Ukko

From ukko. As a name for the Finnic deity, this is a euphemism; the real name of the god is uncertain.

• IPA^(key): /ˈukːo/, [ˈukːo̞]
• Rhymes: -ukːo
• Syllabification^(key): Uk‧ko

Ukko

1. (Finnic mythology) The god of heaven, often mentioned with the epithet ylijumala (“supreme god”).
   • 1849 Kalevala (Translation 1988 by Eino Friberg) 14:304-308:

     Oi Ukko, ylijumala, / Ukko, pilvien pitäjä, / Hattarojen hallitsija! / Taivas auoksi avaos, / Ilma kaikki ikkunoiksi!

     O thou Ukko, god of gods, / Ukko, keeper of the clouds, / Ruler of the random cloudlets! / Open up the heavens wide, / All the windows of the sky!

2. a male given name
   • 1988, Ella Ojala, Pitkä kotimatka, Tammi, published 2005, →ISBN, page 300:

     —No, tottahan se on, Ukko Barndik sanoi:—Ei miunkaan nimeni ole tavallinen―mie olen Ukko, enkä mikkään ukko. Se on suomalainen nimi.

     —Well, it's true, Ukko Barndik said:—My name ain't ordinary, either―I'm Ukko, and not any old man (ukko). It's a Finnish name.

   • 2017, Terhi Törmälehto, Vaikka vuoret järkkyisivät, Otava, →ISBN, page 222:

     Mira hyppyyttää Ukkoa, sopottaa samalla jotain. Vauva hekottaa.
     - Kerroinko minä että Ukko kastettiin sellaisella ikivanhalla pakanarituaalilla? Minulla oli tässä se kausi että kiinnostuin kaikista pakanajutuista. Wiccoista ja muista.

     Mira rocks Ukko around and blabbers something. The baby is chuckling.
     - Did I tell you that Ukko was baptized with an ancient pagan ritual? I had this phase when I got really interested in pagan stuff. Wiccas and so on.

• The formerly rare given name has become more common in the 2000s.

• Ukko is the 359^th most common male given name in Finland, belonging to 898 male individuals (and as a middle name to 1,506 more), according to February 2023 data from the Digital and Population Data Services Agency of Finland.