Finn
Say it: FIN/ˈfɪn/
BoyIrishMythologyMeans fair, bright, as the old spelling of Fionn4 letters1 syllable
#15
in Ireland (2025)
#16 with spellings combined
220
babies in 2025
#9
best rank (2020)
5,321
babies since 1982
Up 14
10-year rank change
Finn through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (boys) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 220 | #16 |
| 2024 | 255 | #13 |
| 2023 | 251 | #12 |
| 2022 | 269 | #15 |
| 2021 | 299 | #15 |
| 2020 | 331 | #9 |
| 2019 | 256 | #23 |
| 2018 | 282 | #18 |
| 2017 | 265 | #23 |
| 2016 | 314 | #20 |
| 2015 | 260 | #30 |
| 2014 | 224 | #32 |
| 2013 | 246 | #30 |
| 2012 | 218 | #38 |
| 2011 | 242 | #36 |
| 2010 | 191 | #46 |
| 2009 | 187 | #48 |
| 2008 | 172 | #49 |
| 2007 | 150 | #54 |
| 2006 | 116 | #66 |
| 2005 | 137 | #57 |
| 2004 | 92 | #71 |
| 2003 | 83 | #75 |
| 2002 | 63 | #88 |
| 2001 | 55 | #95 |
| 2000 | 35 | #125 |
| 1999 | 14 | #184 |
| 1998 | 22 | #145 |
| 1997 | 12 | #209 |
| 1996 | 11 | #208 |
| 1995 | 8 | #234 |
| 1994 | 5 | #263 |
| 1993 | 3 | #339 |
| 1992 | 7 | #238 |
| 1991 | 5 | #263 |
| 1990 | 5 | #256 |
| 1989 | 3 | #307 |
| 1988 | 3 | #319 |
| 1987 | 3 | #303 |
| 1986 | 3 | #317 |
| 1982 | 4 | #286 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0.
★ What does Finn mean?
Fair, bright, as the old spelling of Fionn
Irish, the old spelling of Fionn (fair), and separately an Old Norse name.
Say it right
FIN
The story of Finn
In Ireland, Finn is mostly the older spelling of Fionn, which means fair, white or bright. Finn was the usual form in Old and Middle Irish, and it lives on in the English name of the legendary hero Finn McCool, Fionn mac Cumhaill. Separately, Finn is also a Scandinavian name, from the Old Norse Finnr, a word used for the Sámi people.
A well-known folk tale says Finn built the Giant’s Causeway on the Antrim coast so that he could cross the sea and fight the Scottish giant Benandonner. In one version his wife Sadhbh dresses him as a baby, and the visitor, seeing the size of the child, runs home in fright and tears up the causeway behind him.
Finn first appears in the CSO records in 1982. It grew steadily after 2000 and had its best year in 2020, reaching number 9 on the combined count and number 6 on the CSO’s own list, with 331 boys. The CSO counts Finn and Fionn as separate names, and both are popular. In Northern Ireland Finn reached seventh place in 2020.
Say it differently where you're from, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Sources
- Wiktionary: Finn (English proper noun)
- Wikipedia: Finn (given name)
- Wikipedia: Giant's Causeway
- CSO VSA50, Boys Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
- NISRA, First Forenames Given to Babies Registered in Northern Ireland
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Finn | 220 | 5,321 |
In Northern Ireland
#16 in 2025 with 80 babies. Best rank #7 (2020); 1,706 babies since 1997.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.
Finn is also given to girls: 3 since 2021.