Finbar: Meaning, Pronunciation and Origin
Finbar is an Irish boy's name meaning “fair-haired.” Here’s how to say it, where it comes from, and names that go well with it.
Updated September 2026
- Meaning
- Fair-haired
- Gender
- Boy
- English forms
- Barra, Bairre, Barry
How do you pronounce Finbar?
Finbar is pronounced FIN-bar. It has two syllables, with the stress on the first.
What does Finbar mean?
Meaning “fair-haired,” the name has been popular since the sixth century when St. Finbar came to an area of Cork that was being tormented by a serpent. The people begged him to do something to help them. One night he went to where the serpent was sleeping and sprinkled it with holy water. The angry serpent tore and devoured the land until she slithered into the sea at Cork Harbor. The track she left behind filled with water and became the River Lee and that’s why St. Finbar is the patron saint of Cork. It is said that the sun didn’t set for two weeks after Finbar’s death.
How popular is Finbar in Ireland?
Finbar wasn't in the 2025 tables, which list names given to at least three babies. It was last recorded in 2024, when 5 baby boys got the name. It was most popular in 1967, when 45 baby boys were named Finbar, No. 90 that year. The records go back to 1964, when 26 baby boys were given the name.
See the numbers by year
| Year | Babies | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 5 | No. 582 |
| 2022 | 4 | No. 657 |
| 2019 | 3 | No. 764 |
| 2018 | 4 | No. 635 |
| 2016 | 4 | No. 601 |
| 2015 | 4 | No. 615 |
| 2014 | 5 | No. 550 |
| 2011 | 3 | No. 730 |
| 2010 | 3 | No. 720 |
| 2009 | 7 | No. 429 |
| 2006 | 5 | No. 423 |
| 2004 | 4 | No. 439 |
| 2000 | 4 | No. 347 |
| 1999 | 5 | No. 290 |
| 1998 | 5 | No. 280 |
| 1997 | 7 | No. 261 |
| 1996 | 5 | No. 295 |
| 1995 | 5 | No. 281 |
| 1994 | 10 | No. 198 |
| 1993 | 6 | No. 255 |
| 1992 | 12 | No. 192 |
| 1991 | 9 | No. 205 |
| 1990 | 11 | No. 193 |
| 1989 | 10 | No. 190 |
| 1988 | 7 | No. 215 |
| 1987 | 6 | No. 235 |
| 1986 | 11 | No. 192 |
| 1985 | 8 | No. 207 |
| 1984 | 10 | No. 197 |
| 1983 | 14 | No. 178 |
| 1982 | 19 | No. 161 |
| 1981 | 15 | No. 176 |
| 1980 | 17 | No. 174 |
| 1979 | 16 | No. 172 |
| 1978 | 24 | No. 144 |
| 1977 | 19 | No. 159 |
| 1976 | 13 | No. 190 |
| 1975 | 27 | No. 131 |
| 1974 | 29 | No. 128 |
| 1973 | 29 | No. 131 |
| 1972 | 43 | No. 111 |
| 1971 | 44 | No. 110 |
| 1970 | 32 | No. 114 |
| 1969 | 27 | No. 121 |
| 1968 | 35 | No. 101 |
| 1967 | 45 | No. 90 |
| 1966 | 42 | No. 94 |
| 1965 | 29 | No. 107 |
| 1964 | 26 | No. 105 |
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.
- FFearn, alder
- IIodhadh, yew
- NNion, ash
- BBeith, birch
- AAilm, pine
- RRuis, elder
Write any name in Ogham with our Ogham translator
Names that go with Finbar
Questions about Finbar
- How do you pronounce Finbar?
- Finbar is pronounced FIN-bar. Two syllables, stress on the first.
- What does Finbar mean?
- Finbar means “fair-haired.”
- Is Finbar a girl's name or a boy's name?
- Finbar is a boy's name.
- What is Finbar in English?
- The English forms of Finbar are Barra, Bairre and Barry.