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Origin, Meaning, And History Of Fiona
A beautiful name of Gaelic and Scottish origin, Fiona means ‘white’ or ‘fair.’ The term can also mean ‘pale’ and ‘white-shouldered.’ Fiona is a feminine version of Fionn, a prominent figure in ancient Irish mythology. Many consider the name a Latinized version of the Gaelic Fionn or an anglicized version of the Irish Fiona.
Fionn, the male variant of the name, originates from the early Gaelic Finn. Fiona is part of a set of related Gaelic names but does not have genuine Irish roots. Perhaps because there are many feminine Gaelic given names formed with Finn, such as Finnguala, Finnabair, and Finnmaith, but none of them could have led to the rise of Fiona. Gaels never created nicknames by eliminating the end of a given name or by removing the end of a given name and adding ‘a.’
According to Irish legends, the actual name of the mythological hero, Fionn mac Cumhaill, was Diemne. He got this name because of his luscious white-blonde hair. This hero was a leader of hunter-warriors called Fianna. In Welsh, the word ‘fion’ is used for the flowering plant foxglove and is also used as a feminine name spelled ‘Ffion.’
The name has several variations across Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. In Scottish, it goes by Finella, Finuall, Fionola, Flora, and Fionnaghal. In Celtic, it is Fenella, Gwen in Welsh, and Penelope in English.
A renowned mention of the name occurs in the Scottish poet James Macpherson’s Ossianic Poems. In these poems, he invented Fiona, who looks after the narrator in his old age. In the 19th century, the name’s popularity increased in England because of the author William Sharp, who wrote under the name Fiona Macleod.
Many characters in popular culture also bear this name. Some of the best examples are those of Fiona Gallagher in the TV show Shameless, Princess Fiona in Shrek, and Fiona in the game Tales from the Borderlands. In addition, American singer Fiona Apple and actress Fiona Dourif are some known faces bearing this name.
Fiona
How To Pronounce Fiona?
Famous People With The Name Fiona
- Fiona AppleAmerican singer-songwriter honored with the Grammy awards
- Fiona GubelmannAmerican actress who appeared in various single-episode roles in shows such as CSI, NY, and Knight Rider
- Fiona DourifAmerican actress known for her role in BBCs America’s Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency
- Fiona HillAmerican-British foreign affair specialist and a former official at the US National Security Council
- Fiona FullertonEnglish actress known for her role in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
- Fiona O’CarrollIrish actress and a member of the famous BBC/RTE sitcom Mrs. Brown’s Boys
- Fiona SitSinger and actress known for her debut song Madonna’s Kiss
- Fiona Karen RitchieAmerican radio broadcaster known for hosting the Celtic music program, The Thistle & Shamrock
Names With Similar Sound As Fiona
Here are a few names that chime as Fiona. Pick the one you like the most.
Names With Similar Meaning As Fiona
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Name Numerology For Fiona
