Finis
A Latin masculine name meaning "the end" or "final".
Name Census estimates that about 574 living Americans carry the first name Finis. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Finis today is around 71 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Finis births was 1922 (70 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Finis. 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.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Finis is about 71 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Finis' were born before 1965.
People living today
574
~ 1 in 597,133 Americans
Peak year
1922
70 babies that year
Average age
71
years old
2009 SSA rank
#3,833
Tracked since 1880
Gender
Gender distribution for Finis
Out of the 2,200 babies given the name Finis since 1880, 99.8% were registered as male. The name sits firmly on the male side of the spectrum, with only a handful of female registrations across the entire dataset.
Finis as a male name
- Ranked #13,088 in 2009
- 5 male births in 2009
- Peak: 1922 (70 births)
Finis as a female name
- Ranked #3,833 in 1914
- 5 female births in 1914
- Peak: 1914 (5 births)
Popularity
Finis: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Finis from the 1880s through to the 2000s, spanning 13 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 529 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1920s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Finis 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 Finis during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Finis' live
The SSA's state-level files cover 8 states and territories. Texas, Tennessee, Arkansas recorded the most babies named Finis, while Alabama, Illinois, Missouri recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 129 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Finis
The name Finis has its origins in the Latin language and can be traced back to ancient Roman times. It is derived from the Latin word "finis," which means "end" or "boundary." The name was likely given to signify the end of a journey, a new beginning, or a boundary or milestone in life.
In ancient Roman culture, the concept of "finis" held significant importance, as it was associated with the completion of tasks, the achievement of goals, and the marking of transitions. It was often used in various contexts, such as literature, philosophy, and legal documents.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Finis can be found in the writings of the Roman historian Livy, who lived from 59 BC to 17 AD. He mentioned a Roman soldier named Finis who fought bravely in one of the Punic Wars against Carthage.
Another notable bearer of the name was Finis Erin, a Christian martyr who lived in the 3rd century AD. According to historical records, Finis Erin was a Roman citizen who converted to Christianity and was eventually executed for his faith during the persecution of Christians under the reign of Emperor Diocletian.
In the Middle Ages, the name Finis appeared in various medieval texts and records, although its usage was relatively rare. One notable figure was Finis Scotus, a Scottish philosopher and theologian who lived in the 13th century (c. 1265-1308). He was known for his contributions to the development of scholastic philosophy and his works on logic and metaphysics.
During the Renaissance period, the name Finis gained some popularity among intellectuals and scholars. One famous bearer of the name was Finis Faustus, an Italian humanist and poet who lived from 1446 to 1516. He was renowned for his Latin poetry and his contributions to the revival of classical literature.
In more recent history, the name Finis has been used by a few notable individuals, such as Finis Everhard Hendrickson (1919-2011), an American businessman and philanthropist who founded the Hendrickson Trailer Suspension Systems company.
While the name Finis is not as common today as it once was, its historical significance and connection to the Latin concept of completion and transition make it a unique and meaningful choice for parents seeking a name with a strong cultural heritage.
People
Finis + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Finis 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
Finis: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Finis?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 574 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Finis 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 597,133 US residents.
Is Finis a common name?
We classify Finis as "Very Rare". It ranks above 85.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 2,200 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Finis most popular?
The single biggest year for Finis was 1922, when 70 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Finis is about 71 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Finis a male name?
Yes, 99.8% of people registered as Finis 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.