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Home › Baby Names Directory › Quinn

Quinn

♂ Boy

Pronounced KWIN /kwɪn/High

Meaning: From the Irish surname Ó Cuinn, meaning 'descendant of Conn,' where Conn derives from the Old Irish 'ceann' meaning chief or head, or possibly from 'cú' meaning hound; also interpreted as meaning intelligence or wisdomHigh

In 30 seconds: Quinn is a crisp Irish surname name meaning 'wisdom' or 'chief.' Genuinely unisex and endlessly cool, it has become one of the most popular one-syllable names for both boys and girls in the United States.
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Origin HighIrish
MeaningFrom the Irish surname Ó Cuinn, meaning 'descendant of Conn,' where Conn derives from the Old Irish 'ceann' meaning chief or head, or possibly from 'cú' meaning hound; also interpreted as meaning intelligence or wisdom
U.S. rank (2025)#467 ↗ Rising
2025 U.S. births663 boys (0.04% of U.S. boys)
Peak year2009
Total births (all-time)≈ 36,987

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 200919152025

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Quinn is the Anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Cuinn, meaning 'descendant of Conn.' The personal name Conn derives from Old Irish ceann (chief, head) or related to words for intelligence and wisdom. Quinn was one of the great Irish clans of Connacht, and the name spread through Irish emigration.

As a first name, Quinn gained popularity in the United States in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Its single syllable, crisp sound, and genuine unisex usage make it one of the most versatile modern names. It has appeared in the top 500 for girls and top 500 for boys simultaneously in recent years.

Did you know? Quinn is one of the most perfectly balanced unisex names in American usage — it consistently appears in both boys' and girls' top-500 lists, a genuinely equal split that very few names achieve.
Overall data confidence 90%
Behind the Name — Quinn — etymology and historyU.S. Social Security Administration — popularity data

Variations

QuinQuinne

Nicknames

—

Famous Bearers

  • ★Quinn (Irish clan)
    One of the great Irish clans of Connacht, County Tyrone

If you like Quinn…

Finn— shares the crisp Irish heritage and the one-syllable unisex appeal
Lane— equally short and clean with the same modern unisex character
Beau— shares the punchy one-syllable sound and cool modern feel
Blake— another one-syllable surname name used for both boys and girls

Explore names like Quinn

By thememodernunisexshortirishceltic
By meaningWisdomLeader

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does Quinn mean?

Quinn means 'descendant of Conn,' where Conn means chief or head in Old Irish. The name carries associations with wisdom and leadership.

How do you pronounce Quinn?

Quinn is a single syllable pronounced KWIN /kwɪn/.

Is Quinn a boy or girl name?

Quinn is genuinely unisex and is used nearly equally for boys and girls in the United States — one of the few names to consistently rank in the top 500 for both sexes simultaneously.

Is Quinn popular?

Yes. Quinn has been in the top 500 for girls and top 500 for boys in the U.S. in recent years, one of the most successfully unisex names in current use.

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