Recent in Baby
When Baby Resists SolidsWhen Baby Resists SolidsBaby Biting TipsBaby Biting Tips5 Tips To Help Prevent Highchair Injuries5 Tips To Help Prevent Highchair InjuriesWhen Baby and Pet MeetWhen Baby and Pet MeetTreatments for ColicTreatments for ColicBaby Milestones – The First YearBaby Milestones – The First YearTips for Relieving Teething PainTips for Relieving Teething PainBenefits of Making Your Own Baby FoodBenefits of Making Your Own Baby Food

Home › Baby Names Directory › Reagan

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.
💕 Browse more names
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 (0.08% 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.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

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
Delaney— Irish surname-name with comparable three-syllable energy
Mackenzie— Scottish Gaelic surname-name following the same girls' naming trend
Rowan— lands in the same popularity range
Rian— echoes that soft -an sound

Explore names like Reagan

By meaningRoyal / Noble

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

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.

💬 Ask Nia