Finley

It was the last name of my American friend's mean and annoying science teacher, though I still think it's an okay name. I don't really like surname derived names, but I like the name Finn, so why wouldn't I like Finley too? I definitely see this as more of a masculine name than feminine, though.

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Edit: figured out it's not from a surname. It sounds like an English surname to my Eastern European ears. Oops.

I use this name as a non-binary person and like how it is quite gender neutral. A great name for all genders!

This definitely is not a name I would ever picture on a girl, it’s a very classic boy name. It doesn’t sound ugly on a girl though, some of y’all are wildin’ in the comments!

I like this name much better on a boy but it works for a girl too. I think it's a sweet name.

Yuck. Just name him Finn.

Gender-neutral for sure! How is this only for boys?

This name is for a British fat boy who shoves Greggs sausage rolls down their mouth.

My name is Finley (im a girl) and I think Finley is good for both male and female.

In Europe this is a boy's name. I'm shocked it's being used as a girl name in the States. It would never happen here.

I like this name for both girls and boys alike, but names with the 'ee' ending usually sound slightly more feminine to me, so if we have a girl and we choose to decide on a Finn, Finley, or Finnegan name this could be great. It has a friendly and quick witted air to it that is approachable and easy to love.

I think Finley is a really cute name! This name works for both boys and girls.

I'm honestly not very fond of this name (fish fins immediately come to mind for me, not to mention I once met a really bratty little girl named Finley) but some of these comments are unnecessarily rude. What's the point in shaming a culture you aren't even part of, anyways?

Gonna rub my nonbinary little hands all over this "masculine" name.

It stands for white warrior, but I love Finn as a boy's name and Finley for a girl. Awesome name.

This name looks and sounds very masculine to me. I find it odd to use it as a girl's name. It is not a surname name (which are unisex to me) but comes directly from two Gaelic words. I find using it on a girl sort of disrespectful towards Irish and Scottish culture. In Ireland and Scotland no one uses this name on girls. It makes you look like you didn't educate yourself on the origins of the name.

It's fine, but Finlay looks more authentic to me.

I don't like this name at all on a boy or girl. It just sounds so unattractive and hideous.

Absolutley hideous name, ugly, vile, hideous, wimpy, if I was given this name I would certainly change it.

Good grief. What’s with the American-bashing here? I don’t care for Finley for either gender to be honest with you considering I can’t imagine it on a kid past 13 but I don’t see what’s wrong with unisex names. Some of you guys really need to get over yourselves.

I am a girl and I changed my name to Finleigh. I think it is really good for a girl and a boy. I go by Finn, but I also love Finleigh.

Really pretty for a boy, maybe because I adore Finn and Flynn as well.

I love Finley River for a girl :)

THIS IS A BOY'S NAME PERIOD. This is MY name and it is ONLY a boy's name It means FAIR HAIRED WARRIOR for goodness sakes. These parents trying to make their child special by naming their child a name OF THE OPPOSITE gender. It's ALMOST as bad as Neveah if you use it for girls. ALMOST. There Is a female version called FIONA.

Here we go. Americans coming beacuse people tell them that their taste in names is trash, which is absolutely true. How, how do you call your daughters Madison, Addison, Kinsley, Kennedy, Paisley... why this disgrace? You smoking to much weed maybe.

Names have gender, period! Americans trying to justify the popularity of some names in their country are ridiculous and delusional. So in future are you gonna to call your son Isabella or Olivia or Arabella. How ridiculous you are? Why is everything trash in your country?

I think this name is very likable. It's simple and probably won't be mispronounced or misspelled. I prefer it on a boy, but it's a nice name for either gender.

Why are people triggered over a name being able to fit all genders? What’s with people’s obsession with gendered names?
Gosh, this name is beautiful regardless of who’s using it. I personally like it for myself when I get to change my name. I’m not fond of names that have a specific gender to it.

