Ethan Hawkins

By Ethan Hawkins
Naming Trends Analyst

Updated on September 07, 2024

Finnegan

US Popularity Rank: 983

Origin: Irish

Meaning: White, fair; Fair-haired

Finnegan is a boy’s name that is Irish in origin. Finnegan is an Anglicization of the Irish surname Ó Fionnagáin, from which also comes the popular given names Fionn and Finn. It refers to Fionn mac Cumhaill, an Irish mythological hero renowned for his strength and wisdom. All of these names mean "white," fair,” or “fairhaired” in Irish. While Finnegan is most often a surname in Ireland, it was popularized as a first name by the James Joyce novel Finnegans Wake (although Finnegan was the family name of the eponymous protagonist.) It can be shortened to Finn if you want to give baby a well-known nickname.