Where does “Saaremaa” come from?

Saaremaa (Estonian) comes from Estonian Saar, from Proto-Finnic sarni, from Polish Sarna, from Proto-Slavic sьrna, from Proto-Balto-Slavic śírˀnāˀ, from Proto-Indo-European ḱr̥h₂-néh₂, from Proto-Indo-European ḱerh₂- — head, top; horn.

Ancestry of “Saaremaa”, step by step

Saaremaa traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Estonian Saar

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EstonianSaar—
2Proto-Finnicsarniash tree
3PolishSarnaroe deer
4Proto-Slavicsьrnaroe; chamois
5Proto-Balto-Slavicśírˀnāˀhorn
6Proto-Indo-Europeanḱr̥h₂-néh₂—
7Proto-Indo-Europeanḱerh₂-head, top; horn

via Estonian maa

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Estonianmaaearth; land; ground
2Proto-Finnicmaaearth, ground, soil; land, country
3Proto-Uralicmëxeearth, land
4Proto-Indo-Europeanmeǵh₂sgreat
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ḱerh₂- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European ḱr̥h₂-néh₂ →Every word from Proto-Balto-Slavic śírˀnāˀ →