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For me, Finley feels entirely masculine and I'm not at all a fan of putting masculine names on girls. I've no idea whether Finley is noted here at BtN as both masculine and feminine because it was historically used for both genders in Ireland or because, outside of Ireland, it became commonly-enough used for females that said usage over time can't be ignored. Perhaps someone more studied can speak to that.

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My own English ears often hear unfamiliar foreign names as the "wrong gender" because, in English, certain sounds are more commonly associated with feminine names where, in other cultures, those same sounds may indicate masculinity. I can understand why you, and many others, might hear the sound of Finley as more feminine than masculine but I cannot get on board with the idea that it's in any way fresh/progressive/inspiring/feminist to choose a "girlier-sounding" name from the "boy's list" for a daughter. Call me crazy but, to my way of thinking, doing so indicates that there's actually something inherently "wrong" or "weak" or "undesirable" about being female/feminine, or at the very least, about being perceived as female/feminine. To me, it seems a highly sexist style of naming. YMMV, of course; just my honest opinion. :)

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I am aware of an Australian celebrity couple, musicians, who named their daughter Finley.

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I don't see any problem with non-Irish folks using Irish names on principal. I do think it would be difficult to grow up in an English culture with any foreign name that is difficult to understand/read/pronounce or that, because of cultural differences, would be easy fodder for teasing, but Finley certainly doesn't fall into that category.

It seems to be getting trendy for a boy. Like most lnfns, I wouldn't mind it at all if there was a family connection. For a girl, I think it's unwise. Names chosen by celebs in order to be different, especially ones that have been made unisex out of parental exhibitionism, really need to be considered carefully.

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I don't think being or not being Irish matters in this day and age.

1. When I saw the subject, I had a sudden feeling of foreboding. And this is why. Finley is awful on a girl, please don't do it.

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2. It would probably be a bit of an affront if you used it on a girl, yeah.

It actually really upsets me to see this name on a girl because it's still growing in popularity for the boys where I live, but isn't very popular yet and I love this name, but before I get a chance to use it, people will probably already be saying, "That's such a girl's name to me," because all the girls will be using it and then somehow I'm a bad parent for naming my son a feminine name and somehow setting them back in life. /end rant

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I don't see ethnicity as being a big deal although it may sound odd with an extremely ethnically different surname (and at the same time, it may not, varying on a surname by surname basis, I imagine).

1. I tend to think of Finn, Finnegan, Finley, etc. as exclusively male. That being said, Finley could work on a girl, and our database here says it is unisex.

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2. Yes. I think it is totally okay. People name their children names all the time outside of the cultural ancestry.

Dislike on a girl, but could be cute on a boy. For a girl it just sounds too "trendy try-hard."

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Certainly you could use it despite not being Irish. I don't put much stock into names having ethnicity on their own; if you like it, use it.

1.) Still cute. I love it on a boy, but it's still good on a girl too
2.) Absolutely! I think people should be honoured if a name jumps from their own culture into use in others.

I see it on a Golden Retriever.

On a girl it sounds way to trendy. Naming a girl Finley is the equivalent of naming a girl Flynn. Just because it has a trendy suffix for girls does not mean its a good girls name.

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Yes you don't have to be Irish to use this.

This message was edited 3/29/2015, 5:03 PM

I LOVE this name...but have only thought of it for a boy. I really love the nn Finn!
Hard for me to think about it for a girl, but it has the same style of many other names that are unisex.
Definitely wouldn't matter if you are Irish IMO:)

This message was edited 3/29/2015, 5:00 PM