Streetsign reading "Tallinn Streets dot com" Header

Work in progress

A pile of ro ad signs half-trashed and piled up on a building-site, to indicate the site is in construction.

Website under construction, a couple of entries still pending, no photos with the streets yet, layout not finalized...

This started with a book (last few pages under review) and so far 1889 of the 1891 articles entered, 1 or 2 links may go nowhere.

Logo of the Tallinn Children's Hospital Foundation

The Book

All author earnings of A Rambling Dictionary of Tallinn Street Names to be donated to the foundation or donate here.

If anyone could help or advise as to the legal mechanism, it would be appreciated, thanks!

The Website

Not intended at the beginning, the present website is taking on a life of its own, with plans for relevant discussion forums, picture galleries and, over time, more non-streetname entries.

In theory, it will be funded by advertising relevant to people in Tallinn, to be determined.

A percentage of profits (also to be determined) to be donated to the foundation. 

Contact

Photograph of Simon Hamilton in Pikk street, Tallinn.

Apparently, a company that uses its owner's name is considered more trustworthy because they put themselves on the line.

This is me, in Tallinn this spring (2025), on a 3-month spree to check details, take photos (about 12K), explore (ave. 15K/day), and so on. I think I covered every street in Kesklinn (apart from Mõigu), most of Põhja-Tallinn and some Kristiine.

For information, please contact Simon at this address dot com, thanks!

Names

Selja (Selg)

Ridge, also back. Former farm name. To get dressed is panema riided selga (lit. to put clothes on the back). More specifically, however, you put clothes on the particular parts of the body involved: for example panema püksid/kingad jalga is ‘put your trousers/shoes on (your legs/feet)’ (see Sõnajala), panema müts pähe is ‘put your hat on (your head)’, kindad kätte is ‘gloves on (hands)’ and sall kaela is ‘scarf on (neck)’, all inessive forms, but short. Street renaming of western part of Tuleraua.

Seljaku (Seljak)

Bank*, ridge. See Selja.

* Not the one you're thinking of, but all author proceeds from the sale of this book (print or e-reader) will go to the Tallinn Children’s Hospital Foundation, Tallinna Lastehaigla Toetusfond (see previous post. If you have a couple of bucks to spare, please visit https://www.toetusfond.ee/donate, thanks!

Seltri (Selters)

Seltzer, or just plain soda or carbonated water, named after the German town of Selters known for its mineral water. Calling a street which led directly to the then Härjapea river cum Tallinn waste-disposal duct is as misleading as Icelanders calling their neighbor 'Greenland'. Also spelled Seltersi which was not to Estonian taste, even less so I imagine in its relatively unpronounceable full name of seltersivesi (soda water). In fact, the street was named after a one-time R. Scheibe mineral-water factory located there.

Sepa (Sepp)

Smith, blacksmith (also ‘yeast’ in some dialects). Like ‘wright’ in English, the sepp ending corresponds to ‘maker thereof’, giving terms such as katelsepp (boilermaker, cf. English ‘kettle’), sadulsepp (saddle-maker), through to veebisepp (webmaster). See also Sossimäe. One of a mini trade-name area, see Treiali. Anagram of Pesa.

Sepapaja (Sepapaja)

Smithy, blacksmith’s shop or forge. This being the Dvigatel factory built on order of Tsar Nicholas II and completed in nine months of 1899 with 2000 laborers for the purpose of manufacturing wagons, later expanding to bridges and metal parts in general. Although paja is an obsolete word for ‘smith’ or ‘workshop’, it seems to be making a comeback as a ‘makerspace’ or ‘hackerspace’ for making or 3D-printing hardware. Part of a mini iron-working group. See also Sepise.

Sepapere (Sepapere)

Former farm name: (black)smith’s family, household, farm.

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Advertise...

Your business, store or consultancy next to your street address and a percentage of your fee (to be determined) goes the the Children's Hospital fund.

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Post your favorite local photo and sponsor the foundation. Your entire sponsorship goes go the the Children's Hospital fund

Wanted!

Beautiful photos of your street or Tallinn! Send them in! No remuneration planned for now, but will be attributed according to your preferences.