Holmia

Holmia is the Latin name historically used for Stockholm, the capital of Sweden. The Latin form appears in medieval and early modern Latin texts, as well as on maps and chronicles produced by scholars and clerics. The Swedish city’s contemporary name Stockholm derives from Old Norse elements meaning “log” and “islet,” and Holmia acted as a Latinized rendering of the same place.

Historically, Holmia was used by European writers referring to Stockholm in Latin contexts such as chronicles, church records, and scholarly accounts. The usage declined as Swedish became the standard language of administration and scholarship, and modern sources rarely employ Holmia outside historical discussions.

Today, Holmia is primarily of historical or linguistic interest. It may be encountered in discussions of Latin toponyms, the transmission of Scandinavian place names into Latin literature, or in studies of old maps and texts where the city is labeled Holmia. No contemporary city or administrative entity bears the name Holmia; it remains a historical exonym for Stockholm.