The whole 'this name for this gender' thing is incredibly stupid. And frankly is often low level misogyny (oh no, what if my son is mistaken for a *gasp* girl. What a horrible horrible thing). People say this is culturally disrespectful? Because all those boys named Finley should be insulted that girls have the same name as them? Say it with me: all names are unisex. Some are just more often given to babies with female or male genitals. Also the whole it's masculine or feminine 'sounding' is heavily cultural and has great variation across the globe and across time. Finley is either a good name or not a good name depending on taste, but that has nothing to do with gender. Personally I like it a lot. I might give it to my kid regardless of what genitals they end up having.
Frankly I think behind the name needs to stop labeling names by gender.

Sounds a bit wimpy and it's not too attractive. Nothing about this name is feminine to me.

Hideous.

We named our daughter Finley (2015) after my husband's grandfather Finley who is very Irish. He has Alzheimer's but he loves that he has a great-granddaughter named after him! He was always ashamed of his name growing up, feeling it was too feminine. The name definitely fits my daughter too, she is our Rainbow baby and is one fair warrior for sure!

I can't believe how many people are mad over unisex names! "stupid Americans this, stupid Americans that" Here's a little factoid; it's not nearly as popular here as it is in the UK. My personal take? Unless you personally came up with a name by digging deep into your own creativity; you have no right to say who should get to use it and on which gender. The fact that there are so many of you on here TRYING to dictate a name just goes to show how sad of lives you have. What a bunch of weirdos.

My name is Finley and my last name is Flash. My school peers call me Fin, Finland, and Fig.

This name, or should I say the spelling of this name, comes off very trendy, what with the surge in popularity of made-up names ending in -ly/-lee/-lie/-ley. I greatly dislike it. I don't mind it as a unisex name, though in the US I hear it more commonly on girls. I prefer the actual Irish spelling Fionnlagh and not the Anglicization.

I'm a male named Finley, yes and I'm Canadian. I love my name I don't know why females are now fair warriors but okay. Also, why is everybody so politically correct now? #2019.

I think Finley is a really cute name. I'd prefer it on a pet, especially a pet shark (not that people should have pet sharks; they really belong in the ocean). But I'm also okay with it as a name for a human of any gender.

Ugh, another stupid "pet" name that is popular among Americans. I hate it.

It sounds unpleasantly weird on a boy, and on a girl, it's not only weirder but also too masculine. Relatively trendy.

Finley is a great name. Personally I prefer it for my daughter and wouldn't name my son Finley. One of the great things about being a parent is the process of choosing your baby's name. We have chosen Finley because we like the idea of our daughter's having a tomboy-ish name. Also the meaning of "warrior" is not just for men these days. We have women in the military and I am a father who will continue to encourage my daughters to be strong, brave, and courageous (as a warrior would be). The idea that an American would steal an Irish/Scottish/English name from a country and desecrate it by naming a girl by it is ridiculous! I, myself, happen to be mostly Scottish and Irish with enough English heritage to have the last name. I'm pretty sure I qualify to use this name no matter what country I was born in.

I've never really understood why people get so angry when unisex names come up. Names change over time. Carol was once a boy's name, are you going to get mad at people who name their daughters Carol? What about Beverly? Florence?

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Things change. Names can work for more than one gender. Try accepting it instead of getting angry about something that hardly matters.

Only Americans are stupid and arrogant enough to take a 1000 year old boy name and put it on girls. It's disrespectful to the Irish and Scottish people and their heritage, but they don't care as long as they get what they want. So typical.

The name is great. So many people love this for my DAUGHTER. Totally a gender neutral name. Anyone who disagrees better get with the progressive nature of names these days. I love it. My friends and family love it. No one who's heard the name has ever said anything wrong about and personally wouldn't care if anyone would. It suits her well. She had a rough beginning to life but fought her way through. And came into this world with fire red hair. She's my "fair haired warrior".

Hate it. One of the most childish names I've ever heard.

I honestly don't understand why people keep thinking this should be a males only name? It sounds pretty gender-neutral to me. It really doesn't make any sense. If I happen to be somewhat "in the wrong", please explain to me why I may be.

Finley is pretty much my favorite boy's name of all time. Ever. Period. SOOO not a girl's name.

