The name Vantaa was taken into use in 1972 when the municipality gained market town rights. The first record of the area is as Helsinge in 1351 when king Magnus II of Sweden granted salmon fishing rights on the river Vantaa to the Estonian Padise monastery. The municipality was formerly known as Helsingin maalaiskunta ("Helsinki Rural Commune"). The rapids of river Vantaa were known as Helsingfors, from which the current Swedish name of Helsinki derives. In 1972, the municipality was renamed Vantaa (Swedish Vanda) and promoted to a köping (market town) (i.e. Vantaan kauppala/Vanda köping). In 1974 got full city rights as Vantaan kaupunki/Vanda stad "City of Vantaa"
