nimipäiväkalenteri

Nimipäiväkalenteri, or name day calendar, is a calendar that lists personal names associated with specific dates. It is part of the nimipäivä tradition, most familiar in Finland and in several other European cultures, where individuals celebrate their name day on the day assigned to their given name.

The calendar assigns one or more names to each day of the year. People who share the name on a given day commonly greet the bearer, and in some cases give greetings, small gifts, or cards. Nimipäiväkalenterit are typically published as part of annual calendars or almanacs and are also available in modern digital formats. The exact list of names and their dates can vary between publishers and regions, and a name may appear on different days in different calendars.

Historically, name days derive from the Christian tradition of saints’ feast days, which locale-specific calendars gradually adapted into secular name associations. Over time, many communities added or reinterpreted names, leading to multiple calendars in use today. There is no single universally official nimipäiväkalenteri in Finland; instead, publishers and institutions produce their own versions that reflect cultural usage and audience preferences. Names that are uncommon or newly popular may be missing or assigned ad hoc in a given calendar.

In contemporary Finland, nimipäiväkalenterit remain a recognizable cultural feature, though the level of celebration varies by individual and generation. The concept is similar to name day practices in other European countries, where a person’s name day is integrated into social greetings and customary observances alongside birthdays.