Milja is a Finnish short form of Emilia, which itself derives from the Latin Aemilius, a Roman family name ultimately related to Emily. The name Emilia gained prominence through literary and royal connections, including Shakespeare's tragedy Othello (1603), where Emilia is the wife of Iago. Etymology Milja belongs to a family of names sharing the root Aemilius, meaning "rival" or "imitator." The Finnish feminine forms Emmi and Milka 2 are also cute short forms. Masculine counterparts include Eemeli, Eemi, and Eemil. Notable Bearers Milja Hellsten (born 1990), Finnish curler Milja Salovaara (born 1972), Finnish costume designer Milja Simonsen (born 1997), Faroese football forward Cultural Significance In Finland, Milja has an official name day (nimipäivä) on May 19. The name is distinctively Finnish, though related names like Emilia appear across many cultures. Meaning: short form of Emilia, relating to the Roman family name Aemilius Origin: Finnish via Latin Gender: feminine Usage regions: Finland