Namewise

Finlay vs Keegan

Finlay and Keegancompared on official birth-registration statistics and Namewise's recorded data. This page states what each name's record shows — it never picks a winner or scores one name against the other.

Head to head

Ranks are only compared within one published list and one year. Two ranks from different years, from a boys' and a girls' list, or from different registrars are not comparable, so they are not placed side by side.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Finlay was ranked #11 and Keegan #478 among boys in Scotland.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2024, Finlay was ranked #136 and Keegan #305 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2024, Finlay was ranked #181 and Keegan #773 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Finlay was ranked #372 and Keegan #348 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2016, Finlay was ranked #5785 and Keegan #4763 among girls in England and Wales.

Finlay and Keegan over time

Finlay and Keegan appear together in 4 published lists, across 76 years of shared records. Finlay held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Keegan in 1.

The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Finlay reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Keegan in 1. Each position is a place inside its own list, so this compares when they peaked and never how high.

Counted list by list. Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale in the same year, so those comparisons are real — but positions from different lists are not, so nothing here is combined into an overall standing.

How this pair is related

The relationship kinds these two qualify for, each under its own stated rule. Every one is drawn from a list they both appear in.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Finlay #752 in 1999, Keegan #1802 in 1997.

List by list

  • England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 19962024

    Finlay held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Keegan in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Finlay #57 in 2005, Keegan #306 in 2008.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Finlay #181, Keegan #773.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys19 shared years, 20072025

    Finlay held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Keegan in 14.

    Highest recorded here: Finlay #292 in 2009, Keegan #168 in 2020.

    The order changed in 2012: Keegan moved ahead. In 2011 they stood at #407 and #490; by 2012 that had become #616 and #457.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Finlay #372, Keegan #348.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys16 shared years, 20052024

    Finlay held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Keegan in 2.

    Highest recorded here: Finlay #102 in 2013, Keegan #185 in 2019.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Finlay #136, Keegan #305.

  • England and Wales · Girls12 shared years, 19962016

    Finlay held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Keegan in 2.

    Highest recorded here: Finlay #752 in 1999, Keegan #1802 in 1997.

    The order changed in 2010: Keegan moved ahead. In 2009 they stood at #2627 and #5201; by 2010 that had become #5707 and #4012.

    Most recent shared year, 2016: Finlay #5785, Keegan #4763.

Two names moving past each other in a ranking is a fact about the ranking. Namewise does not claim one name displaced the other, that families chose between them, or that either influenced the other — none of that is in this data.

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Finlay, Keegan
FieldFinlayKeegan
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Official statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
OriginNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
PronunciationNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageGB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IEGB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #372 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Boys #348 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recordedNot yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)88/10088/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Finlay and Keegan both have 2 syllables.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.

How each name got here

Finlay

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1996

    First recorded at #1646 among girls in England and Wales in 1996 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    England and Wales · Girls

  2. Highest recorded2024–2024

    Highest recorded position: #11 among boys in Scotland, in 2024 (recorded 2024–2024).

    Scotland · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #372 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

Keegan

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1996

    First recorded at #2683 among girls in England and Wales in 1996 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    England and Wales · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1996–2001

    Highest recorded position: #70 among boys in New Zealand, in 1997 (recorded 1996–2001).

    New Zealand · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #348 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.

    Republic of Ireland · Boys