Finlay vs McKenna
Finlay and McKennacompared 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.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2009, Finlay was ranked #61 and McKenna #3227 among boys in England and Wales.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2018, Finlay was ranked #4684 and McKenna #2901 among girls in England and Wales.
Finlay and McKenna over time
Finlay and McKenna appear together in 1 published list, across 15 years of shared records. McKenna held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Finlay in 0.
The order between them changed and held in one 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 1 of those lists, and McKenna in none. 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.
List by list
England and Wales · Girls15 shared years, 1999–2018
Finlay held the stronger position in 6 of those years, McKenna in 7.
Highest recorded here: Finlay #752 in 1999, McKenna #2105 in 2002.
The order changed in 2008: McKenna moved ahead. In 2007 they stood at #2627 and #2895; by 2008 that had become #3005 and #3005.
Most recent shared year, 2018: Finlay #4684, McKenna #2901.
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
| Field | Finlay | McKenna |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | male | female |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE | GB-ENW, IE |
| Most recent popularity observation | England and Wales · Boys #175 (2025) | England and Wales · Girls #4201 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 60/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Finlay and McKenna both have 2 syllables.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, IE.
How each name got here
Finlay
Popularity journey
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
Highest recorded2024–2024
Highest recorded position: #11 among boys in Scotland, in 2024 (recorded 2024–2024).
Scotland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #175 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Boys
McKenna
Popularity journey
First recorded1999
First recorded at #3225 among girls in England and Wales in 1999 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
England and Wales · Girls
Highest recorded2017–2022
Highest recorded position: #873 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2017 (recorded 2017–2022).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #4201 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls