Finlay

maleStatistical record

What official birth registration shows about Finlay: which national registrars published it, in which years, and how its recorded position changed.

No researched meaning, origin or pronunciation yet — what that means.

Finlay: Recorded every year since 1996, its highest recorded position is #11, and it stood at #372 in 2025.

4registrars recorded it
99times a registrar ranked it
30years from first to last
#11highest recorded position
23groupings it qualifies for
1name it appears alongside

What stands out in Finlay's record

England and Wales registered 1,343 births with the name in 2007, its largest count from any one registrar. Names by yearly birth count
Moved 361 places between two consecutive years — its largest recorded change. Names by largest single-year move

Region

Falling

among girls in England and Wales · 1996–2018

View as table

England and Wales · Girls rank by year
Year	Rank
1996	#1646
1997	#1234
1998	#995
1999	#752
2000	#782
2001	#853
2002	#998
2003	#1325
2004	#1952
2005	#2438
2006	#2509
2007	#2627
2008	#3005
2009	#4564
2010	#5707
2011	#5785
2013	#5742
2016	#5785
2018	#4684

VerifiedSource: Office for National Statistics — Baby Names in England and Wales.Confidence: high.

See all England and Wales names · Source: Office for National Statistics — Baby Names in England and Wales

What the data shows

FallingEngland and Wales · Girls

Recorded in official data among boys in England and Wales in every year from 1996 to 2024.

In 2024: #11 among boys in Scotland, #136 among boys in Northern Ireland, #181 among boys in England and Wales, #520 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

Official data from 4 national registrars across 4 regions, 1996–2025 · Office for National Statistics. Data sources

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 #372 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys

Finlay appears in 5 of the published lists Namewise holds. The longest record is England and Wales · Boys, which has ranked it in 29 years beginning in 1996, and has registered 17,879 births with the name.

Finlay across 5 official records

Each registrar publishes its own list, so these figures are read down a row, never across one. A position in one country is not comparable with a position in another, and Namewise never combines them into a single ranking. The birth counts do not compare across rows either, for a different reason: England and Wales registers roughly thirty times as many births a year as Northern Ireland, so a larger total says which registrar recorded it as much as how widely the name was given.

Finlay's first, highest and most recent recorded position in each official list, with the number of births each registrar registered with the name and its largest single year
Published list	First recorded	Highest	Most recent	Years recorded	Births registered	Most in one year
England and Wales · Boys	#312 (1996)	#57 (2005)	#181 (2024)	29 of 29	17,879 (1996–2024)	1,343 (2007)
Northern Ireland · Boys	#192 (2001)	#102 (2013)	#136 (2024)	24 of 24	395 (2001–2024)	30 (2013)
Republic of Ireland · Boys	#451 (2002)	#244 (2004)	#372 (2025)	24 of 24	161 (2002–2025)	15 (2009)
England and Wales · Girls	#1646 (1996)	#752 (1999)	#4684 (2018)	19 of 23	231 (1996–2018)	30 (1999)
Scotland · Boys	#11 (2024)	#11 (2024)	#11 (2024)	1 of 1	220 (2024–2024)	220 (2024)

Finlay by decade in England and Wales · Boys

Births registered with the name in each decade of this one list, with the number of years the list covers in that decade. Bars are scaled on births a year, which is the figure that compares between decades — a decade the list only partly covers has a smaller total without being a quieter decade. Figures belong to this registrar alone and do not carry to another.

Births registered with Finlay in England and Wales · Boys, by decade, with years covered and the average per year
Decade	Births registered	Years covered	A year
1990s	728	4 of 10	182
2000sbusiest	9,629	10 of 10	963
2010s	6,112	10 of 10	611
2020s	1,410	5 of 10	282

Across England and Wales · Boys, the 2000s were its busiest decade, averaging 963 births a year.

Its sharpest single-year move came between 2001 and 2002, when recorded births rose by 240, from 504 to 744.

See the names England and Waleshas recorded the most births with →

Finlay appears in

Groupings this name qualifies for under their own stated rules, from the same official statistics shown above.

