Fionnuala
Say it: fin-OO-la
GirlIrishMythologyMeans fair shoulder9 letters3 syllables
Unranked
in 2025
0
babies in 2025
#116
best rank (1966)
1,046
babies since 1964
Fionnuala through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (girls) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 4 | #700 |
| 2015 | 3 | #895 |
| 2014 | 5 | #663 |
| 2012 | 5 | #679 |
| 2011 | 4 | #796 |
| 2010 | 6 | #594 |
| 2009 | 5 | #641 |
| 2007 | 6 | #549 |
| 2006 | 8 | #433 |
| 2005 | 4 | #588 |
| 2004 | 5 | #511 |
| 2003 | 6 | #439 |
| 2002 | 5 | #443 |
| 2001 | 8 | #335 |
| 2000 | 10 | #284 |
| 1999 | 7 | #323 |
| 1998 | 10 | #252 |
| 1997 | 23 | #193 |
| 1996 | 7 | #356 |
| 1995 | 15 | #242 |
| 1994 | 12 | #268 |
| 1993 | 15 | #242 |
| 1992 | 11 | #291 |
| 1991 | 18 | #217 |
| 1990 | 15 | #242 |
| 1989 | 20 | #203 |
| 1988 | 16 | #237 |
| 1987 | 23 | #200 |
| 1986 | 18 | #220 |
| 1985 | 21 | #215 |
| 1984 | 25 | #205 |
| 1983 | 34 | #173 |
| 1982 | 26 | #207 |
| 1981 | 27 | #206 |
| 1980 | 30 | #192 |
| 1979 | 23 | #219 |
| 1978 | 42 | #156 |
| 1977 | 36 | #167 |
| 1976 | 36 | #167 |
| 1975 | 38 | #165 |
| 1974 | 42 | #161 |
| 1973 | 40 | #162 |
| 1972 | 35 | #166 |
| 1971 | 35 | #168 |
| 1970 | 41 | #141 |
| 1969 | 37 | #154 |
| 1968 | 32 | #159 |
| 1967 | 36 | #142 |
| 1966 | 51 | #116 |
| 1965 | 31 | #144 |
| 1964 | 34 | #135 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0.
★ What does Fionnuala mean?
Fair shoulder
Irish, a form of Fionnghuala, from Old Irish find (fair) and guala (shoulder).
Say it right
finOOla
The "gh" of the older spelling Fionnghuala is silent, so both spellings sound the same.
The story of Fionnuala
Fionnuala is a form of Fionnghuala, from the Old Irish Finnguala. It joins find, fair or white, and guala, shoulder, to give “fair shoulder”. Nuala began as its short form, and Fenella is treated as its English equivalent.
In the story of the Children of Lir, Fionnuala is the daughter of Lir of the Tuatha Dé Danann. Her stepmother Aoife turns her and her brothers Aodh, Fiachra and Conn into swans, and they must wander the waters of Ireland for 900 years until a royal marriage breaks the curse. Thomas Moore’s song “The Song of Fionnuala” tells of her wanderings.
Fionnuala was at its most popular in the 1960s and 1970s. Its best year was 1966, when 51 girls were given the name and it reached number 116. It has been rare in recent years, and was last listed by the CSO in 2019. In Northern Ireland its highest place was 126th, in 2001.
Say it differently where you're from, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Sources
- Wiktionary: Fionnuala (Irish proper noun)
- Wiktionary: Fionnghuala (Irish proper noun)
- Wikipedia: Fionnuala
- CSO VSA60, Girls Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
- NISRA, Baby Names in Northern Ireland
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Nicknames
Nuala
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Fionnuala | under 3 | 1,046 |
In Northern Ireland
Not in the 2025 list. Best rank #126 (2001); 134 babies since 1997.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.