Name meaning & stats
Finlay
Finlay means “fair warrior”. 1,300 US babies since 1940, peak 2017. Notable Finlays are 1.8× over-represented as footballers.
What it means
“fair warrior”
Spelling of Finnley
In US birth records
Peak year: 2017
1,300 US babies were named Finlay between 1940 and 2025.
Where Finlays end up
| Career | vs expected | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Footballer | 1.8× | Low · 6 people |
| Actor | 1.1× | Low · 2 people |
| Politician | 1.1× | Low · 2 people |
| Rugby player | 1.3× | Low · 2 people |
Among notable men who are footballers, Finlays show up 1.8× as often as you'd expect from how common the name is.
Notable people born 1940–2005 in the US, UK, Canada and Australia (Wikidata). Patterns, not destiny.
Other spellings
1 in 7 Finnleys spell it Finlay
Names that sound the same, grouped by Heyotag. Share of US babies since 1940.
Name twins (peaked around 2017)