Wirtanen

Wirtanen is a Finnish family name .

It is synonymous with the name Virtanen , which is composed of the word virta , "river, stream" and the name suffix -nen , and preserves an older spelling; the letter W was replaced by the V in Finnish around 1910–1920, except in foreign words and sometimes in proper names.

Name bearer

• Atos Wirtanen (1906–1979), Finnish journalist, writer and politician
• Carl Alvar Wirtanen (1910–1990), American astronomer
• Petteri Wirtanen (* 1986), Finnish ice hockey player

See also

• 46P / Wirtanen , short period comet, named after Carl Alvar Wirtanen