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!

Home

Vaari (Vaar)

Grandfather, old man. The expression Vaar ja moor (see Moora) suggests it comes from Swedish where far and mor mean father and mother. Street, interestingly, named for being on the wrong side of the track to Hallivanamehe. See Äia.

Türi (Türi)

Town in Järvamaa. Street running parallel to the railway track at Tallinn-Väike, and terminus of the group of streets named for stations on the Tallinn-Türi Kitsarööpa line.

Saku (Sakk)

1) Tree stump (cf. Sagari); 2) Wisp of straw; 3) Bunch/Cluster of fruit or nuts; 4) Archaic term for bag [curiously, EKSS gives sakk:saki, and both this and its commoner word, kott:kotti, are loans from German: sac (sack, bag) from OHG (see Sulevimägi), and either kuđđan from OHG/OLG(?) or kǖdel (pouch) from MLG, leading to Eng. cod, i.e. scrotum (think ‘codpiece’), and kotti in certain dialects of Finland, land of gender equality: scrotum, uterus or placenta]; 5) More realistically: town close to Tallinn, its brewery and beer. One of the group of streets named for stations on the Tallinn-Türi Kitsarööpa line. See Kiisa.

Reketi (Reket)

Racquet, racket. Awaiting the municipal ink converting rubble to road. As to the name, not a tennis court in sight, the noise came from the former ski and racket factory nearby.

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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.