Finlay

Finlay - A very unique male name

Finlay appeared on the charts for the first time in 2001 on position #3159. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Finlay and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Finlay? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Finlay. The baby boy name Finlay was given to 13 baby boys in 2025, ranking #2840 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 112,791 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Finlay peaked in popularity 11 years ago in 2015 on position 2051.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Finlay, 1-5?

Finlay is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Finlay is currently topping the baby name charts in New York at position #1,632 - and is the least popular in California at position #2,057.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Finlay is where you live.

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Finlay origin and meaning

Scottish Gaelic

From Scottish Gaelic Fionnlagh, from fionn 'white, fair' and laogh 'hero' — 'fair hero'

Finlay is a Scottish clan name and given name, long used in Scotland, that entered US data in 2001 as part of the Finn-name wave. It peaked in 2015 and has eased back since, though it remains the classic Scottish spelling in the Finn family.

Attested etymology

Finlay is a 6 letter name with 2 syllables.

To see famous people named Finlay, pop culture references for the name Finlay and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Finlay

We've found the following names that sound similar to Finlay, sorted by popularity.

Finley / Finnley / Finnlee / Female /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Finlay

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Finlay a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Finlay?

2 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

FIN-lay · /ˈfɪnleɪ/

Around the world

• Fionnlagh (Scottish Gaelic) — The original Gaelic form
• Fionnlagh (Irish) — Also an Irish Gaelic form

Spellings and nicknames

• Finley — The commoner American spelling, also in US data
• Finn — The short form, a separate established name

Nicknames: Finn

Famous bearers

None yet — the name first appears in the data in 2001, and its oldest bearers are still young.

Style

International

Why parents choose it

The Scottish spelling of the Finn family — traditional in Scotland, softer than Finn alone, and now past its US peak.

Worth knowing

• Finley is the spelling most Americans will write