Finnbar
Fair-headed chief; someone with blonde hair and an elevated status.
Name Census estimates that about 80 living Americans carry the first name Finnbar. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Finnbar today is around 17 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Finnbar births was 2014 (9 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Finnbar. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
For a British comparison, Name Census UK has a UK baby-name profile for Finnbar with official rankings and popularity over time.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Finnbar. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
80
~ 1 in 4,284,429 Americans
Peak year
2014
9 babies that year
Average age
17
years old
2023 SSA rank
#12,827
Tracked since 2000
Popularity
Finnbar: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Finnbar from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 41 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2000s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Finnbar by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Finnbar during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Finnbar
The given name Finnbar has its origins in the Irish language and culture, with roots dating back to the early medieval period. The name is a combination of two words: "finn," meaning fair or white, and "barr," meaning head or top. Together, Finnbar can be interpreted as "fair-headed" or "white-topped."
In ancient Irish folklore and mythology, the name Finnbar was associated with heroes and warriors known for their bravery and fair complexion. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the 9th-century Irish epic "The Cattle Raid of Cooley," where a character named Finnbar plays a significant role.
Throughout the Middle Ages, the name Finnbar gained popularity among the Irish nobility and ruling classes. Several historical figures bore this name, including Finnbar O'Loughlin, a 12th-century King of Aileach, and Finnbar Duff O'Caroll, a 13th-century chieftain of the O'Caroll clan.
In the 16th century, Finnbar O'Gallagher served as the Bishop of Raphoe in County Donegal, Ireland. He was known for his efforts in promoting education and preserving Irish culture during a time of great turmoil and change.
Another notable figure with the name Finnbar was Finnbar O'Doherty, a 17th-century Irish chieftain who led a rebellion against English rule in Ulster. Despite being ultimately defeated, he is remembered as a symbol of Irish resistance and patriotism.
In the 18th century, Finnbar O'Flanagan was a renowned Irish poet and musician who composed numerous works celebrating Irish culture and traditions. His compositions were widely performed and helped to preserve the rich heritage of Irish music and literature.
While the name Finnbar has its roots in Irish culture, it has also been adopted and used in other parts of the world, particularly in areas with strong Irish diaspora communities. However, its historical significance and deep connections to Irish heritage remain an integral part of its legacy.
People
Finnbar + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Finnbar as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with F
Other first names starting with F with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Finnbar: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Finnbar?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 80 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Finnbar going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 4,284,429 US residents.
Is Finnbar a common name?
We classify Finnbar as "Very Rare". It ranks above 61.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 81 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Finnbar most popular?
The single biggest year for Finnbar was 2014, when 9 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Finnbar is about 17 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Finnbar in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Finnbar a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Finnbar in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Finnbar still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Finnbar in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Finnbar can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How common is the name Finnbar?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.