What Does the Name Fiona Mean?
Fiona is a girl's name of Scottish (literary, coined by James Macpherson/William Sharp, from Gaelic root) origin meaning “fair, white (from Scottish Gaelic 'fionn', cognate with Welsh 'gwyn'). The original 'vine' element is incorrect and has no etymological basis..”
Updated June 2026
| Name | Fiona |
|---|---|
| Gender | female |
| Origin | Scottish (literary, coined by James Macpherson/William Sharp, from Gaelic root) |
| Meaning | fair, white (from Scottish Gaelic 'fionn', cognate with Welsh 'gwyn'). The original 'vine' element is incorrect and has no etymological basis. |
| Variants | Fionna, Ffion, Fíona, Fionnuala |
| Popularity | Popular across the UK and Ireland and steadily present in the US top 1000, helped by wide cultural familiarity. |
The meaning and origin of Fiona
The name Fiona means “fair, white (from Scottish Gaelic 'fionn', cognate with Welsh 'gwyn'). The original 'vine' element is incorrect and has no etymological basis.” and has Scottish (literary, coined by James Macpherson/William Sharp, from Gaelic root) origins. Coined by Scottish poet James Macpherson and later used as a pen name by William Sharp ('Fiona Macleod'), based on the Gaelic element 'fionn' meaning 'fair' or 'white.' It is now a well-established given name.
Variants and related names
Fiona is related to several other names you may recognize: Fionna, Ffion, Fíona, Fionnuala. These share a common root or are spelling and language variants of the same name.
How popular is the name Fiona?
Popular across the UK and Ireland and steadily present in the US top 1000, helped by wide cultural familiarity.
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Open the name generator →Frequently asked questions
What does the name Fiona mean?+
The name Fiona means “fair, white (from Scottish Gaelic 'fionn', cognate with Welsh 'gwyn'). The original 'vine' element is incorrect and has no etymological basis.” and is of Scottish (literary, coined by James Macpherson/William Sharp, from Gaelic root) origin.
What is the origin of the name Fiona?+
Fiona originates from Scottish (literary, coined by James Macpherson/William Sharp, from Gaelic root).
Is Fiona a popular name?+
Yes — see the popularity note above for how Fiona has trended in the US over time.
Fiona by gender
More girl's names
Sources
- Behind the Name — Etymology and history of first names — Behind the Name
- US Social Security Administration — Popular baby names by year — Social Security Administration
- A Dictionary of First Names — Oxford Reference — Oxford University Press