Finlay
Gender-neutral name · Celtic · Gaelic · Irish · Scottish
Meaningfair warrior · Scottish
- US rank
- #2,604
- Syllables
- 2
- Peak
- #2,145 in 2015
50 babies were named Finlay in the US in 2025. It has dropped 58 places in five years.
Found on lists
Save adds it to your list. Vote moves it up the top voted names.
US births per million girls, 2004–2025
US births per million boys, 1918–2025
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Finlay you might not know, from US birth records. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
- How commonAbout 1 in every 34,130 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Finlay, 50 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Finlay would very likely be the only one.
- HistoryFinlay first shows up in US birth records in 1918, the first year at least 5 babies got it. It has been in use for 107 years since.
- Best yearIts best year was 2015, when it reached #2,145.
- Then vs nowFinlay is 2.9× more common today than it was in 2000. In 2000 it was given to about 1 in 98,039 baby boys; in 2025, about 1 in 34,130.
- TrendFinlay has slipped 58 places over the last five years and now sits at #2,604. Good news if you want a familiar name that fewer kids will share.
- Boy or girlFinlay is given to both boys and girls: 86% of the 58 babies named Finlay in 2025 were boys. That makes it one of the names that truly works for either.
- MeaningIn Scottish, Finlay means “fair warrior”. Our records link it to Celtic, Gaelic and Irish roots.
About the name Finlay
Finlay is a gender-neutral name of Celtic, Gaelic and Irish origin meaning “fair warrior”. It has 6 letters and 2 syllables, starting with F and ending in “-lay”. US birth records list Finlay for boys from 1918 to 2025, in 29 of those 108 years. Its best year was 2015, when it ranked #2,145 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #2,604, with 50 babies. Of the 58 US babies named Finlay in 2025, 14% were girls and 86% were boys.
Origin:Celtic namesGaelic namesIrish namesScottish names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 3.5 | 283,019 girls |
| 2010s | 7.1 | 140,056 girls |
| 2020s | 4.0 | 248,963 girls |
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1910s | 3.0 | 338,983 boys |
| 1990s | 0.7 | 1,369,863 boys |
| 2000s | 16 | 61,050 boys |
| 2010s | 24 | 42,088 boys |
| 2020s | 30 | 33,746 boys |
More Celtic names
- Girl name: Evelyn · possibly desired
- Girl name: Isla · from Islay
- Unisex name: Owen · well-born
- Unisex name: Riley · rye clearing
- Unisex name: Logan · little hollow
- Unisex name: Rowan · little red-haired one
- Unisex name: Nolan · descendant of Nuallán
- Unisex name: Cameron · crooked nose
Questions about the name Finlay
What does the name Finlay mean?
Finlay means “fair warrior” in Scottish.
What is the origin of the name Finlay?
Finlay has Celtic, Gaelic, Irish, Scottish roots in our records. Other Celtic names include Evelyn, Isla, Owen.
Is Finlay a boy or girl name?
Both. Finlay is used for boys and girls: in 2025, 14% of US babies named Finlay were girls.
How popular is the name Finlay?
Finlay ranked #2,604 for US boys in 2025, given to 50 babies. Its best year was 2015 (#2,145).