A name day is a fixed date in the calendar assigned to a first name, kept in Sweden (namnsdag), Finland (nimipäivä) and Estonia (nimepäev). Finland's lists are maintained by the University of Helsinki and Sweden's by the Swedish Academy. It is marked on a smaller scale than a birthday: a greeting, coffee and cake, perhaps a modest gift.
What is a name day, and where does it come from?
A name day is the day on which a first name appears in the calendar, and everyone who carries that name can celebrate it. The custom goes back to the medieval church calendar, in which each day honoured a saint. Over the centuries the saints' names were joined, and often replaced, by the names people actually give their children. Today the lists are revised so that common modern names have a day of their own. Some old links remain: in Sweden, Lucia keeps 13 December and Erik keeps 18 May. To much of Europe the idea is unfamiliar, which is why visitors and new colleagues are often surprised when an office suddenly produces cake for someone who is not having a birthday.
How do name days work in Finland?
In Finland, name days are printed in the almanac and in most wall and desk calendars, and the lists are maintained by the almanac office of the University of Helsinki. There are separate lists for Finnish names, for Swedish-language names used in Finland, and for Orthodox names. The Finnish and Finland-Swedish lists have been separate since 1929 and are now revised every five years; the most recent revision came into use in 2025. A Finnish name needs at least 500 bearers to be added, while a Finland-Swedish name needs at least 50, which reflects the smaller Swedish-speaking population. Name days are widely noticed in Finland. Family, friends and colleagues send a greeting, and many people mark the day with coffee and something sweet.
How do name days work in Sweden?
In Sweden, the name list printed in almanacs is kept by the Swedish Academy together with a small committee of other institutions, and the current list is based on a version introduced in 2001. It holds around 600 names, with at most two names on any one day. The occasion is lighter than a birthday: a "grattis på namnsdagen", a card, flowers, or a cake shared at work. Because the Swedish list and the Finland-Swedish list are made separately, the same name can fall on a different date in Stockholm than in Helsinki. Check the calendar for the country the person lives in.
How are name days kept in Estonia?
In Estonia, name days (nimepäevad) appear in printed calendars and in several online name day calendars, and the lists differ slightly between sources, so it is worth checking more than one. The custom is observed more quietly than in Finland. A greeting, flowers or sweets are typical. In some workplaces the person whose day it is brings cake for colleagues, rather than the other way round. Lithuania has its own long tradition of name days (vardadieniai), so the idea will be familiar to Lithuanian readers too.
Finland. Local word: nimipäivä (Finnish), namnsdag (Swedish). Who keeps the list: University of Helsinki almanac office, revised every five years. How it is usually marked: Greeting, coffee and something sweet, a small gift.
Sweden. Local word: namnsdag. Who keeps the list: Swedish Academy, list based on the 2001 version. How it is usually marked: Greeting, card, flowers, cake at work.
Estonia. Local word: nimepäev. Who keeps the list: Printed calendars and online lists, which vary slightly. How it is usually marked: Greeting, flowers or sweets.
What is a good name day gift?
A good name day gift is small, useful and chosen for the person, something they will use through the season rather than keep in a drawer. The scale is smaller than a birthday, and an expensive present can leave the receiver feeling indebted. Pieces that fit the occasion:
Mid length alpaca socks by Alpaka: 44% alpaca, reinforced at the heel and toe, sizes 34 to 45. Designed in Estonia and knitted in Peru.
A plain baby alpaca scarf, 30 × 200 cm and long enough to wrap twice, from the alpaca scarves collection.
Wool felt slippers from Omaking, a family shoe workshop in Estonia since 1927. The Halla wool felt slippers have an open back and wash at 30 °C; more in wool slippers.
Flowers or pastries, when you know the person less well.
More small pieces are gathered in accessories. Shipping is free to Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania on every order, and free elsewhere in the EU on orders over €150.
How do you say happy name day, and what is the etiquette?
The greeting is short: "grattis på namnsdagen" in Swedish, "hyvää nimipäivää" in Finnish and "palju õnne nimepäevaks" in Estonian. A greeting is expected; a gift is a kind surprise, not an obligation. Say it on the day itself if you can, and if you send something by post, time it to arrive close to the date. Look up the name in the right calendar first, especially for Swedish speakers in Finland. For the wider customs of the region, read gift-giving etiquette in Estonia, Finland and Sweden, and for ideas by recipient, the Nordic gift guide.
