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

Karukella (Karukell)

Lit. bear bell. Small pasqueflower, Pulsatilla spp. Likes limestone which is a no-brainer for any flower in Estonia. Also grows in my garden. Not to be confused with karukeel, lit. bear tongue, Anchusa arvensis, the bugloss, a weed. Also grows in my garden. Bugger. One of a meadow flower or grass group. See Kelluka.

Karusambla (Karusammal)

Hair cap moss, Polytrichum spp. See Käolina, see also Karuvildiku. See also, he said, suspicion in his heart, Harusambla.

Karuse (Karune)

Furry, also hairy, shaggy. One of the streets named after the nearby Raku Sovhoos (see Piibri). There was also, incidentally, a Battle of Karuse on the ice off Muhu in 1270 between the Livonian Order and Grand Duchy of Lithuania with, sadly, very few Livonians left to say who won.

Karuslase (Karuslane)

Wood tiger moth, whose full name is teelehe-karuslane (lit. bearlike plantain), Parasemia plantaginis, In the footsteps (literally, see Teelehe) of Biston betularia, males occur in two different color patterns: yellow and white, and are thus studied for selection pressures. Prefer areas somewhat moist. Part of a lepidopteran group. See Kedriku.

Karusmarja (Karusmari)

Gooseberry (lit. bearberry). Group of berry streets near the Liiva kalmistu. See Kuremarja.

Karuvildiku (‘Karuvildik’?)

Not quite sure. Lit. “bear-felt boot” (“bearskin boot”?). Felt, vilt:vildi, from MLG vilt, filt, from PIE *hwel or *hwol is cognate with wool (Norw. ull, Ger. Wolle, whence Est. vill:ville) and which, due to the turning/rubbing/rolling/churning movements in making it, raises questions as to its relation to ‘wheel’ via the root *hwl/hl > *kwel- to revolve or move round, thence *kw(e)-kwl-o- wheel and circle – comments welcome. Given its company, fair to assume it could be (intended as?) the name of a moss, although quite a thorough search found no mention of the name. Closest we get is kännuvildik, the aulacomnium or lover’s moss, Aulacomnium androgynum. Street not actually in Tallinn but 300 m away in neighboring Laagri. See also Käolina.

Page 65 of 315

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.

Sponsorship logo top bare

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.