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!

Names

Variku (Varik)

Brushwood, dense shrubbery.

Varju (Vari)

1) Shade, shadow; screen, cloak; 2) Shelter. Given its neighbors, both are possible. Close to Vilu. For information, vihmavari is umbrella, lit. rain screen / shelter.

Varjulille (Varjulill)

Lit. shadow flower: woodruff, squinancy wort, Asperula spp. Name due to former use in treating quinsy, or peritonsillar abscess, a sometime complication of tonsillitis or, for George Washington, possible cause of death (although probable cause was the excessive blood-letting designed to relieve him). Its Estonian name reflects its preference for shady, as well as moist, rich soils.

Varraku (Varrak)

1) Character from the Kalevipoeg: the Lappish sage who agrees to take him to the end of the world. 2) The Viking traders, pirates, mercenaries (to 11th/13th‑C Kievan and Novgorodian princes among others), known mainly as bodyguard to the Byzantine Emperors. Name derived from Varjaag, Estonian for Varangian (Old East Slavic: Varyag). Renamed (1979-1995) as Lumiste J. during the Soviet occupation. Part of a magico-mythological group. See Vikerlase.

Varre (Vars)

Stalk, stem; handle, stock, pole. Aka vart or koot also meaning shinbone, suggesting the more rudimentary tools available to our first agronomists.

Varsaallika (Varsaallikas) Symbol designating a Tallinn "Allasum", or Ward.

Foal’s/Colt’s/Filly’s source/spring. Feeds a river which once drained into the Tallinna Laht (Tallinn Bay or Bight). Said to be named after a spring used by local stud farm to water its, er, draught foals. Known as Warthallick (1689) and Warſhallik (1689 & 1726), but has too much the ring of a mondegreen for a now-forgotten personal name, although its definitely Estonian allick[a] ending and the relatively common occurrence of combined German-Estonian names (Biſchofs Koppel, 1726, etc.) leave the question wide open.

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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.