Finn vs Theodore
Finn and Theodorecompared 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.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2025, Finn was ranked #52 and Theodore #3 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2023, Finn was ranked #32 and Theodore #6 among boys in New Zealand.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2025, Finn was ranked #74 and Theodore #9 among boys in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Finn was ranked #15 and Theodore #32 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Finn was ranked #15 and Theodore #44 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Finn was ranked #17 and Theodore #36 among boys in Scotland.
Finn and Theodore over time
Finn and Theodore appear together in 5 published lists, across 95 years of shared records. Finn held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Theodore in 2.
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.
Finn reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, and Theodore 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.
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.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2019, Theodore moved ahead of Finn in New Zealand · Boys — #32 and #36 the year before became #32 and #15.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 30 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Finn and Theodore averaged 47.1 places apart, ending at #74 and #9.
- Longest-running competitions
Finn and Theodore were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #74 and #9.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Finn #72 in 2021, Theodore #8 in 2022.
List by list
England and Wales · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025
Finn held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Theodore in 18.
Highest recorded here: Finn #72 in 2021, Theodore #8 in 2022.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Finn #74, Theodore #9.
Republic of Ireland · Boys26 shared years, 1988–2025
Finn held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Theodore in 0.
Highest recorded here: Finn #6 in 2020, Theodore #44 in 2025.
The order changed in 1992: Finn moved ahead. In 1991 they stood at #319 and #319; by 1992 that had become #238 and #298.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Finn #15, Theodore #44.
Northern Ireland · Boys17 shared years, 2001–2024
Finn held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Theodore in 0.
Highest recorded here: Finn #7 in 2020, Theodore #32 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Finn #15, Theodore #32.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys11 shared years, 2015–2025
Finn held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Theodore in 10.
Highest recorded here: Finn #39 in 2017, Theodore #3 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Finn #52, Theodore #3.
New Zealand · Boys11 shared years, 2013–2023
Finn held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Theodore in 5.
Highest recorded here: Finn #25 in 2020, Theodore #6 in 2022.
The order changed in 2019: Theodore moved ahead. In 2018 they stood at #32 and #36; by 2019 that had become #32 and #15.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Finn #32, Theodore #6.
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 | Finn | Theodore |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Traditionally associated with the Irish hero Fionn mac Cumhaill; functions as the usual Anglicised spelling of the Irish name Fionn. | Gift of God. |
| Origin | Irish | Greek |
| Pronunciation | /fɪn/ | /ˈθiəˌdɔɹ/ |
| Syllables | 1 | 3 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Teddy |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #15 (2025) | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #3 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 76/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | high |
What the data shows
- Finn is recorded with a Irish origin, while Theodore is recorded with a Greek origin.
- Finn has 1 syllable, compared with 3 for Theodore.
- Finn's recorded meaning differs from Theodore's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
- The available evidence gives Finn a "medium" Data Confidence level and Theodore a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
Finn
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #31 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1982–2025
Highest recorded position: #6 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2020 (recorded 1982–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #74 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Boys
Theodore
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #214 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded2015–2025
Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2024 (recorded 2015–2025).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #9 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Boys