Finlay
Boy name · #2612 in 2025 · Uniqueness 74/100
Finlay is currently the #2612 boy name in the United States — 50 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #2145, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 36,000 boys born in 2025 was named Finlay.
The 107-year story
Finlay first appears in the Social Security records in 1918, when 6 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2015, when 64 boys were named Finlay — good for #2145 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Finlay per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Finlay against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Finlay in class?
Finlay scores 74 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "rare" band. A high score means genuine rarity — your Finlay will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Finlay is most common
State-level data for Finlay is sparse in 2025 — the name's footprint is too small for most states to report (the SSA suppresses counts under 5 per state for privacy).
Names like Finlay
Statistically, parents drawn to Finlay tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Advay, Klay, Anay, Fischer, and Fares.
AdvayKlayAnayFischerFaresFinniganSamayWrigley
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Finlay | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 50 | #2604 |
| 2024 | 55 | #2476 |
| 2023 | 50 | #2614 |
| 2022 | 48 | #2717 |
| 2021 | 54 | #2464 |
| 2020 | 50 | #2546 |
| 2019 | 38 | #3103 |
| 2018 | 55 | #2385 |
| 2017 | 56 | #2319 |
| 2016 | 56 | #2335 |
| 2015 | 64 | #2145 |
| 2014 | 34 | #3234 |
| 2013 | 41 | #2804 |
| 2012 | 37 | #3059 |
| 2011 | 35 | #3164 |
| 2010 | 30 | #3531 |
| 2009 | 50 | #2528 |
| 2008 | 41 | #2879 |
| 2007 | 44 | #2721 |
| 2006 | 50 | #2449 |
| 2005 | 42 | #2614 |
| 2004 | 26 | #3534 |
| 2003 | 18 | #4426 |
| 2002 | 17 | #4502 |
| 2001 | 21 | #3842 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Finlay a popular boy name?
Finlay ranked #2612 among boys in 2025 with 50 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2145.
When was the name Finlay most popular?
Finlay peaked in 2015, when 64 American boys received the name (ranked #2145 that year). Since 2015 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Finlay?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 36,000 newborn American boys was named Finlay. It scores 74/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.