Finnish Name Days
Kai - February 16
Kai - February 16
Finland is one of many countries in Europe which celebrates Name Days (called Nimipäivä in Finnish). A country having a tradition for celebrating Name Days normally dedicates a name or names (male and female) to every calendar day of the year. A person then celebrates a Name Day on the day in the calendar where his or her Christian Name Appears.
The names used and their date placement in the calendar are often associated with religious names, religious days, national historical personalities and national historical events. Normal country specific Christian names, and even new Christian names which have been integrated and accepted into a countries list of nationally recognized names, are also given their own position in the calendar.
The official Name Days Almanac of Finland is published by the Almanac Office at the University of Helsinki and contains all Finnish official Name Days lists (Finnish, Swedish, Sami and Greek Catholic). The University of Helsinki Almanac office, was established in 1994 and has a staff of three astronomers.
In Finland Name Days can be celebrated in the same way as a birthday, where the individual having the Name Day will receive greeting cards, flowers or gifts from friends and family. Name Day celebrations do however differ from person to person and some individuals may choose not to mark the day with pomp and splendour. Never the less regardless of how a person celebrates his/her Name Day in Finland, they will appreciate you wishing them "Happy Name Day!" which in Finnish is "Hyvää Nimipäivää!"
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