Fiona was coined by the Scottish poet James Macpherson in the 18th century from the Gaelic word fionn, meaning "white" or "fair", and was later used as a pen name by writer William Sharp. For American children it belongs above all to Princess Fiona in the Shrek films, which began in 2001. Fiona climbed from number 461 in 2000 to a peak of number 180 in 2017; it has lost ground since and stands at number 470 in 2025.