boy's name
Finnegan
FIN-ih-gun (English)
- Origin Irish
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 3
- Letters 8
- Popularity Top 1000 (US)
- Births on record 14,268
the United States
#526
2025 births
Finnegan is a boy's name of Irish origin, from the surname Ó Fionnagáin, built on Fionnagán, a diminutive of Fionn, "fair" or "white." James Joyce's Finnegans Wake gave it a famous literary life, and Finn is the everyday form.
- Finnegan is a name of Irish origin.
- Peaked in 2021, when 865 babies were given the name.
- It has been rising over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 5,766 babies in the United States is given this name.
- First appears in US birth records in 1995.
- 3 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Finnegan Over Time
Births per decade in the United States, 1990s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, which so far covers 2020 to 2025.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1990s | 83 |
| 2000s | 2,212 |
| 2010s | 6,690 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 4,130 |
What Finnegan Means
Finnegan means little fair-haired one. The root Fionn describes a light complexion or fair hair, and it recalls the legendary Irish hero Fionn mac Cumhaill.
Where Finnegan Comes From
Irish fionn, fair, white or bright, is a very old element of Irish names. Fionnagán added a diminutive ending, and the surname Ó Fionnagáin, descendant of Fionnagán, arose in Connacht and elsewhere. English spelling gave Finnegan and Finnigan. The Irish ballad Finnegan's Wake, about a hod carrier revived by whiskey at his own wake, inspired James Joyce's experimental novel of 1939. American use as a first name came with the broader love of Irish surnames, and Finn gives it a short, friendly form.
Finnegan in Use
The Finn sound has grown strong for boys. Finnegan fits with Declan and Brennan, and Joyce's novel gives it a literary weight that few Irish surnames can match.
How Popular Is Finnegan?
In 2025, Finnegan was given to 575 babies in the United States, ranking #526 that year. It ranks among the top 1,000 names in the United States.
Where Finnegan Is Used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
Names That Peaked Alongside Finnegan
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents Who Like Finnegan Also Like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Finnegan over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
How to Say Finnegan
- English FIN-ih-gun /ˈfɪnɪɡən/
1 nickname for Finnegan
Each one is a name in its own right — the figure underneath is how it is doing today, so you can see which short forms are rising and which have faded.
Finnegan in Other Languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling Names for Finnegan
Names from the same era that do not rhyme or share an initial with Finnegan — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common Questions About Finnegan
What does the name Finnegan mean?
Little fair-haired one, from Irish Fionn.
Is Finnegan an Irish name?
Yes. It comes from the surname Ó Fionnagáin.
What is a nickname for Finnegan?
Finn is the natural choice.
How popular is the name Finnegan?
In 2025, Finnegan was given to 575 babies in the United States, ranking #526 that year. It ranks among the top 1,000 names in the United States.
Is Finnegan a girl's or a boy's name?
Finnegan is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Finnegan?
Finnegan has 3 syllables.
When was Finnegan most popular?
Finnegan peaked in 2021, when 865 babies were given the name. It has been rising over the past decade.
Is Finnegan a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Finnegan currently ranks #517 in the United States. It has been rising over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.