I love that some people get bent out of shape when others like "Finley" for a girl. I love it because it leaves the critics powerless. To me, it sounds masculine and feminine and I love it for this reason. It reminds me of two things. One: Huckleberry Finn, which inspires boys and girls in a tomboyish way. And two: a "fin" is on the back of a fish, dolphin, shark, whale, etc, and a fin gives direction and guidance to male and female beings. Adding "ly" or "ley" at the end of "fin" attributes a "fin" characteristic to a person (male or female). It's only when you characterize these two parts of the name used together through the tradition of England/Scotland/Wales/Netherlands, that you adopt a limiting attitude to it being only male. That's your loss, not the loss of the baby girl with this name. "Finn" is boyish and tomboyish, as Huckleberry Finn proved when his character inspired both sexes.

I like it, but it sounds a bit plain to my ears. Personally I think this is a much better spelling than Finlay, which reminds my of the word "flay."

My name is Finley and I love my name. I am male.

How is Finley being used for girls? American parents are smoking too much weed.

Finley is definitely a boys name. Not my opinion, but just a straight up fact. You better get it out of your heads real quick that not every name is genderless or contains no racial or religious backgrounds. Otherwise, I'd feel real sorry for you. If you can't understand a little thing called "society" then you better move to someplace where it's completely isolated.

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Some names are in fact tied to a certain race. Some names are in fact tied to a certain religical background. Some names are tied to a certain location. And believe it or not, some names are tied to a certain gender.
If you can't understand that concept then I don't know what to tell you. If you wish to convey stress onto your child for their name, have at it

Naming your daughter Finley is the equivalent to naming her Stanley. Definitely a boy's name.

I personally love this name and I'd name my daughter this in a heartbeat. And since most of the comments are on the topic of "this name is too masculine to be feminine", to me, names don't have a gender or race. It's all just up to our opinions. If you want to name your daughter Daniel or your son Sally, you go right ahead. If you're white and want to name your kid Sachiko or if you're Japanese and want to name your kid Juan then go for it! Don't go around telling people what they should or shouldn't do with their children's names! Also, don't start up something like "If you name your kid that, they'll surely get bullied on the school yard!" Honestly, why should they have to stop their dream of naming their beautiful baby their favorite name when we should be teaching our children to not bully? I'm pretty sure an uncommon name never hurt anybody, but bullying can really sting!

It's ok if you name your daughter Finley. Go ahead, I'm not you! Personally, I think Finley is a masculine name. It just sounds like a boy name! But it is true how a lot of masculine names are becoming more common for girls (such as Riley, Taylor, Ariel). Even Lynn and Evelyn were once considered masculine!
You know how you said about naming daughters Daniel and sons Sally? Ehhh, out of hand. If you like the name Daniel so much, why don't you name your girl Danielle or Daniela? Many names have masculine/feminine forms of each other.

I don't like this name on a girl at all. Please, please do not name your daughter Finley.

There must be an error in the server.
This is definitely a males' name. Not remotely feminine or unisex

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Americans: stop giving your daughters such masculine names!

Better suited as a masculine name. I see nothing feminine in this name.

Finley was the first name of my great (x 5) grandfather, born in 1750 in Scotland. He was a sea captain. I named my son in honor of him. I hardly think it is a wimpy or feminine name, and was certainly a first name before it became a surname.

This name is really cool. I like it and the nickname Finn.

I love this name! This is my best friend's name, and he's not wimpy, a rich kid, or stuck up. Fin is the perfect nickname for this name, as well. I can't think of any reasons not to like this name.

I don't understand how this can be a first name. Why is it that surnames suddenly become popular and used as given names? It's not even that appealing, anyways. It either reminds me of a snobbish rich kid or the wimpiest midget you could possibly think of.

I like this name a lot. This spelling looks nicer than Finlay, and the name is short and simple, and it's mature and sophisticated without being snobby or pretentious. It's got some old-fashioned charm to it as well. The nickname Finn is nice.

I love this name on a girl. On a boy it sounds too wimpy.

The fact is it's a nice name. You can't deny, though, that it's uncommon.

This is my last name though I think it would be a good name for a girl as well as a boy.

I prefer this name for a boy and trying to understand why girls are being given this name.