The town is named after the nearby lake. According to Sammallahti (1999), the word is of Finno-Samic origin (*timpele) and cognate with Northern Samidappal.[1] However, Heikkilä (2012) argues that the Finnic word, from Middle Proto-Finnic *timpel, is borrowed from Proto-Samic*tëmpël.[2]
^ Sirkka Paikkala, editor (2007), Suomalainen paikannimikirja [Book of Finnish Place names] (in Finnish), Helsinki: Karttakeskus, Kotimaisten kielten tutkimuskeskus, →ISBN
^ Mikko Heikkilä. Etymologinen tapaus Tammerkoski. Sananjalka 54 (2012)