Finleigh
A feminine name of Scottish origin meaning "fair hero" or "fair traveler".
Name Census estimates that about 1,053 living Americans carry the first name Finleigh. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Finleigh today is around 9 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Finleigh births was 2015 (110 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Finleigh. 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 Finleigh with official rankings and popularity over time.
Key insights
- • Finleigh is a relatively new arrival in the SSA data. The average bearer is just 9 years old, meaning it gained most of its traction in the last two decades.
People living today
1.1K
~ 1 in 325,503 Americans
Peak year
2015
110 babies that year
Average age
9
years old
2024 SSA rank
#3,982
Tracked since 2005
Popularity
Finleigh: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Finleigh from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 691 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Finleigh remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Finleigh 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 Finleigh during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Finleighs live
The SSA's state-level files cover 19 states and territories. Texas, North Carolina, Missouri recorded the most babies named Finleigh, while Washington, South Carolina, Oklahoma recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 14 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Finleigh
The name Finleigh is a relatively modern invention, likely emerging in the late 20th or early 21st century. It does not appear to have roots in any specific language or culture, but rather seems to be a creative combination of elements from various sources.
One possible origin could be a blend of the Scottish surname Finley, derived from the Gaelic words "fionn" (white or fair) and "leath" (half or portion), with the English suffix "-leigh" which has been used to form feminine names. This could suggest a meaning along the lines of "fair meadow" or "fair portion."
Another potential influence is the Old English name Finlay, which comes from the elements "fin" (white or fair) and "leah" (meadow or clearing). This name has a long history of use in Scotland and England, with records dating back to the 12th century.
There are no known historical figures or references to the name Finleigh in ancient texts, religious scriptures, or historical records. This is likely due to its relatively recent coinage as a given name.
As for notable individuals with the name, the earliest recorded examples seem to be from the late 20th century. Here are five people with the first name Finleigh:
1. Finleigh Paige, an American actress and model born in 1995.
2. Finleigh Rose, an Australian singer and songwriter born in 1998.
3. Finleigh Grace, an American fashion influencer and blogger born in 1992.
4. Finleigh Harper, an American artist and painter born in 1989.
5. Finleigh Olivia, an American writer and children's book author born in 1985.
It's worth noting that the name Finleigh has gained popularity in recent years, particularly in English-speaking countries, likely due to its unique and melodic sound. However, its relatively recent emergence means that there is limited historical information available on its origins and usage.
People
Finleigh + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Finleigh 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
Finleigh: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Finleigh?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,053 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Finleigh 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 325,503 US residents.
Is Finleigh a common name?
We classify Finleigh as "Rare". It ranks above 90.4% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,060 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Finleigh most popular?
The single biggest year for Finleigh was 2015, when 110 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Finleigh is about 9 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 Finleigh in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Finleigh a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Finleigh in the SSA data are female. 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 Finleigh still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Finleigh 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 Finleigh 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 have Finleigh as a first name?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.