Given name & surname
Flynn
“one who has a ruddy complexion”
Flynn is used as a given name and a surname. One Irish interpretation is “one who has a ruddy complexion.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One Irish interpretation is “one who has a ruddy complexion.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Irish.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1913. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Flynn through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 7,160
- 6,681 boys · 479 girls
- Most popular year
- 2021
- 430 babies
- 2025
- 314
- #828 for boys · #7,245 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +3%
- Steady
Boys, girls and both
The balance of boys and girls given this name has shifted over time. Recent births are 95% boys.
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 299 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 828 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 2.5% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. It also appeared in 15 birth records for girls in 2025. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (21). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 4,832 as a first name in 2020; 61,341 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Flynn’s family of names
Flynn has a related form in Flann. Flynn has a related form in Flen. Flynn has a related form in Flenn.
Inner ring: spellings · outer: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 9
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Lynnvariant · English
- Flynnelikely variant
- Flinnvariant
- Floinnvariant
- Flennvariant
- Flenvariant
- Flinvariant
- Flynvariant
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Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
People named Flynn
- Flynn DownesEnglish association football player (born 1999)
- Flynn SouthamAustralian swimmerborn 2005
- Flynn RobinsonAmerican basketball player (1941–2013)
- Flynn Ogilviefield hockey playerborn 1993
- Flynn Clarkeassociation football playerborn 2002
Characters named Flynn: Walter White Jr. (Breaking Bad).
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Flynn, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Finn
“white, fair” · “one who is cool”
99% boys · 1% girls
Rhys
“ardour” · “having great enthusiasm for life”
95% boys · 5% girls
Killian
“a warrior woman; of the church” · “one who is small and fierce”
98% boys · 2% girls
Kian
“from an ancient family”
>99% boys
Declan
In Irish use, Declan is used as a form of Gaelic.
99% boys · 1% girls
Kieran
“having dark features; the little dark one”
97% boys · 3% girls
Callan
“one who is powerful in battle” · “a talkative woman”
95% boys · 5% girls
Kane
“a warrior woman ready for battle” · “the little warrior”
>99% boys