mäki

Mäki is a Finnish word meaning hill or mound. It is also used as a surname and as a toponymic element in place names, reflecting Finland’s landscape and naming traditions.

The word belongs to the Finnic branch of the Uralic language family and has cognates in related languages, notably Estonian mägi or mäe, which designate elevated landforms such as hills or rises. The Finnish form Mäki is a concrete noun for a small hill and is commonly encountered in everyday speech as well as in place names.

As a toponymic element, Mäki appears in various Finnish localities, neighborhoods, and street names, often indicating a hilltop or hilly terrain in the area. As a surname, Mäki originated from families living near a hill and is now relatively common in Finland and among Finnish-speaking populations abroad.

Because it is a common geographic and linguistic root, the name Mäki appears in multiple contexts and may be found in historical documents, modern directories, and cultural references. It is one of several Finnish toponymic and descriptive surnames tied to landscape features.