Fiona Name Meaning

Fiona is made up of two Gaelic elements: “fionn” meaning “fair” and “gal” meaning “stranger.” So, the name Fiona can be translated to mean “fair stranger.” It’s a unique and elegant name that has a bit of mystery to it.

History of the Name Fiona

Fiona is a name that has been around for centuries, but it wasn’t always as popular as it is today. In fact, it wasn’t even used as a given name until the 20th century. The name Fiona can be traced back to the Gaelic name Fionnghal, which is made up of two elements: “fionn” meaning “fair” and “gal” meaning “stranger.”

Origins of the Name Fiona

Fiona is of Scottish and Irish origin. The name first appeared in literature in the 18th century in James Macpherson’s “Ossianic Poems,” which were supposedly translations of ancient Gaelic poetry. The name was later used in Sir Walter Scott’s poem “The Lady of the Lake” (1810).

Popularity of the Name Fiona

Fiona has been steadily gaining popularity over the past few decades. In the United States, it was not a commonly used name until the mid-20th century. However, it has since become a popular choice for parents. According to the Social Security Administration, Fiona was the 235th most popular name for girls in the United States in 2020.

Final Thoughts on the Name Fiona

Fiona is a name that has a rich history and a beautiful meaning. It’s a name that has been around for centuries, but only recently gained popularity. It’s a unique and elegant name that has a bit of mystery to it. So, if you’re looking for a name that’s both classic and modern, Fiona might be the perfect choice for you.

So, there you have it, folks! A brief history, origin, meaning, and popularity of the girl’s name Fiona. I hope you enjoyed reading and that you’ve learned something new about this lovely name. If you have any other questions about Fiona or any other name, feel free to ask!

Infographic of Fiona name meaning, which is Fiona is a feminine form of Fionn, meaning fair or white.
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Fiona Name Popularity

How popular is the name Fiona? Here’s everything we know.

Year Rank # Births % Births
1910 — 0 0%
1911 — 0 0%
1912 — 0 0%
1913 — 0 0%
1914 — 0 0%
1915 — 0 0%
1916 — 0 0%
1917 — 0 0%
1918 — 0 0%
1919 — 0 0%
1920 — 0 0%
1921 — 0 0%
1922 — 0 0%
1923 — 0 0%
1924 — 0 0%
1925 — 0 0%
1926 — 0 0%
1927 — 0 0%
1928 — 0 0%
1929 — 0 0%
1930 — 0 0%
1931 — 0 0%
1932 — 0 0%
1933 — 0 0%
1934 — 0 0%
1935 — 0 0%
1936 — 0 0%
1937 — 0 0%
1938 — 0 0%
1939 — 0 0%
1940 — 0 0%
1941 — 0 0%
1942 — 0 0%
1943 — 0 0%
1944 — 0 0%
1945 — 0 0%
1946 — 0 0%
1947 — 0 0%
1948 — 0 0%
1949 — 0 0%
1950 — 0 0%
1951 — 0 0%
1952 — 0 0%
1953 — 0 0%
1954 — 0 0%
1955 — 0 0%
1956 — 0 0%
1957 — 0 0%
1958 1,950 6 0.0003%
1959 — 0 0%
1960 — 0 0%
1961 1,616 16 0.0008%
1962 2,144 6 0.0003%
1963 2,273 5 0.0003%
1964 1,570 17 0.001%
1965 1,591 16 0.001%
1966 1,396 23 0.0015%
1967 1,195 36 0.0024%
1968 1,568 19 0.0013%
1969 1,274 36 0.0023%
1970 1,284 41 0.0026%
1971 1,626 22 0.0015%
1972 1,300 36 0.0026%
1973 1,325 34 0.0026%
1974 1,504 26 0.002%
1975 1,654 21 0.0016%
1976 1,551 25 0.0019%
1977 1,709 22 0.0016%
1978 1,841 18 0.0013%
1979 1,726 24 0.0017%
1980 1,663 27 0.0018%
1981 1,338 48 0.0033%
1982 1,511 36 0.0024%
1983 1,324 46 0.0031%
1984 1,620 28 0.0019%
1985 1,448 40 0.0026%
1986 1,342 49 0.0032%
1987 1,181 70 0.0046%
1988 1,177 78 0.005%
1989 1,049 113 0.007%
1990 946 150 0.009%
1991 874 177 0.0109%
1992 1,048 125 0.0078%
1993 996 139 0.0089%
1994 919 158 0.0103%
1995 787 205 0.0136%
1996 610 331 0.0221%
1997 519 422 0.0285%
1998 528 439 0.0293%
1999 476 508 0.0339%
2000 473 540 0.0353%
2001 419 647 0.0429%
2002 348 826 0.0551%
2003 353 838 0.0551%
2004 328 938 0.0615%
2005 375 804 0.0526%
2006 333 945 0.0604%
2007 350 893 0.0566%
2008 345 924 0.0598%
2009 312 1,018 0.0681%
2010 256 1,242 0.0862%
2011 264 1,181 0.0829%
2012 205 1,484 0.1041%
2013 192 1,622 0.1139%
2014 200 1,612 0.1106%
2015 217 1,447 0.0994%
2016 205 1,531 0.1062%
2017 176 1,654 0.1185%
2018 216 1,382 0.1006%
2019 257 1,217 0.0899%
2020 299 1,021 0.0802%
2021 305 943 0.0771%
2022 359 842 0.0638%

