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

Tihase (Tihane)

Tit. Breeding in Estonia:

  • Kukkurtihane, Eurasian penduline tit (which must surely raise the occasional eyebrow), Remiz pendulinus
  • Lasuurtihane, azure tit, Parus cyanus
  • Musttihane, coal tit, P. ater
  • Põhjatihane, willow tit, P. montanus
  • Rasvatihane, great tit, P. major
  • Sabatihane, long-tailed tit otherwise known around the UK as bum-towel, creak-mouse, jack-in-a-bottle, long tom, miller’s thumb and poke-pudding, Aegithalos caudatus
  • Salutihane aka sootihane, marsh tit, P. palustris
  • Sinitihane, blue tit, P. caeruleus
  • Taigatihane, siberian tit, P. cinctus
  • Tutt-tihane, crested tit, P. cristatus.

Part of the Lilleküla bird-name group of streets. See also Tiiva.

Tihniku (Tihnik)

Thicket, coppice, copse. From tihe:tiheda, an adjective suggesting thickness, density, closely-bristled, meatiness, etc.

Tiigi (Tiik)

Pond. As to which one, perhaps the one next to Nõmme swimming-pool, but there’s a big question mark over that... Part of a hydrology-themed sector, see Trummi.

Tiigiveski (Tiigiveski)

Pond mill. Park, not street, named after one-time mill dating back to the 13th C, once the largest on the Härjapea river in Keldrimäe, on a weir-retained pond.

Tiiru (Tiir)

1) Rifle range; 2) Gland; 3) Colic or gripes; 4) Round, circle, twirl; 5) Alternative genitive for the tern or sea swallow. Given the street was thus named during the wartime year of 1940, when it replaced that of Kaitseliidu, Defense League (see Maleva), I’d tend to opt for 1. From Rus. тир (tir), rifle range, itself from French tir, ditto.

Tiiu (Tiiu)

A woman’s name, popular in the 1920s & 30s. Street co-created with its crossroad Pille in 2009, possibly influenced by Õilme. Perhaps a diminutive of tihane (see Tihase), or perhaps from Dorothea (Greek Δωροθέα) meaning ‘God’s Gift’.

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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.