Bairre: Short for Finbar

Bairre is short for Finbar, a boy's name meaning “fair head.” Here’s how to say Finbar, where it comes from, and names that go well with it.

Updated November 2026

How do you say Finbar?

Bairre is short for Finbar. Finbar is pronounced FIN-bar. It has two syllables, with the stress on the first.

What does Finbar mean?

Finbar means “fair head.” Bairre is a short form of it.

Read more about Finbar: its meaning, origin and stories

How popular is Bairre in Ireland?

Bairre is rare in Ireland. Since 1964, fewer than three baby boys a year have been registered with the name, so it doesn't appear in the Central Statistics Office's baby name tables.

Source: Central Statistics Office, Irish Babies’ Names 2025 and its boys' names table.

Finbar in Ogham

Ogham is the oldest way of writing Irish. It was carved along the edges of standing stones, mostly between the 4th and 6th centuries, and read from the bottom up. In later tradition each letter was named after a tree or plant. Here’s Finbar, letter by letter.

Write any name in Ogham with our Ogham translator

Names that go with Bairre

Questions about Bairre

What is Bairre short for?

Bairre is short for Finbar, a boy's name meaning “fair head.” Finbar is pronounced FIN-bar.

How do you pronounce Finbar?

Finbar is pronounced FIN-bar, with two syllables and the stress on the first.

Is Bairre a girl's name or a boy's name?

Bairre is a boy's name.

Is Bairre a rare name?

Yes. Fewer than three boys a year are registered as Bairre in Ireland, too few to appear in the Central Statistics Office's tables.

Sources: popularity from the Central Statistics Office, table VSA50 (CC BY 4.0). Meaning and origin from Woulfe, Irish Names and Surnames (1923), Wikipedia, roaringwaterjournal.com and en.wikisource.org. How we research names: our sources. Spotted a mistake? support@babynamesofireland.com