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Missouri (MO)

Mississippi (MS)

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New Hampshire (NH)

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New Mexico (NM)

Nevada (NV)

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Data via SSA.gov.

Names Like Fiona

If you like Fiona, you’ll love these other names like Fiona.

What names are variants of Fiona?

Mix it up with these names that are a variation of the name Fiona.

Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender
Fee

Fair, pale

Irish

Ffion

Fair, pale

Irish

Ffiona

Fair, pale

Irish

Ffyona

Fair, pale

Irish

Fione

Fair, pale

Irish

Fionna

Fair, pale

Irish

Fyona

Fair, pale

Irish

What names sound like Fiona?

If you like how Fiona sounds, you might also like these names that sound like Fiona.

Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender
Fina

Short form of Josefina

Italian, Spanish

Viona

English

What names are similar to Fiona?

Find a name that’s like Fiona, but just a little bit different.

Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender
Fiora

Gaelic

Lists With Fiona

Find inspiration in these baby girl name lists featuring the name Fiona.

Siblings of Fiona

Mamas with kids named Fiona also have kids with these names.

Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender
Vera

Truth and faith

Latin

Meara

Jolly, jovial

Irish

Tobin

God is good

Hebrew

Kallista

Most beautiful

Greek

Josie

God will increase

English

Tate

Cheerful

English

Ezra

Help

Hebrew

7 Comments

  1. She is a twin and her brother’s name is Alex. I thought they worked nicely together.

    Reply

  2. I wanted an Irish name to honor my heritage, and my husband and I both wanted something unique (not a popular “top 20” baby name) but not too “out there.” We also just think it sounds beautiful, and love the nickname possibilities (Fi, Fifi, Fia).

    Reply

  3. My husband and I chose Fiona because we wanted a name that was unique but others could spell/pronounce without much trouble. It means fair one and we pray our child is always fair and balanced. I love the name because it is from our gaelic heritage and was coined by a poet with our last name as well. It fits our little one because she gave me an incredible pregnancy, birth, amd is already a fair baby who sleeps through the night other than to feed at two weeks old.

    Reply

  4. We both just liked the name! No prior connections to it.

    Reply

  5. My husband and I are huge Netflixers and a show that we both love and enjoy to watch together was “Shameless.” The lead heroine in the show is name Fiona and the actress who plays her is just beautiful which helped us fall in love with it and that it was unique, but I come to find out after Fiona was born that my late Maternal Grandmothers middle name was Liona. Her first name was Florence so it was sort of kismet or met to be because it is like we combined my grandmother’s first and middle name to make Fiona. Even though our loved ones are no longer with us – they somehow always are.

    Reply

  6. Chosen for its Irish roots, and before the movie Shrek was ever released. Such a soft and feminine name meaning ‘fair’…appropriate for a blonde fair baby too.

    Reply

  7. I love that Fiona is a recognizable name, but not too common or over the top. I don’t personally know anyone else named Fiona. We get a lot of compliments on her name.

    Reply

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