Aegna (Aegna)

Street in Priisle and Island/Sub-district off the coast of Tallinn. Known as Wulf or Wulfö to the Germans, Аэгна or Вульфъ (see note on Russian spelling in intro) to the Russians (transliterating into Aegna or Vulf), and Ulffö (unusual with two f’s) to the Swedes. Thus known as far back as 13^th C: Wolvesöö (1348), Wolffz Öön (1698), Wulli saar (1724), etc., but mutating to Eikisari (1683) with corresponding switch from wolf to horse, eik being a dialect Swedish (western coastal Estonian) word for horse, probably derived from Latin equus, and how it got from one to the other is curious to say the least... Perhaps influenced by other coastal mainland Swedish and Finnish Swedish dialects where the word ranged through heik, ek, ök and ög to öj, could there have been a mishearing / misunderstanding with Swedish ö, island, due to various indigenous and migrant speakers pronouncing it differently? Or simply preferring the more welcoming appellation of horse to wolf? Either way, the name took off, thru Äigna (17^th C) Agnasaar (1724) and thence to its present name. Aegna is considered part of Tallinn, but be careful when crossing the road. Part of an Estonian island group, see Kihnu.