The influence of Romanticism on Finnish personal naming

Abstract

The article outlines in a synthetic way the influence of national romanticism on the development of the Finnish personal naming and its new shape. It presents the main trends present in the process of creation, modification, transfer and Fennicization of names and surnames. Naming acts during the Romantic period were shaped by such extralinguistic factors connected with the consolidation of national identity, including: national awakening; mental aspirations for self­definition and shaping one’s own identity as well as strengthening national awareness; return to the roots (adding new meanings to mythography, community pride), etc. The phenomenon of the emergence of “Romantic names” as a specific layer of Finnish anthroponymics is correlated with a historical­cultural process, whose elements include: restitution of national (cultural, linguistic) heritage, justification of Finnishness, ennoblement of patriotism, manifestation of national individualism, etc. The analysis covers personal names used and formed both in the Romantic era (e.g. Rauha, Suometar, Aimo, Heimo, Kullervo, Onni, Toivo) and in later times, which are the successors of Romanticism. A symbolic place in Finnish anthroponymy is occupied by names taken from the epic “Kalevala” and the heritage of the Karelo­Finnish folklore. The name material was excerpted from the Finnish topical literature. The author formulates the following thesis: Finnish “Romantic” personal naming represents the national onymic worldview. The analysis of naming patterns leads to the conclusion that, despite the social and cultural transformations taking place in Finland as well as globalization and glocalization tendencies, traditional, indigenous Finnish names have not lost their prestige.