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, many entries missing, no photos with the streets yet, layout not finalized...

This started with a book (last few pages under review) and so far 1814 of the 1884 articles (A to Z, with 50-odd Ts remaining) entered so far, so some 5% of the links 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!

Home

Vääna

Vääna (Vääna):

Various explanations for this… It may be named after a ‘nearby’ village or manor, the latter thought to have originally been a fortress, and later (1306/1325?) a poolmõis (see Mõisa) belonging to Padise monastery. Known historically as Faehna or Feyena, Veghenoya (all 14th-C) where the name (with an Oja tacked on) could, conceivably, have derived from MLG vēen, vēyen, etc., to hate or treat with hostility, evolving into Ger. feien, to render invulnerable (cognates Ger. Feind, enemy and Eng. fiend), a reasonable name for a fortress…), but this seems a bit over the top. More likely: simply from the nearby winding river Vääna (cf. väänama, to twist)! On the other hand, it looks suspiciously like the backstories in Väo and Lükati, but there’s no convincing evidence. What is odd is why (if they did) did they choose the name of a manor house some 16-odd km futher west? Anyone’s guess. Formerly Raadio (see Tähetorni) (until 1927), then Pioneeri (see Pioneeride) (1927-59), and Lao (see Moonalao) (1959-60).

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.