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Finley

Boy / Girl name · 762 babies recorded · 1974–2025

Finley: 762 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to both boys and girls, peaking at 64 births in 2020.

Of Gaelic origin, Finley derives from the Old Irish name Fionnlagh, meaning "fair warrior" or "white hero," combining *fionn* (fair, white) and *laoch* (warrior). A notable bearer is the Scottish footballer Finley "Fin" Robertson, who played for Dundee and the national team in the early 1900s. The name is also famously tied to the Clan MacFarlane, whose chiefs were known as "MacFarlane of that Ilk," and the name shares roots with the Irish hero Fionn mac Cumhaill (Finn McCool). As a place, the village of Finlarig in Perthshire echoes the same etymology. In modern Scotland, Finley has become a popular unisex choice, though it traditionally leans masculine; its rise as a girl’s name reflects a broader trend of surname-names crossing genders.