Boy name · Irish Gaelic
Flynn
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: descendant of the ruddy oneFlynn is a boy's name that comes from Irish Gaelic and means "descendant of the ruddy one". It is used in English and Irish.
- Meaning
- Descendant of the ruddy one
- Origin
- Irish Gaelic
- Gender
- Boy
- US rank
- #828 in 2025
Meaning and origin of Flynn
As a boy's name, Flynn comes from Irish Gaelic and means "descendant of the ruddy one". It is used in English and Irish.
In Irish, say FLIN. Respellings are a guide; accents vary by region.
Flynn is also a surname: the 537th most common in the 2020 US Census, held by 61,341 people. See the most common last names.
Meanings come from published name dictionaries, led by Behind the Name. How we research names
Flynn on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Flynn on 4 lists.
“From Ó Floinn, descendant of Flann: ruddy, red. Say FLIN.”
From Irish boy names, irish surnames used as boy names
“Ó Floinn, descendant of Flann, ruddy or red”
From Irish last names, irish surnames by meaning
“From an Irish surname based on Flann, blood red”
From Orange cat names, names that mean red or fire
“Ó Floinn, from flann, ruddy”
From Pretty last names, pretty Irish, Scottish and Welsh surnames
How popular is Flynn?
- US rank in 2025
- #828
- 299 babies, 175 per million boys
- Best rank
- #654 in 2021
- 418 babies that year
- Babies since 1913
- At least 6,681
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 0 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 0 per million |
| 1900s | 0 per million |
| 1910s | 5 per million |
| 1920s | 1 per million |
| 1930s | 3 per million |
| 1940s | 4 per million |
| 1950s | 5 per million |
| 1960s | 7 per million |
| 1970s | 7 per million |
| 1980s | 8 per million |
| 1990s | 10 per million |
| 2000s | 31 per million |
| 2010s | 163 per million |
| 2020s | 209 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #679 | #757 | #780 | #716 | #659 | #654 | #715 | #783 | #736 | #828 |
Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.
Names spelled like Flynn
One or two letters apart, but from a different root: they look alike without sharing a meaning.
Names with a similar meaning
- CodyDescendant of the helpful one (Irish Gaelic, boy)
- DoyleDescendant of the dark stranger (Irish Gaelic, boy)
- QuinnDescendant of Conn (Irish Gaelic, unisex)
- AmhlaidhAncestor's descendant (Old Norse, boy)
- AulayAncestor's descendant (Old Norse, boy)
- CallanFrom a surname meaning descendant of Cathalán (Irish Gaelic, boy)
- CollinsFrom a surname meaning descendant of Coileán, whelp, young dog (Irish Gaelic, girl)
- LeifHeir, descendant (Old Norse, boy)
- OlafAncestor's descendant (Old Norse, boy)
- OlavAncestor's descendant (Old Norse, boy)
Middle names for Flynn
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a longer length, so the full name flows.
More boy names from Irish Gaelic
- OscarPossibly deer friend (Irish Gaelic, boy)
- FergusMan of vigor (Irish Gaelic, boy)
- KevinGentle birth (Irish Gaelic, boy)
- RonanLittle seal (Irish Gaelic, boy)
- RoryRed king (Irish Gaelic, boy)
- AidanLittle fire (Irish Gaelic, boy)
- AidenLittle fire (Irish Gaelic, boy)
- AodhFire, flame (Irish Gaelic, boy)
- AydenVariant of Aidan, little fire (Irish Gaelic, boy)
- BarryFair-haired (Irish Gaelic, boy)
Flynn: common questions
What does the name Flynn mean?
Flynn comes from Irish Gaelic and means "descendant of the ruddy one".
Is Flynn a boy or girl name?
Flynn is mainly a boy's name. In 2025, 15 girls and 299 boys in the US were named Flynn, according to Social Security Administration data.
Where does the name Flynn come from?
Flynn comes from Irish Gaelic and means "descendant of the ruddy one". Today it is used in English and Irish.
How popular is the name Flynn?
Flynn ranked #828 in the US in 2025, with 299 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What names are similar to Flynn?
Names spelled like Flynn include Flann, Finn, Fionn and Flint.
What middle names go with Flynn?
Middle names that flow well with Flynn include Anderson, Cooper, Dennis, Howell and Josiah. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.