A farm house in Taivassalo. © Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment

A name after a place

Traditional place names are based on words that were used at the time when the name was given. Even if a word in such a name has disappeared later, the name continues to exist and fulfill its function.

Places that are important for moving about, e.g., waterways, were the first places to receive names. For example, the name Päijänne (a lake), the origins of which have faded away, is one of the oldest place names in Finland.

The name Taivassalo (“Sky Island“) in Jämsä used to be Taivalsalo. The original name came from the narrow isthmus in the middle of the island, taival, “a passage”. People could drag their boats over the passage from one bay to the other. The other part of the name, salo, refers to an island.

Place names can be based on, e.g.:

the quality of the place (syvä lahti ’deep bay’) → Syvälahti ”Deep Bay, fi syvä ’deep’, lahti ’bay’),

the ownership or governance of the place (Vitikkalanlahti ”Bay of Vitikkala”)

or an event (Herrojenpöytä ”Gentlemen’s Table”). It is said that the name Herrojenpöytä (fi herra ’gentleman’, pöytä ’table’) was given after a group of gentlemen enjoyed a meal in the location.