Finan
An Irish masculine name meaning "fair" or "white".
Name Census estimates that about 307 living Americans carry the first name Finan. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Finan today is around 4 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Finan births was 2023 (88 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Finan. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
307
~ 1 in 1,116,464 Americans
Peak year
2023
88 babies that year
Average age
4
years old
2024 SSA rank
#2,265
Tracked since 2019
Popularity
Finan: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Finan from the 2010s through to the 2020s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 297 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Finan by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Finan during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Finans live
The SSA's state-level files cover 7 states and territories. Texas, Michigan, Ohio recorded the most babies named Finan, while Virginia, New York, Tennessee recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 8 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Finan
The name Finan is of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic word "fionn," which means "fair" or "white." It was a popular name in ancient Ireland, particularly among the Celtic tribes that inhabited the island.
This name has its roots in Irish mythology, where it was associated with the legendary hero Finn MacCool, also known as Finn McCool or Finn mac Cumhaill. He was a famous warrior and leader who appeared in many Irish folktales and was renowned for his wisdom, bravery, and skill as a hunter.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Finan can be found in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. The annals mention a Finan of Rath Mhuighe, who was the abbot of Rath Mhuighe (now Raymoghy) in County Donegal, Ireland, in the 7th century.
Another notable figure with the name Finan was Saint Finan, an Irish monk who became the Bishop of Lindisfarne in Northumbria, England, in 651 AD. He played a crucial role in spreading Christianity in the region and is remembered for his missionary work and the establishment of several monasteries.
In the 12th century, Finan O'Gorman was a renowned Irish poet and scholar who served as the Chief Poet of Ireland. He was known for his extensive knowledge of Irish history, mythology, and literature.
During the 16th century, Finan O'Driscoll was a prominent chieftain and leader of the O'Driscoll clan in West Cork, Ireland. He was involved in several conflicts with the English forces during the Elizabethan conquest of Ireland.
Fast-forwarding to the 20th century, Finan Lynch was an Irish novelist and playwright born in 1912. He gained recognition for his works that explored the lives and struggles of working-class Irish people, such as his novel "Seamrog" and the play "The Bogs of Loughaun."
Throughout history, the name Finan has been associated with individuals from various walks of life, including religious figures, poets, warriors, and writers. While its usage may have fluctuated over time, it remains a name deeply rooted in Irish culture and heritage.
People
Finan + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Finan as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with F
Other first names starting with F with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Finan: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Finan?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 307 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Finan going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 1,116,464 US residents.
Is Finan a common name?
We classify Finan as "Very Rare". It ranks above 79.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 309 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Finan most popular?
The single biggest year for Finan was 2023, when 88 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Finan is about 4 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Finan a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Finan in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.