Vatanen

Vatanen is a Finnish surname. It is most commonly associated with Ari Vatanen, a retired Finnish rally driver and politician.

Ari Vatanen (born 1952) achieved considerable success in rallying, winning the World Rally Championship in 1981 and the Paris Dakar Rally four times. After his rallying career, he entered politics, serving as a Member of the European Parliament from 1999 to 2009. He represented Finland (1999-2004) and then France (2004-2009).

Beyond Ari Vatanen, the surname itself does not have a widely documented historical or cultural significance outside of Finland. Instances of individuals with the surname "Vatanen" primarily link back to Finnish origins. The name likely originates from a place name or descriptive term relating to water ("Vata" is a dialectal Finnish word referring to shallow or still water).