Popularity data

Official popularity data is available for 4 regions, from 1996 to 2025. Highest recorded position: #11 in Scotland in 2024.

Finlay's recorded popularity observations by year, region and administrative category, including rank, registered births, source confidence and when each region's data was last reviewed.
Year	Region	Category	Rank	Births registered	Confidence	Status
2024	England and Wales	male	#181	280	High	Verified
2023	England and Wales	male	#172	298	High	Verified
2022	England and Wales	male	#220	228	High	Verified
2021	England and Wales	male	#180	293	High	Verified
2020	England and Wales	male	#168	311	High	Verified
2019	England and Wales	male	#174	312	High	Verified
2018	England and Wales	female	#4684	4	High	Verified
2018	England and Wales	male	#156	359	High	Verified
2017	England and Wales	male	#140	413	High	Verified
2016	England and Wales	female	#5785	3	High	Verified
2016	England and Wales	male	#130	467	High	Verified
2015	England and Wales	male	#123	520	High	Verified
2014	England and Wales	male	#99	611	High	Verified
2013	England and Wales	female	#5742	3	High	Verified
2013	England and Wales	male	#87	691	High	Verified
2012	England and Wales	male	#83	791	High	Verified
2011	England and Wales	female	#5785	3	High	Verified
2011	England and Wales	male	#66	967	High	Verified
2010	England and Wales	female	#5707	3	High	Verified
2010	England and Wales	male	#68	981	High	Verified
2009	England and Wales	female	#4564	4	High	Verified
2009	England and Wales	male	#61	1,093	High	Verified
2008	England and Wales	female	#3005	7	High	Verified
2008	England and Wales	male	#60	1,200	High	Verified
2007	England and Wales	female	#2627	8	High	Verified
2007	England and Wales	male	#59	1,343	High	Verified
2006	England and Wales	female	#2509	8	High	Verified
2006	England and Wales	male	#59	1,262	High	Verified
2005	England and Wales	female	#2438	8	High	Verified
2005	England and Wales	male	#57	1,172	High	Verified
2004	England and Wales	female	#1952	10	High	Verified
2004	England and Wales	male	#63	1,016	High	Verified
2003	England and Wales	female	#1325	16	High	Verified
2003	England and Wales	male	#68	860	High	Verified
2002	England and Wales	female	#998	22	High	Verified
2002	England and Wales	male	#77	744	High	Verified
2001	England and Wales	female	#853	27	High	Verified
2001	England and Wales	male	#101	504	High	Verified
2000	England and Wales	female	#782	29	High	Verified
2000	England and Wales	male	#107	435	High	Verified
1999	England and Wales	female	#752	30	High	Verified
1999	England and Wales	male	#123	380	High	Verified
1998	England and Wales	female	#995	21	High	Verified
1998	England and Wales	male	#183	182	High	Verified
1997	England and Wales	female	#1234	15	High	Verified
1997	England and Wales	male	#298	88	High	Verified
1996	England and Wales	female	#1646	10	High	Verified
1996	England and Wales	male	#312	78	High	Verified
2024	Northern Ireland	male	#136	16	High	Verified
2023	Northern Ireland	male	#169	13	High	Verified
2022	Northern Ireland	male	#156	14	High	Verified
2021	Northern Ireland	male	#200	11	High	Verified
2020	Northern Ireland	male	#193	10	High	Verified
2019	Northern Ireland	male	#226	9	High	Verified
2018	Northern Ireland	male	#215	9	High	Verified
2017	Northern Ireland	male	#179	13	High	Verified
2016	Northern Ireland	male	#102	30	High	Verified
2015	Northern Ireland	male	#169	14	High	Verified
2014	Northern Ireland	male	#124	24	High	Verified
2013	Northern Ireland	male	#102	30	High	Verified
2012	Northern Ireland	male	#147	18	High	Verified
2011	Northern Ireland	male	#149	18	High	Verified
2010	Northern Ireland	male	#139	21	High	Verified
2009	Northern Ireland	male	#113	26	High	Verified
2008	Northern Ireland	male	#118	25	High	Verified
2007	Northern Ireland	male	#147	18	High	Verified
2006	Northern Ireland	male	#157	14	High	Verified
2005	Northern Ireland	male	#124	19	High	Verified
2004	Northern Ireland	male	#144	15	High	Verified
2003	Northern Ireland	male	#180	9	High	Verified
2002	Northern Ireland	male	#149	12	High	Verified
2001	Northern Ireland	male	#192	7	High	Verified
2000	Northern Ireland	female	#348	3	High	Verified
2025	Republic of Ireland	male	#372	10	High	Verified
2024	Republic of Ireland	male	#520	6	High	Verified
2023	Republic of Ireland	male	#396	9	High	Verified
2022	Republic of Ireland	male	#454	7	High	Verified
2021	Republic of Ireland	male	#454	7	High	Verified
2020	Republic of Ireland	male	#556	5	High	Verified
2019	Republic of Ireland	male	#764	3	High	Verified
2018	Republic of Ireland	male	#572	5	High	Verified
2017	Republic of Ireland	male	#610	4	High	Verified
2016	Republic of Ireland	male	#713	3	High	Verified
2015	Republic of Ireland	male	#421	8	High	Verified
2014	Republic of Ireland	male	#609	4	High	Verified
2013	Republic of Ireland	male	#448	7	High	Verified
2012	Republic of Ireland	male	#616	4	High	Verified
2011	Republic of Ireland	male	#407	9	High	Verified
2010	Republic of Ireland	male	#422	8	High	Verified
2009	Republic of Ireland	male	#292	15	High	Verified
2008	Republic of Ireland	male	#346	11	High	Verified
2007	Republic of Ireland	male	#309	11	High	Verified
2006	Republic of Ireland	male	#493	4	High	Verified
2005	Republic of Ireland	male	#448	4	High	Verified
2004	Republic of Ireland	male	#244	11	High	Verified
2003	Republic of Ireland	male	#500	3	High	Verified
2002	Republic of Ireland	male	#451	3	High	Verified
2024	Scotland	male	#11	220	High	Verified
2024	Scotland	male	#11	220	High	Verified

