The hidden meaning behind the name Kaija Jokiharju
Kaija Jokiharju is the main character in the Catenarian Chronicles, and her unique name carries a layered, complex meaning.
As I write this, the song “Supernaiset” by Kaija Koo is stuck in my head. One of her better hits, if you ask me. I named my main character in the dark paranormal fantasy series after her. But Kaija Jokiharju isn’t just named after Kaija Koo, since her last name’s a nod to Boston Bruins defenseman Henri Jokiharju.
Well, Boston Bruins defenseman here in July 2025 since, as an avid Buffalo Sabres fan, good old Joki was playing for the Blue and Gold when I concocted the first draft of Cursed Mage.
But did you know the name Kaija holds another awesome meaning? Ditto for Jokiharju?
Let’s break down the name bit by bit, and you’ll know exactly where I’m going here.
Kaija means pure or chaste, but it also has an alternative Finnish meaning
I wouldn’t call Kaija a pure character, given the way she’d grown up. Surrounded by abject poverty in all walks of life plus her gang-related activity during her teenage years, Kaija’s got some skeletons in her closet despite her gifted intellect.
One alternative meaning in Finnish is that Kaija comes from the word ‘kaijak,’ which means sea gull, and it symbolizes freedom, grace, and a connection to nature.
Kaija’s not the most graceful person out there, but the other two meanings check the boxes.
I mean, I write with a libertarian edge, so my main characters are freedom seekers. Kaija also holds a connection to nature, something you’ll see often in Cursed Mage.
The name Jokiharju hints at Kaija’s Mage ability
For the uninitiated, the word joki means river in Finnish, and harju means ridge. Put together, it means river ridge. Kaija is around water a lot, something you see starting in the Prologue.
She’s always been attracted to water, so joki was a great way to convey that in addition to the Henri Jokiharju nod. Then, there’s harju, which, when you translate the word into English and trace it back to the Proto-Germanic word hrukhi, and trace it even further back to the Proto-Indo-European root kreuk, it means bend or curve.
Since Avatar: The Last Airbender’s the reason elemental magic was my system of choice, you got a word relating to water in joki, and one that ultimately pertains to bend when traced back far enough in harju.
That said, the name Kaija Jokiharju holds a hidden, layered meaning.
Catch Kaija Jokiharju in Cursed Mage and beyond
Kaija’s mentioned in passing, and not by name at the very end of my prequel short novel, Deceived Mage, starring Vesala “Ella” Kinnunen. But she’s front and center when Cursed Mage rolls around, and you’re gonna get a fearless girl who makes it her mission to help put a drowned ghost’s soul to rest.
If you’re ready to meet our rune witch turned Water Mage, check out Cursed Mage and get the work directly through my store for a lower price than what you’d get it at the ‘Zon. And best yet, I don’t harvest your data.
