Aili
Appearance
Gender | Female |
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Language(s) | Sami, Finnish |
Origin | |
Meaning | Finnish version of Helga, "holy" |
Aili is a Finnish, Sami and Estonian female given name, with the pronunciation [aɪliː]. It is the Finnish variation of the name Helga, via the Sami Áile, deriving ultimately from heilagr, meaning "holy", or "blessed". Ailikki is a diminutive.
Aili has also been used as an anglicised spelling of Eilidh, in this case with the pronunciation [eɪli]. Eilidh is a diminutive for Eilionoir, the Scottish version of Eleanor. The meaning of Eleanor is disputed, but the theory most supported by evidence is that it is derived from the Old Germanic name Adenorde, via the Provençal Alienor.
Aili can also be considered a diminutive for various names, such as Aileen.
Some notable bearers of the name Aili:
- Aili Jõgi (born 1931), Estonian patriot
- Aili Keskitalo (born 1968), politician, Norwegian-Sami politician, president of the Sami Parliament of Norway.