Finbar
Fair-headed, fair-haired young warrior. (of Irish origin)
Name Census estimates that about 146 living Americans carry the first name Finbar. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Finbar today is around 17 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Finbar births was 2009 (16 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Finbar. 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
146
~ 1 in 2,347,632 Americans
Peak year
2009
16 babies that year
Average age
17
years old
2022 SSA rank
#9,255
Tracked since 1998
Popularity
Finbar: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Finbar from the 1990s through to the 2020s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 80 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2000s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Finbar 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 Finbar during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Finbars live
Origin
Meaning and history of Finbar
The name Finbar has its origins in the Irish language and culture, with its earliest recorded usage dating back to the 6th century AD. It is derived from the Gaelic words "fionn" meaning fair or white, and "barr" meaning head or top, essentially translating to "fair-headed" or "white-haired".
This name was particularly popular in Ireland during the medieval period, with several notable figures bearing the moniker. One of the most renowned was Saint Finbar, a 6th-century Irish bishop and founder of a monastic school in Cork, Ireland. His life and teachings were recorded in the ancient Irish annals, and he is revered as the patron saint of the Diocese of Cork and Ross.
Another historical figure with this name was Finbar Fuathnacháin, an Irish king who ruled the Kingdom of Leinster in the 10th century. His reign was marked by conflicts with the neighboring kingdoms, and his exploits were chronicled in the medieval Irish annals.
During the 12th century, Finbar mac Donnchadha was a prominent Irish cleric and scribe who served as the Bishop of Derry. He was known for his contributions to the preservation of Irish literature and manuscripts.
In more recent times, Finbar Furey, born in 1946, is an Irish singer, songwriter, and guitarist who has played a significant role in the revival of traditional Irish folk music. He has released numerous albums and continues to perform and tour internationally.
Finbar Lynch, born in 1957, is an Irish actor best known for his roles in films such as "Waking Ned Devine" and "Calvary". He has had a prolific career in both film and television, and is highly regarded for his versatility and talent.
While the name Finbar has its roots in Irish culture, it has also gained popularity in other parts of the world, particularly in English-speaking countries with strong Irish diasporas. The name continues to be a source of cultural pride and connection to Ireland's rich heritage.
People
Finbar + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Finbar 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
Finbar: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Finbar?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 146 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Finbar 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 2,347,632 US residents.
Is Finbar a common name?
We classify Finbar as "Very Rare". It ranks above 69.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 148 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Finbar most popular?
The single biggest year for Finbar was 2009, when 16 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Finbar is about 17 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Finbar a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Finbar 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.