Fionn: Meaning, Pronunciation and Origin
Fionn is an Irish boy's name meaning “fair-headed.” Here’s how to say it, where it comes from, and names that go well with it.
Updated September 2026
- Meaning
- Fair-headed
- Gender
- Boy
- Also spelled
- Finn
- Popularity in Ireland
- No. 6 for boys (2025)
How do you pronounce Fionn?
Fionn is pronounced FIN. It has one syllable. Other spellings: Finn.
What does Fionn mean?
Means “fair-headed”. Fionn Mac Cool, a central character in Irish folklore and mythology lead the warrior band, the Fianna. Fionn was not only incredibly strong but he was also extremely brave, handsome, generous and wise, a wisdom he acquired by touching the “Salmon of Knowledge” and then sucking his thumb. The name is popular in Ireland with both spellings Fionn and Finn.
Fionn in Irish legend
Grainne was the daughter of Cormac MacAirt, the high king of Ireland. No woman could compare to her beauty.
Read The Pursuit of Diarmuid and GráinneFinegas was a poet. He was one of the wisest men in Ireland.
Read The Legend of the Salmon of KnowledgeHow popular is Fionn in Ireland?
In 2025, 321 baby boys in Ireland were named Fionn, which made it No. 6 that year. Another 15 were registered as Fíonn. That's up from No. 19 ten years earlier. The most babies got the name in 2020: 353. It first appears in the records in 1971, with 5 baby boys.
See the numbers by year
| Year | Babies | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 336 | No. 6 (Fionn) |
| 2024 | 313 | No. 7 (Fionn) |
| 2023 | 329 | No. 6 (Fionn) |
| 2022 | 307 | No. 11 (Fionn) |
| 2021 | 304 | No. 14 (Fionn) |
| 2020 | 353 | No. 8 (Fionn) |
| 2019 | 311 | No. 16 (Fionn) |
| 2018 | 318 | No. 14 (Fionn) |
| 2017 | 314 | No. 14 (Fionn) |
| 2016 | 308 | No. 21 (Fionn) |
| 2015 | 325 | No. 19 (Fionn) |
| 2014 | 270 | No. 26 (Fionn) |
| 2013 | 304 | No. 25 (Fionn) |
| 2012 | 292 | No. 27 (Fionn) |
| 2011 | 255 | No. 30 (Fionn) |
| 2010 | 265 | No. 35 (Fionn) |
| 2009 | 249 | No. 34 (Fionn) |
| 2008 | 239 | No. 35 (Fionn) |
| 2007 | 246 | No. 32 (Fionn) |
| 2006 | 195 | No. 39 (Fionn) |
| 2005 | 184 | No. 38 (Fionn) |
| 2004 | 172 | No. 41 (Fionn) |
| 2003 | 102 | No. 66 (Fionn) |
| 2002 | 99 | No. 66 (Fionn) |
| 2001 | 94 | No. 68 (Fionn) |
| 2000 | 90 | No. 64 (Fionn) |
| 1999 | 47 | No. 97 (Fionn) |
| 1998 | 47 | No. 91 (Fionn) |
| 1997 | 50 | No. 99 (Fionn) |
| 1996 | 54 | No. 104 (Fionn) |
| 1995 | 40 | No. 119 (Fionn) |
| 1994 | 27 | No. 139 (Fionn) |
| 1993 | 29 | No. 132 (Fionn) |
| 1992 | 18 | No. 167 (Fionn) |
| 1991 | 21 | No. 154 (Fionn) |
| 1990 | 29 | No. 139 (Fionn) |
| 1989 | 13 | No. 177 (Fionn) |
| 1988 | 16 | No. 166 (Fionn) |
| 1987 | 15 | No. 172 (Fionn) |
| 1986 | 10 | No. 203 (Fionn) |
| 1985 | 10 | No. 194 (Fionn) |
| 1984 | 10 | No. 197 (Fionn) |
| 1983 | 8 | No. 214 (Fionn) |
| 1982 | 4 | No. 286 (Fionn) |
| 1981 | 7 | No. 239 (Fionn) |
| 1980 | 5 | No. 264 (Fionn) |
| 1978 | 7 | No. 231 (Fionn) |
| 1976 | 5 | No. 258 (Fionn) |
| 1975 | 4 | No. 290 (Fionn) |
| 1972 | 3 | No. 307 (Fionn) |
| 1971 | 5 | No. 257 (Fionn) |
Fionn 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 Fionn, letter by letter.
- FFearn, alder
- IIodhadh, yew
- OOnn, gorse
- NNion, ash
- NNion, ash
Write any name in Ogham with our Ogham translator
Names that go with Fionn
Questions about Fionn
- How do you pronounce Fionn?
- Fionn is pronounced FIN. One syllable. There's a short video above where you can hear it said.
- What does Fionn mean?
- Fionn means “fair-headed.”
- Is Fionn a girl's name or a boy's name?
- Fionn is a boy's name.
- How popular is Fionn in Ireland?
- In 2025, Fionn was No. 6 for boys in Ireland, with 321 babies, according to the Central Statistics Office. That's the highest it has ever ranked.