Find out how popular the first name Fion has been for the last 12 years (from 1990 to 2001) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Fion by gender

Based on the last 12 years of data, Fion is exclusively a female name.

For the most recent data in 2001, there were 9 female babies and 0 male babies born with the name Fion.

The history of the first name Fion

The name Fion is derived from the Irish Gaelic language and has its origins in ancient Celtic culture. It is believed to have emerged around the 5th or 6th century AD, during the early medieval period in Ireland. The name is thought to be a variant spelling of the Irish name Fionn, which means "fair-haired" or "white".

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Fion can be found in the Fenian Cycle of Irish mythology, where it appears as the name of the legendary hero Fion mac Cumhaill (also known as Finn McCool). This figure, who is said to have lived in the 3rd century AD, was a leader of the Fianna, a group of elite warrior-hunters in ancient Irish folklore.

During the Middle Ages, the name Fion was relatively uncommon but was occasionally used by Irish families. One notable historical figure with this name was Fion Mac Aedha (born around 1590), an Irish Catholic priest and scholar who served as the Bishop of Kilmore from 1629 until his death in 1653.

In the 18th century, the name Fion appeared in the writings of the Irish poet and songwriter Seán Ó Neachtain (1650-1728), who composed a number of poems and songs featuring characters with this name.

In more recent times, the name Fion has been used by several notable individuals, including Fion Gunn (1901-1988), a Scottish artist and painter known for her landscapes and portraits, and Fion Murah (born 1976), a Malaysian writer and activist who has authored several books on human rights and social justice issues.

Other historical figures who bore the name Fion include Fion O'Donnell (1532-1601), an Irish chieftain and Lord of Tír Chonaill (modern-day County Donegal), and Fion MacCormick (1906-1994), a Canadian politician who served as a member of the House of Commons of Canada from 1957 to 1962.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Fion was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Fion, please contact us.

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!