Most common and rare honorary titles
Nearly 15,000 honorary titles have been awarded since 1918. Applications for honorary titles for women have been submitted less often than for men, and women have been awarded considerably fewer honorary titles than men.
There are 114 different honorary titles in use. The titles awarded are usually existing ones, but new titles can also be proposed. The most recent new honorary titles are eurooppaneuvos, kansainvälisen yhteistyön neuvos, hyvinvointineuvos, lääkehuoltoneuvos, pelastusneuvos, tapahtumaneuvos, varhaiskasvatusneuvos sekä hyvinvointipalveluneuvos (2024).
The most common honorary title is talousneuvos, which had been awarded 1,843 times as of the end of 2021. The title of vuorineuvos has been awarded around 306 times, and that of kauppaneuvos 804 times (as of the end of 2021).
The most infrequently awarded honorary titles include kamarineuvos (awarded 110 times since 1919), uittoneuvos (awarded 8 times since 1951) and lehdistöneuvos (awarded 15 times since 1990).
Inquiries about honorary titles: arvonimiasiat(at)gov.fi
Translating honorary titles into other languages
The Prime Minister’s Office recommends not translating Finnish honorary titles into other languages. If a Finnish honorary title is to be used abroad, it should be used in Finnish or Swedish with an explanation that it is a Finnish honorary title if necessary.
Titles used by public offices and organisations are highly culture-specific and require an explanation if used in other languages. Some honorary titles, such as vuorineuvos, do not correspond to their holder’s work or activities even in Finnish and Swedish. Others, such as asessori, hallitusneuvos and yli-insinööri, are similar to the job titles of public officials. Even if it has been agreed that a foreign-language equivalent will be used for a title, it should not be used as a substitute for the title.
Inquiries about translations: kielipalvelu.vnk(at)gov.fi
