FINTAN
FIN-tan
An Irish name linked to “white” or “fair,” and to the legendary figure of Fintan the ancient survivor.
Meaning
The excerpts connect Fintan to Irish Gaelic roots, with the first element tied to the idea of “white” or “fair.” Charnock explicitly groups Fintan with Finn/Fionn, suggesting it is formed from that same root with a diminutive or related ending. Yonge also points to the famous legendary Fintan, who survives the Flood by changing into a salmon.
Origin
IrishGaelicmasculine
Fun fact
In Irish legend, Fintan was said to have lived through the Flood and later became a salmon, which helped make him a proverbially ancient figure.
Confidence: mixed. Sources: History of Christian Names, Praenomina; or, the etymology of the principal Christian names of Great Britain and Ireland.