lajinimi

Lajinimi is a term used in Finnish to denote the common name of a species or organism. It is derived from the Finnish words "laji" meaning "species" and "nimi" meaning "name." Therefore, "lajinimi" directly translates to "species name" or "common name."

In scientific and biological contexts within Finland, lajinimi refers to the widely recognized and non-technical name given to a particular plant, animal, fungus, or other organism. This is in contrast to the scientific or Latin name, which is a binomial nomenclature consisting of the genus and species. For example, the lajinimi for *Canis lupus* is "susi," which means wolf in Finnish. Similarly, the lajinimi for *Betula pendula* is "koivu," meaning birch.

The use of lajinimi simplifies communication among the general public, educators, and even some professionals who may not require the precision of scientific nomenclature. It allows for easier identification and discussion of organisms in everyday life and in various fields such as nature education, conservation, and popular science. While scientific names are universal, lajinimi can vary between languages, but within Finland, the Finnish lajinimi is the standard common name.