England and Wales hub — collected by Office for National Statistics
Northern Ireland hub — collected by NISRA
Republic of Ireland hub — collected by CSO Ireland
Scotland hub — collected by National Records of Scotland

See methodology and data sources for how popularity data is collected and what "confidence" means.

What the record shows

Recorded by 4 registrars between 1996 and 2025, ranked in 30 years of that period.

Its highest recorded position is #11, first reached in 2024.

It held a top-100 place in 14 years, 13 of them consecutive.

Its largest count from any one registrar is 1,343 births, registered in England and Wales in 2007.

1 registrar publishes it in more than one category list, holding a place in each for at least five years — an observation about those lists rather than about the name.

A second registrar first ranked it in 2000, and 28 years separate the first registrar to record it from the last.

Every figure here is counted from the seven official registrars Namewise holds. A position is only ever a place within the list that published it, and a record that thins or stops is a fact about what registrars printed — never about how many children received the name.

Where to go next

Records with a comparable body of evidence, so the catalogue can be read outward from this one. Each group states the rule it was selected by.

Next in the catalogue

The records either side of this one alphabetically.

Findlay · #209, 29y
Finian · #155, 49y
Finlee · #1327, 21y
Finleigh · #1911, 17y

A comparable record

Records held by the same 4 registrars, over a similar number of ranked years, whose highest position is closest to this one. A similar body of evidence — never a claim that the names themselves are alike.

Eabha · #13, 33y
Harris · #9, 30y
Albie · #19, 30y
Teddy · #20, 30y

Also first recorded in the 1990s

Records whose earliest ranking in Namewise's registrar data also falls between 1990 and 1999.

Aria · #11, 30y
Bethany · #11, 33y
Bonnie · #11, 33y
Paige · #11, 36y

Finlay was ranked #11 in Scotland · Boys in 2024. These are the names immediately either side of it on that published list — a fact about the registrar's own output, not a similarity judgement.

