Fionnuala
Fair-shouldered or white-shouldered Irish female name.
Name Census estimates that about 156 living Americans carry the first name Fionnuala. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Fionnuala today is around 15 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Fionnuala births was 2010 (12 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Fionnuala. 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
156
~ 1 in 2,197,143 Americans
Peak year
2010
12 babies that year
Average age
15
years old
2024 SSA rank
#16,027
Tracked since 1985
Popularity
Fionnuala: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Fionnuala from the 1980s through to the 2020s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 74 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Fionnuala remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Fionnuala 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 Fionnuala during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Fionnuala
The name Fionnuala originates from the Irish language and has its roots in ancient Gaelic culture. It is a compound name formed from the words "fionn" meaning "fair" or "white," and "uallach" meaning "proud" or "noble." The name can be translated as "white shoulders" or "fair and noble one."
The name Fionnuala has been recorded in Irish literature and folklore for centuries. It is believed to have been used as early as the 6th century AD, during the medieval period in Ireland. The name is associated with several legendary figures in Irish mythology, including the beautiful princess Fionnuala, who was said to have been the daughter of the High King of Ireland, Lir.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Fionnuala can be found in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history dating back to the 15th century. The name is mentioned in an entry from the year 1470, referring to a woman named Fionnuala Ní Dhomhnaill.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Fionnuala. Fionnuala Ní Bhrólcháin (1624-1691) was an Irish noblewoman and poet from County Sligo, known for her love poetry and elegies. Fionnuala Ní Chonaill (1844-1927) was a prominent Irish language scholar and writer from County Donegal, who played a significant role in preserving Irish literature and culture.
Fionnuala Ní Dhubhghaill (1894-1981), born in County Mayo, was a renowned Irish actress and playwright, best known for her performances in Irish-language plays. Fionnuala Ní Aoláin (born 1971) is a contemporary Irish legal scholar and human rights activist, currently serving as the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights while countering terrorism.
Fionnuala Byrne (1941-2022) was an Irish author and journalist, known for her novels and non-fiction works exploring Irish history and culture. She was a recipient of the prestigious Irish Book Awards and was recognized for her contributions to literature.
The name Fionnuala has maintained its popularity and cultural significance in Irish communities throughout the centuries, serving as a testament to the rich heritage and traditions of the Gaelic world.
People
Fionnuala + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Fionnuala 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
Fionnuala: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Fionnuala?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 156 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Fionnuala 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 2,197,143 US residents.
Is Fionnuala a common name?
We classify Fionnuala as "Very Rare". It ranks above 70.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 158 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Fionnuala most popular?
The single biggest year for Fionnuala was 2010, when 12 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Fionnuala is about 15 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Fionnuala a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Fionnuala 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.
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.