- Origin: Finnish
- Meaning: “fire; flame;” also a diminutive form of Urban
- Gender: Male
- Usage: Finnish
- Pron: (PAH-noo)
The name began as a Finnish diminutive form of the Latin name Urban. The name took on new significance in the 19th century, when Finnish national romanticism reinterpreted Panu through its resemblance to the native word panu, meaning “fire” or “flame.”
In Finnish folklore and epic poetry, Panu appears as the spirit or personification of fire, particularly in the mythological corpus connected to the Kalevala.
The name’s modern popularity was reinforced by Juhani Aho’s 1897 historical novel Panu, which centers on the clash between Christianity and ancient Finnish paganism. In Aho’s novel, the protagonist Panu is the last pagan priest defending the old faith. The book was highly influential in the Finnish national revival movement and helped cement Panu as a culturally resonant personal name.
The designated name-day in Finland is November 11.
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