Finlay and the names beside it

Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale, in the same year, by the same registrar — so these are positions that genuinely passed each other, not a similarity judgement. Drawn from the 2,573 names with a recorded popularity standing (common, familiar, uncommon), so a name outside that set could have passed Finlay without appearing here.

Finlay moved ahead of

Geraldine Compare
In 2017 they stood at #5785 and #5785 in England and Wales · Girls; by 2018 that had become #4684 and #5666.
Kim Compare
In 2017 they stood at #5785 and #3609 in England and Wales · Girls; by 2018 that had become #4684 and #5666.
Kristin Compare
In 2017 they stood at #5785 and #4763 in England and Wales · Girls; by 2018 that had become #4684 and #5666.
Kristy Compare
In 2017 they stood at #5785 and #5785 in England and Wales · Girls; by 2018 that had become #4684 and #5666.

Moved ahead of Finlay

Shea Compare
In 2008 they stood at #3005 and #3860 in England and Wales · Girls; by 2009 that had become #4564 and #2148.
Eabha Compare
In 2008 they stood at #2509 and #5061 in England and Wales · Girls; by 2009 that had become #4564 and #2326.
Rian Compare
In 2009 they stood at #1952 and #3725 in England and Wales · Girls; by 2010 that had become #5707 and #3533.
Meabh Compare
In 2010 they stood at #2627 and #5201 in England and Wales · Girls; by 2011 that had become #5785 and #4049.

Moved the opposite way to Finlay

Aaron Compare
Between 1996 and 2024 in England and Wales · Boys, Finlay went from #312 to #181 while Aaron went from #33 to #154.
Adam Compare
Between 1996 and 2024 in England and Wales · Boys, Finlay went from #312 to #181 while Adam went from #16 to #35.
Alan Compare
Between 1996 and 2024 in England and Wales · Boys, Finlay went from #312 to #181 while Alan went from #163 to #592.
Alex Compare
Between 1996 and 2024 in England and Wales · Boys, Finlay went from #312 to #181 while Alex went from #43 to #171.

Moved the same way as Finlay

Albie Compare
Between 1996 and 2024 in England and Wales · Boys, Finlay went from #312 to #181 and Albie from #853 to #19.
Alfie Compare
Between 1996 and 2024 in England and Wales · Boys, Finlay went from #312 to #181 and Alfie from #119 to #16.
Alfred Compare
Between 1996 and 2024 in England and Wales · Boys, Finlay went from #312 to #181 and Alfred from #218 to #81.
Archie Compare
Between 1996 and 2024 in England and Wales · Boys, Finlay went from #312 to #181 and Archie from #192 to #10.

What's not yet available

Meaning
Origin
Pronunciation
Nicknames and spelling variants

Absence from this list does not mean the name isn't genuinely meaningful or widely used — only that Namewise hasn't sourced and reviewed that content yet. Absence from a specific year or geography above does not prove zero use there either; official statistics only publish names above a minimum threshold.

Official popularity data is available for 4 regions, from 1996 to 2025. Highest recorded position: #11 in Scotland in 2024. Source data last verified 2026-07-21.

Finlay

Finlay at a glance

What stands out in Finlay's record

What the data shows

Popularity journey

Finlay across 5 official records

Finlay by decade in England and Wales · Boys

Finlay appears in

Popularity data

What the record shows

Where to go next

Next in the catalogue

A comparable record

Also first recorded in the 1990s

Names published alongside Finlay

Finlay and the names beside it

Finlay moved ahead of

Moved ahead of Finlay

Moved the opposite way to Finlay

Moved the same way as Finlay

Finlay at a glance

What stands out in Finlay's record

Finlay across 5 official records

Finlay by decade in England and Wales · Boys

Finlay appears in

What the record shows

Where to go next

Next in the catalogue

A comparable record

Also first recorded in the 1990s

Names published alongside Finlay

Finlay and the names beside it

Finlay moved ahead of

Moved ahead of Finlay

Moved the opposite way to Finlay

Moved the same way as Finlay