Keagen
Irish derivative of the surname Keegan, meaning "descendant of the vigorous one".
Name Census estimates that about 1,057 living Americans carry the first name Keagen. It is a predominantly male name (97.9% of registrations). The average person named Keagen today is around 18 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Keagen births was 2008 (90 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Keagen. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
1.1K
~ 1 in 324,271 Americans
Peak year
2008
90 babies that year
Average age
18
years old
2024 SSA rank
#13,242
Tracked since 1992
Gender
Gender distribution for Keagen
Keagen leans heavily male at 97.9% of total registrations, but 22 girls have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Keagen as a male name
- Ranked #13,242 in 2024
- 5 male births in 2024
- Peak: 2008 (90 births)
Keagen as a female name
- Ranked #14,468 in 2009
- 7 female births in 2009
- Peak: 2009 (7 births)
Popularity
Keagen: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Keagen from the 1990s through to the 2020s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 543 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2000s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Keagen by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Keagen during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Keagens live
The SSA's state-level files cover 10 states and territories. Michigan, Texas, Ohio recorded the most babies named Keagen, while Oklahoma, New York, Kentucky recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 14 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Keagen
The given name Keagen is believed to have originated from the Irish Gaelic language, tracing its roots back to the medieval era. It is a variant of the name Keegan, which itself is derived from the old Irish word "ciadhogain," meaning "descendant of the ancient one."
In its earliest form, the name was often spelled as Ciogaigín or Ciogagáin, reflecting the linguistic evolution of Irish Gaelic over the centuries. The name's popularity can be attributed to its association with various notable figures throughout Irish history.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Keagen dates back to the 12th century, when it was borne by Keagen Ua Rathaille, a renowned Irish poet and scholar from County Sligo. His poetic works, which celebrated Irish culture and language, are considered among the finest examples of medieval Irish literature.
In the 16th century, Keagen Mac Raghnaill, a chieftain of the powerful O'Donnell clan, played a significant role in the Nine Years' War against English rule in Ireland. His bravery and leadership during this conflict earned him a place in the annals of Irish history.
During the 17th century, Keagen O'Hara was a prominent Irish soldier who served in the Irish Confederate Wars and the Williamite War in Ireland. His military exploits and unwavering loyalty to the Jacobite cause have been documented in various historical accounts of the time.
In the 18th century, Keagen O'Daly was a revered Irish harpist and composer, renowned for his mastery of the ancient Irish harp tradition. His compositions and performances helped preserve and promote Irish musical heritage during a period of cultural oppression.
Another notable bearer of the name was Keagen O'Reilly, a 19th-century Irish nationalist and member of the Young Ireland movement. He actively campaigned for Irish independence and played a pivotal role in the rebellion of 1848, earning him a place in the annals of Irish revolutionary history.
While the name Keagen has its roots in Irish culture, it has since gained popularity in various parts of the world, particularly in English-speaking countries. However, its historical significance and connection to Irish heritage remain an integral part of its identity.
People
Keagen + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Keagen as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with K
Other first names starting with K with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Keagen: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Keagen?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,057 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Keagen going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 324,271 US residents.
Is Keagen a common name?
We classify Keagen as "Rare". It ranks above 90.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,069 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Keagen most popular?
The single biggest year for Keagen was 2008, when 90 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Keagen is about 18 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Keagen a male name?
Yes, 97.9% of people registered as Keagen in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.