The first name Finnegan
A boy’s name from Irish meaning “descendant of fionnagán”.
3 syllables Male Also a surname
Meaning and origin
Irish origin
Finnegan means “descendant of fionnagán” in Irish.
Borrowed from Irish Ó Fionnagáin (“descendant of Fionnagán”). Fionnagán is a given name that descends from Old Irish Finnacán, which is typically anglicised as Finnegan itself.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 8 boys were named Finnegan, making it the 2,664th most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 2023, with 12 births (#1,906).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Finnegan with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Finnegan at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 569 boys born in the United States were named Finnegan, the 526th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 2021, when 860 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Nicknames and spellings
Other spellings and forms
- Finigan
- Finnigan
More Irish boys’ names
Questions
- What does the name Finnegan mean?
- Finnegan means “descendant of fionnagán” in Irish.
- What is the origin of the name Finnegan?
- Borrowed from Irish Ó Fionnagáin (“descendant of Fionnagán”). Fionnagán is a given name that descends from Old Irish Finnacán, which is typically anglicised as Finnegan itself.
- How popular is the name Finnegan?
- In 2025, 8 boys born in England and Wales were named Finnegan, ranking 2,664th. Its peak was 2023, with 12 births.
- Is Finnegan a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 99% of the 13,115 US babies named Finnegan since 1880 were boys.
- When was Finnegan most popular?
- 2021 in the United States, when 860 babies were named Finnegan, its highest rank at 378th.
- What are other spellings of Finnegan?
- Finigan and Finnigan.
- Is Finnegan also a surname?
- Yes. Finnegan is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.