Finlay is a boy name with a rare feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Finlay means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Finlay across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Finlay has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Finlay is a boy name of Scottish (Gaelic) origin meaning “fair warrior, or fair hero”. From Gaelic Fionnlagh, meaning white or fair champion.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 1,306 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 18,110 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 7,298 births |
| Northern Ireland since 1997 | 398 births |
| Ireland since 1964 | 161 births |
Counts come from official national birth-registration statistics: U.S. Social Security Administration, England & Wales (Office for National Statistics), Scotland (National Records of Scotland), Northern Ireland (NISRA), Ireland (Central Statistics Office) and New Zealand (Dept. of Internal Affairs). Coverage spans differ, so totals aren't directly comparable across countries.
Babies named Finlay per year, England & Wales (1996 to 2025). England & Wales peaked in 2007 (1,351/yr) · Scotland peaked in 2007 (370/yr) · United States peaked in 2017 (75/yr) · Northern Ireland peaked in 2013 (30/yr) · Ireland peaked in 2009 (15/yr).
Finlay is an uncommon baby name in the United States. It was most common in 2017, when it ranked #4,265 nationally (given to 767 babies that year).
Finley · Finnley · Finlee · Vinal · Fynlee · Finnlee · Vonley · Vinola
Not sure if it's the one? The best way to know is to see if your partner loves it too. Swipe baby names with your partner and match on the ones you both ❤️, free, no account needed to start.
Find your name together →