Pronunciation
Fin-oo-luh
Meaning
White shoulder
Alternate spellings
Finola; Nuala
Fun fact
Fionnuala is the sister in the Children of Lir. She and her three brothers are turned into swans for 900 years. It’s one of those Irish stories we all learn in school.
Popularity in Ireland
Figures for the spelling Fionnuala, Republic of Ireland.
The CSO only publishes names given to three or more babies in a year. “Less than 3” means zero, one or two babies, and these years appear as gaps on the graph.
Less than 3Babies registered in 2025; no ranking shown
Number of babies registered each year
From 2018, spellings with and without fadas are counted separately. Earlier figures group these spellings together, so the graph has a break at 2018.
View yearly figures
| Year | Babies named | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2024 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2023 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2022 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2021 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2020 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2019 | 4 | #716 |
| 2018 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2017 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2016 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2015 | 3 | #896 |
| 2014 | 5 | #661 |
| 2013 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2012 | 5 | #677 |
| 2011 | 4 | #798 |
| 2010 | 6 | #593 |
| 2009 | 5 | #641 |
| 2008 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2007 | 6 | #549 |
| 2006 | 8 | #431 |
| 2005 | 4 | #587 |
| 2004 | 5 | #511 |
| 2003 | 6 | #439 |
| 2002 | 5 | #443 |
| 2001 | 8 | #335 |
| 2000 | 10 | #284 |
| 1999 | 7 | #322 |
| 1998 | 10 | #252 |
| 1997 | 23 | #193 |
| 1996 | 7 | #356 |
| 1995 | 15 | #242 |
| 1994 | 12 | #268 |
| 1993 | 15 | #242 |
| 1992 | 11 | #290 |
| 1991 | 18 | #217 |
| 1990 | 15 | #242 |
| 1989 | 20 | #203 |
| 1988 | 16 | #237 |
| 1987 | 23 | #200 |
| 1986 | 18 | #220 |
| 1985 | 21 | #215 |
| 1984 | 25 | #205 |
| 1983 | 34 | #173 |
| 1982 | 26 | #207 |
| 1981 | 27 | #206 |
| 1980 | 30 | #192 |
| 1979 | 23 | #219 |
| 1978 | 42 | #156 |
| 1977 | 36 | #167 |
| 1976 | 36 | #167 |
| 1975 | 38 | #165 |
| 1974 | 42 | #161 |
| 1973 | 40 | #162 |
| 1972 | 35 | #166 |
| 1971 | 35 | #168 |
| 1970 | 41 | #141 |
| 1969 | 37 | #154 |
| 1968 | 32 | #159 |
| 1967 | 36 | #142 |
| 1966 | 51 | #116 |
| 1965 | 31 | #144 |
| 1964 | 34 | #135 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies’ Names, tables VSA50 and VSA60. Latest year: 2025.