salmi

Salmi is a Finnish noun meaning strait, a narrow waterway that connects two larger bodies of water and separates two landmasses. In Finnish geography, salmi describes such passages and is used in maps and place names to indicate a waterway’s presence between coasts or islands.

As a surname, Salmi is a common Finnish name. It is borne by people across Finland and among Finnish communities abroad, and individuals with this name have contributed to many fields, including science, arts, and sports.

In broader use, the word appears in geographic literature and navigation as a generic term for coastal passages. It reflects Finland’s coastal geography, where many straits and channels shape regional identities and local navigation.