos ei mies nimeä"

This is exactly what I'm here to do; checking if the name has a new meaning. I just need this forum to offer me opinions and double check the reason for the recent popularity/unpopularity. For example, Aune... why is Aune no longer popular? If it's just an "old lady name" that's one thing (just like Agnes is an old lady name in Canada), but if it's because there's some famous porn star named Aune, that's a better reason why not to choose the name in my opinion.

Many of these names are foreign to me. I grew up with a few finnish friends, and finnish relatives, and am familiar with only a very small number of Finnish names (maybe 50 at the most). That's why I need to check some of these that I have no clue about. Please steer me away from names that carry negative connotations, or are in your opinion made up names or general nonsense.

[onkko]

Its hard because we do have gazillion possible names, only one name comes in mind now and thats Yrjö (means puke today). Other name what could be problem depending how mean people are is Anna (give (to me)).

Aune
Ilja (or is this a boy's name??), never heard but doesnt seem too weird
Aija, aijaa.. dont
Aino
Auli
Oona
Leena
Lumia, too close to lumi and weird, im not fan of "nature names" tho
Tuija
Viia, Sounds strange, i know one Fiia tho.
Vilja, nature names.

Boy:
Akseli, well known character in "täällä pohjantähden alla" and main character in maybe most popular wedding song. May pose problem if marries Elina http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYBKdugwBSM
Aukusti
Ilmari
Oiva
Olavi
Viljo, well known sketch but slowly forgotten "onks viljoo näkyny". May be problem or not. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4EfjrSCjzLE
Valio, trademark.

[Nukkepöksy]

Its hard because we do have gazillion possible names, only one name comes in mind now and thats Yrjö (means puke today). Other name what could be problem depending how mean people are is Anna (give (to me)).

Aune
Ilja (or is this a boy's name??), never heard but doesnt seem too weird
Aija, aijaa.. dont
Aino
Auli
Oona
Leena
Lumia, too close to lumi and weird, im not fan of "nature names" tho
Tuija
Viia, Sounds strange, i know one Fiia tho.
Vilja, nature names.

Boy:
Akseli, well known character in "täällä pohjantähden alla" and main character in maybe most popular wedding song. May pose problem if marries Elina http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYBKdugwBSM
Aukusti
Ilmari
Oiva
Olavi
Viljo, well known sketch but slowly forgotten "onks viljoo näkyny". May be problem or not. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4EfjrSCjzLE
Valio, trademark.

That's exactly what I'm looking for! Thanks so much. That's hilarious that Yrjö means puke! I really like that name, but didn't put it on the list because my hubby cannot pronounce three of those four letters

[luulio]

The only name in your list I would have a problem with is Ilja, which for me would be exclusively a boy's name (and a Russian one at that).

Aune (and Aino) is obviously a great-grandmother name and would be perfectly acceptable - I know a lot of tiny girls with this type of name. Aino too sounds the same. Oona was incredibly popular some time ago, lots of teenagers by that name. Lumia and Viia are rare and new, the kind of names mothers who desperately want their babies have unique names are coming up with now. Vilja would be popular with nature-loving people... The rest sound like normal grown-up names. All of these except Ilja would be ok in Finland, in my opinion.

All of the boy names would work, they all have that old-fashioned, traditional vibe that sounds great now. Valio probably is the rarest one, I know I have never met any. Probably because because of the dairy connection, as mentioned. But it would still work, it belongs to that group of quintessentially Finnish names that have an obvious, positive meaning just like Onni, Jalo, Toivo, Sulo etc. (How about Sisu, if you are looking for something Finnish? It's becoming very popular now...)

Have fun and good luck!

[Nukkepöksy]

The only name in your list I would have a problem with is Ilja, which for me would be exclusively a boy's name (and a Russian one at that).

Aune (and Aino) is obviously a great-grandmother name and would be perfectly acceptable - I know a lot of tiny girls with this type of name. Aino too sounds the same. Oona was incredibly popular some time ago, lots of teenagers by that name. Lumia and Viia are rare and new, the kind of names mothers who desperately want their babies have unique names are coming up with now. Vilja would be popular with nature-loving people... The rest sound like normal grown-up names. All of these except Ilja would be ok in Finland, in my opinion.

All of the boy names would work, they all have that old-fashioned, traditional vibe that sounds great now. Valio probably is the rarest one, I know I have never met any. Probably because because of the dairy connection, as mentioned. But it would still work, it belongs to that group of quintessentially Finnish names that have an obvious, positive meaning just like Onni, Jalo, Toivo, Sulo etc. (How about Sisu, if you are looking for something Finnish? It's becoming very popular now...)

Have fun and good luck!

Thank you for your response. It has really helped me narrow things down. I'm a big fan of nature names, but not if they considered too hippyish if you know what I mean. Like, over here, there is nothing wrong with naming your child "Willow", or "Lilly", but you might get the side-eye if you name your child "Rainbow" or "Apple". There's a fine line between traditional names and those that sound like the parents are trying too hard, (and I have no idea where that line is with Finnish names). So how about Tuija? Sisu is a lovely name, but I have to also worry about how the kid will be teased in Canada, too. They'd call the boy a "Sissy" with that name. I should mention, that I named my car Sisu. ;D

The responses so far have been so helpful. Thanks everyone!!!

[Nukkepöksy]

P.S. Is Leelia a real name? I saw a post where a finnish model was named Leelia, but it's so rare according to the census.

[Upphew]

Lumia as in the phone by Nokia..?

[EP]

To me these are:

Girl:
Aune ---> "I should check if Aune is doing OK in the old people´s home..."
Ilja (or is this a boy's name??) ---> A RUSSIAN boy´s name. A NONO.
Aija ---> One of these inventions parents had in the 1970´s.
Aino ---> An all time favourite, has been popular for hundreds of years (true)
Auli ---> A 1950´s name
Oona ---> A 1980´s & 90´s name
Leena ---> A 1930´s ´- 1950´s name
Lumia ---> Some parents decided that nature name Lumi is not enough and added an "a" to make it sound more "special"
Tuija ---> A 1950´s name
Viia ---> Some new invention, whatever, does not certainly sound Finnish, more like misspelled Italian (more "my baby is special" crap)
Vilja ---> A nature name. They have been somewhat popular for 10+ years. I like them.

Boy:
Akseli ---> An old favourite, still going strong
Aukusti ---> Somewhat popular at some point, not as popular as Akseli. (Maybe because Akseli sounds better that Aukusti)
Ilmari ---> Was very popular 100 years ago. Has a very Finnish (ultra-national) sound to it ("son of air")
Oiva ---> A 1920´s name, from times when people liked names that had a meaning
Olavi ---> A bit like Ilmari, was still popular in the 1950´s.
Viljo ---> I guess that one could become popular again soon. Last time it was in the 1930´s or something like that.
Valio ---> Dairy. Plus are you confident enough to burden your baby with a name that would require him some kind of excellence?

JUst last month certain young parents wanted to write down all the names of their great grand parents. They had decided to give their baby a nature name of their choice + a grand parents´s name from each family.

When I was a child the only living person with the same name was in the nearby old people´s home. But for the past 10 years it has been one of the popular names again. And it is a medieval name, so names can have a very long life span.