Henkilötnimien

Henkilötnimien is a Finnish linguistic term that refers to personal names, typically the first name (given name) carries this designation in Finnish. The word is derived from “henkilö” meaning person and “nimi” meaning name, with the “-t” suffix indicating a plural form.

In Finnish culture, personal names are mostly chosen from a narrowed set of traditional names, but contemporary parents may opt for more modern or international options. Naming customs typically involve a formal process where a name must be approved by the national registry. In written documents the name of a person appears in the nominative case, while the genitive case would use the form “henkilön nimen” for “of the person's name”. The plural form “henkilötnimet” refers to a set or collection of personal names.

The use of personal names in Finnish: a person is addressed by a given name usually, even in informal situations. It can also serve as a label for family lineage, e.g., “Katriina Korhonen” is both a personal name and a family identifier. Finnish law regulates the possible names that can be registered, emphasizing the protection of personal identity. In scholarly contexts, the study of personal names (onomastics) includes the history, distribution, and etymology of “henkilötnimien”. This leads to insights about migration patterns, religious influence, and linguistic changes over time in Finland.