The baby name “Finn” may have a trendy hipster vibe these days, but its roots can be traced back centuries. It was the name of a brave warrior from Irish mythology, and many Americans associate it with Mark Twain's beloved character Huckleberry Finn. While it can be used for both boys and girls, it's generally a masculine baby name with plenty of boyish charm.
Meaning and Origin of the name Finn:
Finn is a boy's name that has a couple different origins. The Irish origin gives the meaning of “fair” or “fairhaired.” The Old Norse origin gives Finn the meaning “Sámi” (Sámi-speaking people) or “Finn” (Finnish people).
The name Finn has both Irish and Norse roots. The name Finn comes from the Irish Fionn, which means “fair” or “fairhaired.” Finn is also derived from the Old Norse Finnr, which was used to describe Sámi-speaking people or Finnish people.
Symbolism of the name Finn:
In Irish mythology, Fionn mac Cumhaill was a hunter and a brave warrior who had a magic thumb that bestowed him with great wisdom. He is often depicted fighting with his sword and spear as well as hunting with his two hounds Bran and Sceólang.
Nicknames for the name Finn:
Finn is a strong name that depicts courage. It is also a sweet-sounding name. There are only a few nicknames associated with Finn because it's such a short name. We put those nicknames in the list below to help you choose a nickname for your baby boy.
- Finny
- Fi
- Finley
Style of the name Finn:
Trendy
Gender of the name Finn:
Finn is a name used for both boys and girls, though it's more popular for boys
Pronunciation of the name Finn:
Fin
Number of syllables in the name Finn:
One
Emotion evoked from the name Finn:
Because of its association with characters like Finn MacCool and Huckleberry Finn, the baby name evokes the image of a brave and adventurous boy.
Alternative spellings for the name Finn:
- Fynn
- Phinn
- Phynn
Popularity of the name Finn:
Finn is a relatively new name in the United States, first making the list of the top 1,000 names for baby boys in 2000. Since then, it's been on the rise, and in 2020, it ranked at number 178, according to the Social Security Administration.
Related names for the name Finn:
Great middle names for Finn and their meanings:
- Thomas (twin)
- Riley (wood clearing)
- Gabriel (God is my strength)
- Michael (who is like God)
- Oliver (olive tree or elf warrior)
- Christopher(bearer of Christ)
Famous people with the name Finn:
- Finn Graff (illustrator)
- Finn Jones (actor)
- Finn Ronne (explorer)
- Finn Russell (rugby player)
- Finn Wolfhard (actor)
Finns in popular culture:
- Finn Hudson (character on the TV show “Glee”)
- Finn FN-2187 (character in the “Star Wars” movies)
- Finn McMissile (character in the movie “Cars 2”)
- Finn(character in the book and movie “How to Make an American Quilt”)
- Finn O'Connor (character in the soap opera “Hollyoaks”)
The image featured at the top of this post is ©Oksana Kuzmina/Shutterstock.com.