Finola
In Irish mythology, Finnguala was the daughter of Lir of the Tuatha Dé Danann. In the legend of the Children of Lir, she was changed into a swan and cursed by her stepmother, Aoife, to wander the lakes and rivers of Ireland, with her brothers Fiachra, Conn and Aodh, for 900 years until saved by the marriage of Lairgren, son of Colman, son of Cobthach, and Deoch, daughter of Finghin, whose union…
Meaning & Origin of Finola
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
In Irish mythology, Finnguala was the daughter of Lir of the Tuatha Dé Danann. In the legend of the Children of Lir, she was changed into a swan and cursed by her stepmother, Aoife, to wander the lakes and rivers of Ireland, with her brothers Fiachra, Conn and Aodh, for 900 years until saved by the marriage of Lairgren, son of Colman, son of Cobthach, and Deoch, daughter of Finghin, whose union…
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Finola
Finola first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1966, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2007, when 20 Finolas were born — ranking #6,552 that year. As of 2026, Finola ranks #12,237 for baby girls with 7 births, with steady use. In total, more than 178 Finolas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1960s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Notable people named Finola
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Fionnuala Boyd
- Fionnuala Carr
- Fionnuala Ellwood
- Fionnuala Kenny
- Fionnuala McCormack
- Fionnuala Ní Aoláin
- Fionnuala Ní Fhlatharta
- Fionnuala Ní Flaithbheartaigh
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Finola
Phonetically similar names — useful when Finola is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
- Fenella
- Fiola
- Finella
- Finally
- Finale
- Funnily
- Phenol
- Phenyl
- Fanelli
- Faiola
- Fiala
- Fanale
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Finola
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About the name Finola
Finola is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1966 and has accumulated 178 births in the dataset. Finola's peak popularity came in 2007 when it ranked #6,552. Use the chart and map above to compare Finola's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2007 →
- Names of the 2000s →
- Names starting with "F" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.