Finlan
A diminutive form of the Irish name Finnian, meaning "fair, white."
Name Census estimates that about 10 living Americans carry the first name Finlan. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Finlan today is around 4 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Finlan births was 2021 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Finlan. 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.
For a British comparison, Name Census UK has a UK baby-name profile for Finlan with official rankings and popularity over time.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Finlan. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
10
~ 1 in 34,275,434 Americans
Peak year
2021
5 babies that year
Average age
4
years old
2023 SSA rank
#12,826
Tracked since 2021
Popularity
Finlan: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Finlan 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 Finlan during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 10 | 0 | 10 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Finlan
The given name Finlan has its roots in the Gaelic language, originating from the ancient Celtic cultures of Ireland and Scotland. It is derived from the Old Irish word "finn," which means "fair" or "white," often referring to fair hair or complexion. The name can also be traced back to the ancient Irish hero Fionn mac Cumhaill, a legendary warrior and leader from Irish mythology.
Finlan was a popular name among the ancient Celts, especially in Ireland and Scotland, where it was often bestowed upon individuals with fair features. The name appears in various historical records and ancient texts, such as the Fenian Cycle of Irish mythology, which tells the stories of Fionn mac Cumhaill and his band of warriors known as the Fianna.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Finlan dates back to the 6th century CE, with Saint Finlan (also known as Findlán or Finlugain), an Irish monk and abbot who founded several monasteries in Ireland. Another notable figure was Finlan (or Finnian) of Moville, a 6th-century Irish saint and founder of the Monastery of Moville.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Finlan. One of the most prominent was Finlan of Clonard (470-549 CE), an Irish monk and teacher who established the Monastery of Clonard, which became a renowned center of learning in medieval Ireland.
Another significant figure was Finlan of Leinster (d. 796 CE), an Irish king who ruled over the Kingdom of Leinster in the late 8th century. He played a crucial role in the Irish annals, participating in various battles and political events of his time.
In the 11th century, Finlan (or Finnghuala) (d. 1076 CE) was the daughter of the King of Munster and the wife of the High King of Ireland, Donnchad mac Briain. She was known for her patronage of the arts and her support of various religious institutions.
Finlan was also a name used in Scotland, particularly among the Gaelic-speaking communities. One notable Scottish figure was Finlan (or Finlay) of Moray (d. 1153 CE), a Scottish bishop and Abbot of the Monastery of Pluscarden, who played a significant role in the religious and cultural life of medieval Scotland.
While the name Finlan has its roots in the ancient Celtic cultures, it has remained in use throughout the centuries, albeit with varying popularity in different regions. Its association with fairness, heroism, and historical figures has contributed to its enduring legacy as a given name.
People
Finlan + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Finlan 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
Finlan: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Finlan?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 10 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Finlan 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 34,275,434 US residents.
Is Finlan a common name?
We classify Finlan as "Very Rare". It ranks above 28.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 10 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Finlan most popular?
The single biggest year for Finlan was 2021, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Finlan is about 4 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Finlan in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Finlan a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Finlan 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.
Is Finlan still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Finlan in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Finlan can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
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.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people are named Finlan?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.