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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

Finley...for a girl

61 replies

Baguettes · 03/07/2015 19:28

What do you think?

Middle name would probably be Grace (but open to suggestions!)

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MoreCrackThanHarlem · 11/07/2015 10:45

I really like it. My dd uses a shortened version of her full name which is traditionally male. How can combinations of letters be boy or girl "sounding"?

I say go for it, OP. It's a lovely name.

Unoriginalusername123 · 11/07/2015 10:24

I've always liked Fiona, nicknamed Finn. Boyish nickname with proper full name on the right sex.

GatoradeMeBitch · 09/07/2015 14:44

There was a female character on Home and Away called Finlay, I don't recall anyone being confused about her gender identity! en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finlay_Roberts

Bertrand Go ahead and call your son Madeleine, who said you couldn't?

(Though of course the reason girls can wear 'boys clothes' and have 'boys names' is because being a boy isn't seen as shameful and has no negative connotations in our society...)

barbecue · 09/07/2015 13:53

I don't like any Finn names, sorry.

xXjunebugXx · 09/07/2015 12:46

I really like it, I think it works for a girl. If you like it go for it.

TwinTum · 08/07/2015 00:11

I know a seraphin known as Phin.

CardinalRed · 08/07/2015 00:08

Because it should have three "e"s not two!

BertrandRussell · 07/07/2015 19:47

Great. So tell me why I shouldn't call a boy Madeline?

daimbardiva · 07/07/2015 13:25

I think Finley for a girl is really nice - though she would have a lifetime of being mistaken for a boy.

However that would not be the end of the world, and she wouldn't be the first!

reuset · 07/07/2015 13:21

Sadly, name websites are often wrong. Fania does not mean 'free' in Latin.

Yup

Anything to do with meanings or history, then double check. Baby naming sites are often the worst culprits for inaccuracies, even sites like Behind the Name, which I think is quoted a lot here generally

florascotia · 07/07/2015 13:11

Sadly, name websites are often wrong. Fania does not mean 'free' in Latin.

A Latin girl's name meaning 'free' would be something like 'Liberta', but that was used to mean a female slave set free by her owner. 'Libertina' was a similar status description.

Fania is usually said to be a short form of Stephania, in which case it would mean 'crown' or 'garland'.

LoveRayhan · 07/07/2015 00:10

What about Fania, which means free in latin?

florascotia · 06/07/2015 11:38

What about Finella, a variant of Fenella, which is an English-language version of Fionnuala?

Or Firinne (approx Feer-inn-eh - Irish Mumsnetters can correct me) which means 'truth'?

TheDisillusionedAnarchist · 06/07/2015 11:37

Finlay or Finley and Finn will all cross the gender barrier in my opinion. They already are in the US. All it will take will be one major TV show/film with a lead female named Finley and in 20 years everyone will be saying "Finn for a boy! everyone will think he's a girl"

Generally names only move male to female and all the Finn variants are ripe for the switch, you'd just be ahead of the trend.

thehumanjam · 05/07/2015 23:10

It doesn't sound right for a girl at all. Your daughter would not thank you for it.

CardinalRed · 05/07/2015 23:06

Finlay doesn't look more feminine - it looks like Dr Finlay, he of casebook name.

Is it time for a renaissance of Finlayina? Pronounced the traditional Scottish way, which is Finlay-eye-na, not Finlay-ee-na, of course. Grin

JakeyBurd · 04/07/2015 23:16

Finlay's not silly, just not for girls...

The feminine forms of the name are Finlayina and Finlina, although neither has been used for over 100 years. YOU could start the revival. Grin

Original poster
Baguettes · 04/07/2015 21:24
Grin

Must be sensible, must be sensible, must be sensible....

Thanks so much! I'll remember that. You star.

OP posts:
mrstweefromtweesville · 04/07/2015 20:53

Don't give your child a silly name. Choose a sensible one.

AmysTiara · 04/07/2015 20:51

Home and Away spelt it Finlay which does look more feminine.

Original poster
Baguettes · 04/07/2015 20:46

Home and Away...

That's sealed it Grin

OP posts:
BertrandRussell · 04/07/2015 20:45

Go for it. So long as you're happy to call your son Madeline.

Alyx80 · 04/07/2015 20:37

I had Finlay on my list but dh insisted it was a girls name like Finlay in Home & Away a few years ago!

scrivette · 04/07/2015 20:33

I always thought it was a girls name because of Finley from Home and Away, if I remember correctly, a pretty, blond girl.

YoungBritishPissArtist · 04/07/2015 20:06

Any 90's kids remember Finley (sp?) off Home and Away?