Finnish Conference of Onomastics 2024

The 2024 Finnish Conference of Onomastics was held on November 7-8 at the University of Helsinki, attracting scholars and enthusiasts in the field of onomastics from across Finland. The conference presented a rich program of presentations on diverse topics related to names and naming practices, with sessions available both in-person and online.

Conference Overview

Location and Schedule: The event took place at two main venues: the University of Helsinki's main building (Room F3005) and the Language Centre (Room 115). The conference sessions were streamed online for remote attendees, making the discussions widely accessible.

Workshop for Doctoral Candidates – November 7, 2024: The conference began with a workshop specifically designed for doctoral candidates and their advisors. Led by Milla Juhonen, this text workshop provided an opportunity for aspiring onomasticians to present and refine their research projects with guidance from experienced scholars. Interested participants were encouraged to contact Juhonen directly for further details.

Conference Program – November 8, 2024

Morning Session Highlights (9:00 AM – 11:00 AM):

• Opening Remarks and Introduction of Name of the Year 2024 Finalists
  Lasse Hämäläinen commenced the day by welcoming participants and introducing the finalists for the Finnish Name of the Year 2024.

• Overview of 2024 Naming Events
  Terhi Ainiala provided a comprehensive summary of onomastic events at the University of Helsinki throughout the year, highlighting the university's significant role in advancing name research.

• Featured Presentations

  • Hanna Virranpää explored how place names contribute to the construction of place descriptions and cultural perceptions within letters from Finnish Canadians, offering insights into how diaspora communities maintain connections with their heritage.
  • Milla Juhonen discussed representations of the Helsinki neighborhood Kontula in Finnish crime novels, examining how the neighborhood is portrayed as a “burden of residence” and how it contributes to character building in fiction.
  • Nelma Manninen and Taarna Valtonen analyzed character names in Väinö Linna’s The Unknown Soldier, providing a linguistic perspective on name choice within Finnish literature.

Afternoon Session Highlights (12:00 PM – 5:00 PM): The afternoon session, held at the Language Centre, featured a keynote presentation by Olli Salomies on Roman naming conventions, followed by a diverse array of presentations:

• Maria Sarhemaa discussed references to Hungary in Finnish parliamentary speeches, shedding light on the symbolic role of international place names in political discourse.
• ICOS 2024 Helsinki: Reflections and Experiences offered a retrospective on the International Congress of Onomastic Sciences, held in Helsinki earlier this year.
• The much-anticipated announcement of the Finnish Name of the Year 2024 took place shortly before the coffee break.

Additional presentations included:

• Satu Siiskonen examined the names of modern Finnish pharmacies, revealing the trends and cultural considerations behind business naming practices.
• Anna Lea Sinneberg presented on "perk names" in the context of an online multiplayer horror game, highlighting the intersection of onomastics and digital gaming culture.
• Edla Szabó analyzed the structure and popularity of compound names among Finnish women, focusing on the 200 most common combinations.
• Petra Saarnisto shared observations on the vocabulary and structure of newly created Finnish surnames, offering insights into recent trends in family name innovation.

Closing Event

The conference concluded with a self-hosted dinner at Zinnkeller Restaurant, allowing participants to socialize and discuss onomastic topics in a relaxed setting.

Conclusion

The 2024 Finnish Conference of Onomastics provided a dynamic platform for exploring the many facets of names, with presentations that bridged historical, cultural, and digital onomastics. With a forward-looking emphasis on both traditional and modern naming trends, the conference underscored the evolving nature of onomastics and laid the groundwork for future research in the field.