Fun Facts About the Name Flynn
- More than 7 thousand babies named Flynn: U.S. records list 7,156 babies given the name Flynn from 1880 through 2025. Even 479 girls received the name Flynn - about 1 girl for every 14 boys.
What Does the Name Flynn Mean?
Flynn is an Irish name meaning "descendant of the red one." It comes from the Irish Gaelic surname Ó Floinn, built from Ó ("descendant of") plus the personal name Flann. That personal name is the Old Irish adjective flann, meaning "red," "crimson," or "ruddy," used of hair or complexion. The literal sense of the whole name is therefore a reference to a red-haired or ruddy ancestor, not a color word applied to the bearer directly.
Beyond its Irish origin, Flynn is commonly used in England, the United States, and other English-speaking countries, where it circulates mainly as a transferred surname rather than as a native given name. It is not related to the Welsh word glyn ("valley") or to the separate surname Lynn, despite the similar sound.
Flynn Name History & Origins
Flann was a widespread personal name in early and medieval Ireland, carried by kings, poets, and churchmen. The best known is Flann Sinna, High King of Ireland from 879 to 916; the poet Flann mac Lonáin and various abbots also bore the name. As hereditary surnames took shape in Ireland, the clan name Ó Floinn ("descendant of Flann") emerged and was later anglicized as O'Flynn and Flynn. Families of that name were tied to several parts of the country, including areas of Connacht and Munster.
The surname spread through Ireland, Britain, and the wider English-speaking world, and Flynn began to be used as a given name in English. Its use as a first name is fairly recent and follows the general pattern by which many Irish surnames were adopted as personal names.
How Popular is the Name Flynn?
Flynn recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 2021. Its best rank was #653 in 2021.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #7,245 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 2024 | #6,713 | 17 | 0.0011% |
| 2023 | #5,166 | 25 | 0.0016% |
| 2022 | #5,069 | 26 | 0.0016% |
| 2021 | #8,646 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2020 | #8,567 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2019 | #6,516 | 18 | 0.0011% |
| 2018 | #6,341 | 19 | 0.0011% |
| 2017 | #6,362 | 19 | 0.0011% |
| 2016 | #5,855 | 22 | 0.0012% |
| 2015 | #6,101 | 21 | 0.0012% |
| 2014 | #6,283 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 2013 | #4,566 | 31 | 0.0018% |
| 2012 | #5,974 | 22 | 0.0012% |
| 2011 | #8,338 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 2010 | #8,028 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 2009 | #11,789 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2008 | #9,140 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2007 | #9,177 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2006 | #10,853 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2005 | #7,250 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 2004 | #10,162 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2003 | #6,149 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 2002 | #6,489 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 2001 | #7,448 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 2000 | #10,165 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1999 | #9,018 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1998 | #12,971 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1997 | #12,615 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1996 | #14,235 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1987 | #9,092 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1986 | #8,840 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #828 | 299 | 0.0175% |
| 2024 | #737 | 351 | 0.0205% |
| 2023 | #782 | 323 | 0.0189% |
| 2022 | #714 | 369 | 0.0212% |
| 2021 | #653 | 418 | 0.0239% |
| 2020 | #658 | 398 | 0.0231% |
| 2019 | #716 | 342 | 0.0191% |
| 2018 | #780 | 295 | 0.0162% |
| 2017 | #757 | 311 | 0.0168% |
| 2016 | #679 | 375 | 0.0198% |
| 2015 | #695 | 362 | 0.0189% |
| 2014 | #658 | 391 | 0.0204% |
| 2013 | #667 | 362 | 0.0191% |
| 2012 | #702 | 339 | 0.0179% |
| 2011 | #939 | 212 | 0.0112% |
| 2010 | #1,809 | 81 | 0.0042% |
| 2009 | #1,830 | 81 | 0.0041% |
| 2008 | #1,863 | 78 | 0.0038% |
| 2007 | #2,123 | 64 | 0.0031% |
| 2006 | #2,131 | 61 | 0.0030% |
| 2005 | #1,928 | 66 | 0.0033% |
| 2004 | #1,766 | 71 | 0.0036% |
| 2003 | #1,823 | 65 | 0.0033% |
| 2002 | #2,266 | 46 | 0.0024% |
| 2001 | #2,580 | 37 | 0.0019% |
| 2000 | #2,065 | 49 | 0.0025% |
| 1999 | #2,482 | 36 | 0.0019% |
| 1998 | #3,325 | 23 | 0.0012% |
| 1997 | #3,287 | 22 | 0.0012% |
| 1996 | #3,146 | 23 | 0.0012% |
| 1995 | #3,352 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 1994 | #3,797 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 1993 | #3,887 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 1992 | #3,806 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 1991 | #3,878 | 15 | 0.0007% |
