Etymology tree Proto-Samic *sāmē Northern Sami sápmi Northern Sami Sápmider. English Sami From Northern Sami Sápmi, from one of the Sami languages, of uncertain origin/meaning, but possibly related to Proto-Balto-Slavic *źémijāˀ (“land”). Displaced native Old English Finn (the direct descendant is Finn (“person from Finland”)). More at Sápmi and Sami.