Names
Mõisapõllu (Mõisapõld)
Field(s) of a manorial estate, the manor in question presumably Haabersti.
Möldre (?)
After the name of a former farm ‘amalgamation’ built up by Jaan Teemant (1872-1941?), lawyer, attorney general and Estonian Head of State (riigivanem) from 1925-1927 and 1932, presumed assassinated by the NKVD in 1941. The actual meaning of möldre is uncertain, but could well be an alternative genitive of mölder, miller (ought be möldri, a common name in Estonian villages, lakes, rivers, and other geographical thingies all over the place). Either way, Möldre is not a rare name in Estonia, with six farms and various ‘celebs’ bearing the name, including Vassili Mölder-Proletaarlane, 1878-1943, poet and revolutionary with 8 years inside for agitprop; Hugo-Johannes Möldre, 1896-1983, soldier and politician; and two Mari Möldres, one, an actress (1890-1974), occasionally sequestrated for anti-Soviet humor, and the other a cello-player from Urban Symphony, Estonia’s attempt to recapture the Eurovision hearts, ears, and advertising budgets of millions with their proud ditty Rändajad.
Mõõna (Mõõn)
Ebb, low tide. Ebb and flow is mõõn ja tõus, and the street does indeed meet up with Tõusu.
Moonalao (Moonaladu)
Supply dump or depot, after a former ammunitions depot created in extensive tunnels by the Tsarist Russian army. There’s an entrance to Peter the Great’s Astangu Laskemoonalaod (munitions supply stores) or Tunnellaod (tunnel stores) close to ///fairness.screamed.flying. See Tagala.
Moora (Moor)
On its own, this means Moor, but with reservations: the only references found to moora are in compound words such as Mooramaa, Mooramees or Mooramaalane (Ethiopian, Blackamoor or Negro), which might have applied during pre‑CPPC (communist party politically correct) days to welcome the African communists invited to study in Soviet universities. Moor:Moori, on the other hand, is a Swedish loan word (from mother, see Vaari, meaning old woman or hag). But the plot thickens: Strangely, Kivi suggested a põiktänav and umbtänav named after a celebrated archaeologist, Harri Moora (1900-1968), on 1968-05-16 where KNAB gives 1958-05-16. Since Estonia does not (today) name streets after living persons (which explains the sorry absence of Hamiltoni puiestee in the city center), his candidacy seems unlikely whichever the date. It’s probably fair to say that he assumed the naming of a new street to be in honor of a recently-deceased (14 days earlier) but remarkable Estonian scientist by mistake. However, the dates and genitive do match Felix Moor (1903-1955), Estonia’s legendary first radio broadcaster and radio-drama producer, nicknamed Raadioonu, Uncle Radio (curiously, his nickname in the Estonian Biographical Database [Eesti biograafiline andmebaas] is Onu X, and X-rays are a form of radiography). Further corroboration comes with the street’s abutting onto Tähetorni and its proximity to the actual tower (<800 m) which may once have served as radio transmitter, and to Vääna (±2.5 km). It would be nice to think that the Soviet authorities believed there were getting a “Merited Scientist of the Estonian SSR” while actually commemorating a popular ‘local hero’ resonating more for his promoting Estonian theater, language, children’s entertainment and radio broadcasting. All three streets built and named by the Soviets 3 years after Felix’s death, Moora põik was renamed as Nõva in 1958, of the other two one is a tänav (street), the other the only umbtänav (cul-de-sac) in Tallinn, even though both are cul-de-sacs (while the tänav might vaguely wander off into a woodland track...). A sculptured plaque in his honor has now been put up in the entrance to the ERR building (see Kreutzwaldi F.R.).
