Flannery

A girl's name of Irish origin with 574 recorded U.S. births.

Girl's name#13993 in 2024Declining

Meaning & Origin

A surname from Irish.

Flannery is a girl's baby name of Irish origin, anglicized from the Irish surname Ó Flannghaile, meaning 'red eyebrow' or 'ruddy valor,' from the Irish flann (blood-red) and gal (valor).

The name is forever linked to American writer Flannery O'Connor, whose fierce, darkly comic Southern Gothic fiction gave the name literary gravitas. It's a choice for parents who love Irish heritage wrapped in a strong artistic identity.

EtymologyShow more

Flannery is built from 8 letters and three syllables — a longer structure that creates presence and allows for natural nickname formation. Within the Irish naming tradition, this length is typical of names that preserve their full historical form, carrying their etymology on the surface.

The interplay of consonants and vowels in Flannery creates its characteristic sharp, distinct quality. Multi-syllable names often carry remnants of compound constructions — two or more meaningful elements fused together — even when the original components are no longer transparent to modern speakers.

At a Glance

#13993

Current Rank

574

Total births

Since 1980

2006

Peak year

23 births

Compare Flannery with another name

Popularity Over Time

Flannery was #8884 twenty years ago and has since drifted to #13993, but its charm endures.

First appeared: 1980Peak: 2006 (23 births)Current: #13993

Popularity by Decade

Decade-by-decade popularity data for Flannery
Decade	Births	Avg Rank	Trend
2020s	41	#11636	▼
2010s	129	#9081	▼
2000s	154	#7672	—
1990s	164	#5857	▲
1980s	86	#7658	—

The Story of Flannery

A Gen Z name

Peaking in 2006, Flannery is a name that defines a generation. Girls named Flannery are most likely born between 1996 and 2016.

How rare is Flannery?

Only about 1 in every 600,000 babies born in 2024 was named Flannery — a truly uncommon choice.

The journey through the decades

First appeared in the records in 1980, peaked in the 1990s with 164 births that decade, and has gracefully settled into a quieter chapter.

Flannery by the numbers

Would fill 12 school buses
Meeting one Flannery per day would take 1.6 years

Year-by-Year Data

View complete yearly data(44 years, 1980–2024)

Year-by-year popularity data for the name Flannery
Year	Births	Rank	Change
2024	6	#13993	-1 (-14.3%)
2023	7	#12564	0
2022	7	#12677	-3 (-30.0%)
2021	10	#9802	-1 (-9.1%)
2020	11	#9142	0
2019	11	#9325	-4 (-26.7%)
2018	15	#7501	+8 (114.3%)
2017	7	#13175	-3 (-30.0%)
2016	10	#10347	0
2015	10	#10374	-6 (-37.5%)
2014	16	#7426	+1 (6.7%)
2013	15	#7893	+1 (7.1%)
2012	14	#8360	+3 (27.3%)
2011	11	#9939	-9 (-45.0%)
2010	20	#6468	+7 (53.8%)
2009	13	#9065	-4 (-23.5%)
2008	17	#7520	+1 (6.3%)
2007	16	#7847	-7 (-30.4%)
2006	23	#5787	+10 (76.9%)
2005	13	#8498	+1 (8.3%)

Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Flannery a boy's or girl's name?

Flannery is primarily a girl's name.

When was Flannery most popular?

Flannery reached its peak popularity in 2006 with 23 births that year. It is currently ranked #13993 in the U.S.

How popular is the name Flannery?

Flannery is currently ranked #13993 in the U.S. (2024). It has been given to 574 babies since 1980.

Explore More

By Length8-letter names By OriginIrish names By EndingNames in -y TrendingRising names RankingsFull rankings

Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1980–2024