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The short answer
Quinn is a name used for both boys and girls, from an Irish surname that is the Anglicized form of Irish Gaelic Ó Cuinn, itself derived from the given name Conn. Behind the Name notes that in the United States it was more common as a boys' name until 2010, the year after the female character Quinn Fabray began appearing on the television series Glee. It is pronounced KWIN. In the United States it ranked #467 for boys and #97 for girls in 2025.
Meaning and etymology
Behind the Name derives Quinn from an Irish surname, the Anglicized form of Irish Gaelic Ó Cuinn, itself derived from the given name Conn. It notes that in the United States, Quinn was more common as a name for boys until 2010, the year after the female character Quinn Fabray began appearing on the television series Glee, after which use for girls overtook it.
Editorial confidence: established
Linguistic roots
| Language | Form | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Irish Gaelic | Ó Cuinn | descendant of Conn (surname) |
Popularity
Quinn ranked #467 for boys and #97 for girls in the United States in 2025 (Social Security Administration).
| Region | Year | Rank | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States (boys) | 2025 | #467 | ssa-2025 |
| United States (girls) | 2025 | #97 | ssa-2025 |
United States, 2025: #97 (Social Security Administration)
Nicknames, variants, and related names
Nicknames: None documented.
Variants: Quin
Related names: Conn
What the name feels like
Quinn's short, crisp sound and Irish surname pedigree have made it a fixture of modern unisex naming, now leaning toward girls in current U.S. use following its pop-culture boost.
Style tags: surname name, unisex, one syllable, Irish
Editorial interpretation: These style impressions are editorial judgment, not linguistic fact.
If you like this name
Names that share Quinn's Irish-surname shape or its modern unisex use.
Similar by origin
Similar by style
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Quinn mean?
Quinn comes from an Irish surname, the Anglicized form of Ó Cuinn, derived from the given name Conn; Behind the Name does not give a further English gloss for Conn.
Is Quinn a boy's name or a girl's name?
Both. In 2025 US data Quinn ranked #467 for boys and #97 for girls, according to Social Security Administration data.
Why did Quinn become more common for girls?
Behind the Name attributes the shift to the female character Quinn Fabray, who began appearing on the television series Glee starting in 2009.
Sources
- Behind the Name: Meaning, origin and history of the name Quinn — supports etymology, pronunciation, variants, history.
- U.S. Social Security Administration: Popular Baby Names — national data, year of birth 2025 — supports popularity.
