Finley (name)
Finley is both a surname and given name. Its meaning is of Scottish origin, from the Gaelic personal name Fionnlagh, composed of the elements fionn "white", "fair" + laoch "warrior", "hero", which seems to have been reinforced by an Old Norse personal name composed of the elements finn "Finn" + leikr "fight", "battle", "hero".
Finley is a popular given name both in the US and the UK. In the US, it is more common for girls, but in the UK it is primarily a male name ranking 35th most common boy name in 2016.
Notable people with the name include:
Surname
- Albert Ernest Finley, Canadian physician and political figure
- Amy Finley, American cook and writer
- Art Finley, American television and radio personality
- Asa Finley, first elected judge of Arrow Rock, Missouri, 1824
- Ben Finley broadcast journalist who is the Editorial Producer with “Anderson Cooper 360” which broadcasts on CNN
- Bob Finley, American baseball catcher
- Brian Finley, Canadian ice hockey player
- Carl A. Finley, American minority owner of the Kansas City A's
- Chad Finley, American professional stock car racing driver and team owner
- Charles Finley , U.S. Representative from Kentucky
- Charles Finley , college basketball coach for the Idaho Vandals, UTEP Miners, Southern Miss Golden Eagles
- Charles M. Finley, businessman and politician from Philadelphia
- Charlie Finley, businessman and Oakland Athletics owner
- Chuck Finley, American baseball pitcher
- Clement Finley, 10th Surgeon General of the United States Army
- David Finley Jr., Northern Irish professional wrestling trainer, producer and former professional wrestler
- David E. Finley, United States Representative from South Carolina
- Diane Finley, Canadian politician
- Donna Finley, American politician
- Doug Finley, Canadian politician and Campaign Director for the Conservative Party of Canada during 2006 and 2008 elections
- Ebenezer B. Finley was a U.S. Representative from Ohio, nephew of Stephen Ross Harris
- Evelyn Finley, American actress and stuntwoman
- Francis Finley, British-born Australian rugby union player
- Frank Finley Merriam, the 28th governor of California from 1934 to 1939
- Gary Finley, English former professional football central defender and non-league manager
- Gary Wade Finley Jr., American multiple time champion
- Gerald Finley, Canadian bass-baritone opera singer
- Gerry Finley-Day, Scottish comics writer
- Gregory Finley, American actor
- Guy Finley, American self-help writer, philosopher, spiritual teacher, and former professional songwriter and musician
- Holly Finale' Finley, American professional disc golfer
- Hugh F. Finley, U.S. Representative from Kentucky, father of Charles Finley
- James Finley , American judge and bridge designer
- James Finley , American Presbyterian minister
- James I. Finley, American former Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Technology in the U.S. Department of Defense
- James "John" Finley Gruber, American teacher and early LGBT rights activist
- James Bradley Finley, United States Methodist elder and minister
- Jeanne C. Finley American artist who works with representational media including film, photography, and video
- Jeffrey Finley, Canadian football player
- Jermichael Finley, American football tight end
- Jesse J. Finley, American member of the United States House of Representatives from Florida and the mayor of Memphis
- Joe Finley, American ice hockey player
- John Finley , Canadian singer/songwriter
- John Finley Williamson, American founder of the Westminster Choir and co-founder of Westminster Choir College
- John Huston Finley, American educator
- John "Jack" Lawrence Finley, a United States Navy aviator and astronaut
- John Park Finley, American meteorologist and Army officer; tornado researcher
- Joseph Cameron Finley, American former child actor and molecular biologist
- Julie Finley the United States Ambassador to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
- Karen Finley, American performance artist
- Lucinda Finley, American professor and attorney appellant
- Lucy Sherrard Atkinson , English explorer and author who travelled throughout Central Asia and Siberia
- Martha Finley, teacher, author
- Mason Finley, American shot putter and discus thrower
- Matt Finley, American flugelhorn player and composer of Brazilian jazz
- Michael Finley, American basketball player
- Mike Finley, American writer, poet, and videographer
- Mitch Finley, American religious writer
- Morgan M. Finley, American politician and businessman
- Moses I. Finley, American and English historian
- Otis E. Finley Sr., American football coach
- Reginald Vaughn Finley Sr., American internet radio host and atheist
- Robert Finley, American academic, minister and co-organizer of the colonization movement to Liberia
- Robert Finley, American blues and soul singer-songwriter and guitarist.
- Ron Finley, American fashion designer
- Ron Finley, American former football coach
- Ronald Finley, American wrestler
- Ruth Finley, American businesswoman who was the founder and publisher of [The Fashion Calendar
- Ryan Finley, American founder of SurveyMonkey, an online survey software provider
- Ryan Finley , American former professional soccer player
- Ryan Finley , American football player
- Sam Finley, English professional football midfielder
- Samuel Finley, American Presbyterian minister and prominent academic
- Samuel Finley Brown Morse, American environmental conservationist and the developer
- Samuel Finley Patterson, American politician, planter, and businessman
- Samuel Finley Vinton, American member of the United States House of Representatives from Ohio
- Stephanie A. Finley, American judge
- Steve Finley, American baseball center fielder
- Susan G. Finley, an American researcher and the longest-serving woman in NASA
- William James Finley, American professional baseball player
- William Asa Finley, first president of Oregon State University in the United States
- William Finley , American actor
- William L. Finley, American wildlife photographer and conservationist
- William Finley, American film actor
Given name
- Finley Duncan, American singer who worked with independent record companies in Florida
- Finley Jeffrey, also known as "Scholar" and "King Scholar", American Grenadian calypsonian, Soca Artiste and songwrite
- Finley Peter Dunne, American writer and humorist
- Finley Lockwood, daughter of Lisa Marie Presley and Michael Lockwood
- Finley Quaye, Scottish musician
- William Finley Semple, American dentist, commonly referred to as the first person anywhere to patent a chewing gum