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Home › Baby Names Directory › Tegan

Tegan

♀ Girl

Pronounced TEE-guhn /ˈti.ɡən/Medium

Meaning: DarlingMedium

In 30 seconds: Tegan is a Welsh girl's name meaning 'darling'. It is a sweet, two-syllable name with deep roots in Wales.
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Origin MediumWelsh, English
MeaningDarling
U.S. rank (2025)#2297 ↘ Falling
2025 U.S. births80 girls (0.01% of U.S. girls)
Peak year2011
Total births (all-time)≈ 6,786

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 201119572025

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

Tegan comes from Welsh, where it carries the affectionate meaning 'darling' or 'fair one'. It has long been used in Wales and spread through other English-speaking countries with its tidy, easy-to-say shape. Canadian musician Tegan Quin, one half of the duo Tegan and Sara, gave the name wide recognition.

The name has a crisp, modern ring that belies its Welsh age, and the common respelling Teagan softens the look of it. Whether written Tegan, Teagan, or Taegan, the warm 'darling' meaning stays the same.

Did you know? The meaning usually attached to Tegan is 'darling', and that core idea is what gives the name most of its long-term appeal.
Overall data confidence 78%
Behind the Name - Tegan — etymology, usage, pronunciation, and related formsU.S. Social Security Administration — 2024 popularity rank and count supplied in the batch input CSV

Variations

TeaganTaegan

Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

  • ★Tegan Quin (1980–present)
    Canadian musician, one half of the indie pop duo Tegan and Sara.

If you like Tegan…

Teagan— The most common variation of Tegan, adding an 'a' without changing the sound.
Megan— A fellow Welsh girl's name with the same two-syllable, '-egan' ending.
Rylan— the same modern feel
Rhyan— shares the -an ending
Teigan— shares the -an ending

Explore names like Tegan

By thememodernenglishwelsh
By meaningLove

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Tegan mean?

Tegan is usually explained as meaning 'darling' and is most often linked with Welsh tradition.

How do you pronounce Tegan?

It's commonly said TEE-guhn /ˈti.ɡən/.

Is Tegan a boy or girl name?

In this batch and in recent U.S. usage data, Tegan is used as a girl name.

How popular is Tegan?

In 2024, Tegan ranked #2060 in the U.S. for girls, with 94 births recorded.

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