Insight into the city/town names of Latvia

. The origin of place names is a research topic for linguists (or onomasticians) and geographers, but since ancient times a wide range of people have also been interested in the subject. As Latvia is the closest neighbour to both Lithuania and Estonia, they share, to a large extent, a common history, as well as – because of this fact – a number of borrowed common words and names. This article is based on the toponymical material included in the short dictionary of Latvian geographical names entitled “No Abavas līdz Zilupei” (“From Abava to Zilupe. The origin of Latvian geographical names”), which was compiled by Laimute Balode and Ojārs Buss and published in Rīga in 2015. It offers insights into the contemporary situation of Latvian oikonyms as well as providing comparisons of the names of inhabited places with their historical names. Kokkuvote. Laimute Balode: Pilk Lati linnanimedele. Kohanimede paritolu on keeleteadlaste (tapsemalt nimeuurijate) ja geograafide uurimisvaldkond, mis on ammustest aegadest huvi pakkunud ka koikidele teistele. Kuna Lati on Leedu ja Eesti lahinaaber, jagavad riigid suurel maaral uhist ajalugu, mistottu on neil ka hulk uhiseid laensonu ja laenatud nimesid. Kaesolev artikkel pohineb Lati kohanimeleksikoni “No Abavas līdz Zilupei” toponuumilisel ainestikul. See heidab pilgu tanapaeva Lati oikonuumide olukorrale ning vordleb asustuste nimesid nende ajalooliste nimedega. Marksonad : onomastika; linnanimed; Lati