| 1990 | #4,043 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 1989 | #4,107 | 13 | 0.0006% |
| 1988 | #4,263 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1987 | #4,055 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1986 | #3,963 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1985 | #2,992 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 1984 | #3,002 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 1983 | #3,124 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1982 | #2,538 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 1981 | #3,486 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1980 | #2,760 | 17 | 0.0010% |
| 1979 | #2,409 | 20 | 0.0012% |
| 1978 | #4,287 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1977 | #3,268 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1976 | #5,147 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1975 | #2,958 | 13 | 0.0008% |
| 1974 | #3,949 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1973 | #3,289 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1972 | #2,465 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 1971 | #3,027 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1970 | #2,663 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1969 | #2,350 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1968 | #2,631 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1967 | #2,066 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 1966 | #3,072 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1965 | #2,115 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 1964 | #1,672 | 23 | 0.0012% |
| 1963 | #2,238 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 1962 | #2,567 | 11 | 0.0005% |
| 1961 | #2,358 | 13 | 0.0006% |
| 1960 | #2,250 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 1959 | #2,709 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1958 | #2,299 | 13 | 0.0006% |
| 1957 | #2,122 | 15 | 0.0007% |
| 1956 | #3,314 | 7 | 0.0003% |
| 1955 | #2,079 | 15 | 0.0007% |
| 1954 | #3,030 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1953 | #2,997 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1952 | #2,748 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1950 | #2,361 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1949 | #2,676 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1948 | #3,861 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1947 | #2,958 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1946 | #2,193 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1945 | #2,635 | 8 | 0.0006% |
| 1944 | #3,599 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1941 | #2,032 | 13 | 0.0011% |
| 1939 | #2,682 | 8 | 0.0007% |
| 1938 | #2,974 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1937 | #2,749 | 8 | 0.0008% |
| 1930 | #4,204 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1928 | #4,365 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1927 | #3,926 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1925 | #4,460 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1919 | #3,536 | 7 | 0.0007% |
| 1917 | #4,198 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1916 | #2,794 | 9 | 0.0010% |
| 1915 | #4,035 | 5 | 0.0006% |
| 1914 | #3,442 | 5 | 0.0008% |
| 1913 | #2,986 | 5 | 0.0010% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Flynn Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You are kind, home-loving, hospitable and friendly. Since you take responsibility well, you are a good organizer of social affairs. Compassion for others is an outstanding trait. You are a great lover and a great flirt – an artist, musician, actor, teacher, nurse. Your character can be contradictory. You are practical, yet idealistic and intuitive; capable of selfless devotion to someone you love, yet look to receive payback. You are inventive, intuitive and extremely methodical. Since your will is so strong, you are hard to convince. You also dislike advice. You love beauty and philosophy, and you desire achievement. You have a strong need for freedom - physical, mental and spiritual.
Position and social status is very important for you and you are always looking for way to improve your position in society. You have power and ability to chose your own destiny and achieve anything you want in life. You can expand in any direction according to your will and the set of values. You have passion for justice and belong to the position of authority. You have an inherent courage and endurance to accomplish "The Impossible Dream". With the power comes responsibility. You hold keys to the material world, but with this gift comes high spiritual responsibility to be fair and true to others. You are philosophical and mature, determined and intense with a desire to endure, often religious.
✦ Flynn's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Flynn's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.