Karjala

== Finnish == === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈkɑrjɑlɑ/, [ˈkɑ̝rjɑ̝lɑ̝] Rhymes: -ɑrjɑlɑ Syllabification(key): Kar‧ja‧la Hyphenation(key): Kar‧ja‧la === Etymology 1 === The traditional theory says that the name is simply karja +‎ -la. In modern Finnish, karja means “livestock, cattle”; one explanation says that the name Karjala originally meant “pasture” (and karjalainen (“Karelian”) originally meant “cattle herder”). Another explanation points out that the Finnish word was borrowed from Proto-Germanic *harjaz (“army”), and this original meaning “army” might be the one seen in Karjala. Alternatively, Saarikivi (2024) has remarked that the other forms of the name, notably Kariela found in Tver Karelian, are more likely to be primary (rather than secondary due to e.g. Russian influence); the oldest form found in Slavic corresponds to Корела (Korela). Most likely, this name originally referred to a smaller region or even a town, such as Käkisalmi (Priozersk, first mentioned in historical records as Old Novgorodian Корѣла (Korěla) since 1143). The name could derive a given name like *Karie, *Karei (possibly akin to karkea, compare Livvi karei), or from an old Orthodox given name, in either case with -la. The place name is first attested in Latin text as Cariali in 1257. For the surname, compare Karjalainen. ==== Proper noun ==== Karjala Karelia (a historical region of Northern Europe, located to the north of Saint Petersburg and politically split between Russia and Finland) a Finnish surname ===== Usage notes ===== The Russian Republic of Karelia is referred to as Karjalan tasavalta in Finnish. ===== Declension ===== ===== Derived terms ===== ===== Statistics ===== Karjala is the 2547th (tied with 8 other surnames) most common surname in Finland, belonging to 312 individuals, according to August 2025 data from the Digital and Population Data Services Agency of Finland. ==== References ==== === Etymology 2 === karja- +‎ -la. May be named after Karjakoski (probably karja + koski), a village near Mynämäki, perhaps because it was the village from which settlers arrived in Karjala (the village after which the municipality was named). ==== Proper noun ==== Karjala a former municipality of Varsinais-Suomi, in southwestern Finland, formerly and since 1977 again part of Mynämäki. ===== Usage notes ===== Some sources used an unofficial name Karjala Tl (with Tl standing for Turun (ja Porin) lääni (“Turku (and Pori) Province”)) to distinguish the municipality from the sense “Karelia”. ===== Declension ===== ===== Derived terms ===== karjalalainen ==== References ==== === Further reading === Disambiguation page for Karjala on the Finnish Wikipedia.Wikipedia fi == Ingrian == === Etymology === From karjala (“Karelian”). Akin to Finnish Karjala and Estonian Karjala. === Pronunciation === (Ala-Laukaa) IPA(key): /ˈkɑrjɑlɑ/, [ˈkɑrjəɫ] (Soikkola) IPA(key): /ˈkɑrjɑlɑ/, [ˈkɑrjɑɫɑ] Rhymes: -ɑrjɑl, -ɑrjɑlɑ Hyphenation: Kar‧ja‧la === Proper noun === Karjala Karelia (a region of Russia and Finland) ==== Declension ====