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Reagan

♀ Girl

Pronounced RAY-gun /ˈreɪ.ɡən/High

Meaning: Little king, regal — from Irish Gaelic Ó Ríagáin, from rían (king, regal)High

In 30 seconds: An Irish Gaelic surname meaning 'little king,' Reagan crossed from the political world into the top 100 girls' names in the 2000s, balancing strength, Irish heritage, and surname-name chic.
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Origin HighIrish Gaelic
MeaningLittle king, regal — from Irish Gaelic Ó Ríagáin, from rían (king, regal)
U.S. rank (2025)#248 ↘ Falling
2025 U.S. births1,244 girls (0.07% of U.S. girls)
Peak year2016
Total births (all-time)≈ 65,728

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 201619562025

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

History & Origin

Reagan is an Irish Gaelic surname derived from Ó Ríagáin, meaning 'descendant of Ríagán,' where ríagán is a diminutive of rí (king), meaning 'little king' or 'regal.' The O'Reagan/Reagan family was a significant Munster clan in Ireland.

Reagan gained broad American recognition through President Ronald Reagan (1981–1989). Paradoxically, the name became popular primarily as a girls' name in the 1990s and 2000s. It entered the U.S. top 100 girls' names in the early 2000s, fitting neatly into the fashion for Irish surname-names (Mackenzie, Kennedy, Riley) for girls.

Did you know? President Ronald Reagan (1911–2004) is the name's most famous bearer — though the name is now used overwhelmingly for girls in the United States, a remarkable gender flip from a presidential surname to a top girls' name within a generation.

Variations

ReganRaegan

Nicknames

RaeReggie

Famous Bearers

  • ★Ronald Reagan (1911–2004)
    40th President of the United States; the surname's most prominent modern bearer.

If you like Reagan…

Kennedy— Irish surname-name with the same Gaelic heritage and strong girls' appeal
Riley— Irish surname-name equally popular for girls in the same era
Delaney— Irish surname-name with comparable three-syllable energy
Mackenzie— Scottish Gaelic surname-name following the same girls' naming trend

Frequently Asked

What does the name Reagan mean?

Reagan is an Irish Gaelic surname meaning 'little king' or 'regal,' from ríagán, a diminutive of rí (king).

How do you pronounce Reagan?

Reagan is pronounced RAY-gun /ˈreɪ.ɡən/ — two syllables with stress on the first.

Is Reagan a boy or girl name?

Reagan is now used primarily as a girls' name in the United States, though it originated as a boys' surname.

How popular is Reagan?

Reagan entered the U.S. top 100 girls' names in the early 2000s and has remained popular ever since.