Leegan
An Irish masculine name of uncertain meaning and origin.
Name Census estimates that about 6 living Americans carry the first name Leegan. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Leegan today is around 9 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Leegan births was 2017 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Leegan. 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.
For a British comparison, Name Census UK has a UK baby-name profile for Leegan with official rankings and popularity over time.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Leegan. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
6
~ 1 in 57,125,723 Americans
Peak year
2017
6 babies that year
Average age
9
years old
2017 SSA rank
#11,603
Tracked since 2017
Popularity
Leegan: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Leegan 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 Leegan during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 6 | 0 | 6 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Leegan
The name Leegan is believed to have originated in the ancient Gaelic language, which was spoken by the Celtic tribes of Ireland and Scotland. It is thought to be derived from the Old Irish word "lí," meaning "vigor" or "energy," combined with the diminutive suffix "-gan," suggesting a sense of endearment or affection.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Leegan can be found in the Annals of Ulster, a medieval chronicle that documents events in Ireland from the 5th to the 16th century. In this text, a figure named Leegan mac Bran is mentioned as a chieftain of the Uí Bairrche tribe, who lived in the late 7th century.
In the 9th century, a notable figure named Leegan of Iona was a renowned scholar and scribe who worked at the monastic community on the Isle of Iona, off the western coast of Scotland. He is credited with transcribing and preserving several ancient Celtic manuscripts, including portions of the Book of Kells.
During the 12th century, a man named Leegan O'Callaghan was a prominent warrior and supporter of the House of Desmond, one of the most powerful noble families in medieval Munster, Ireland. He is said to have fought valiantly in several battles against the Anglo-Norman invaders.
In the 15th century, a Scottish nobleman named Leegan MacLeod was a member of the Clan MacLeod, one of the most influential clans in the Hebrides Islands. He is mentioned in historical records as having participated in various clan conflicts and negotiations with the Scottish monarchy.
Another notable figure bearing the name Leegan was an Irish poet and bard from the 17th century, known as Leegan Ó Dálaigh. He was renowned for his intricate verse compositions and his ability to weave together traditional Celtic mythology with contemporary themes and events.
While the name Leegan is not as common today as it once was, it remains a unique and intriguing name with deep roots in the ancient Celtic cultures of Ireland and Scotland. Its meaning and historical associations evoke a sense of energy, strength, and a connection to the rich literary and warrior traditions of these regions.
People
Leegan + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Leegan as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with L
Other first names starting with L with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Leegan: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Leegan?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 6 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Leegan 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 57,125,723 US residents.
Is Leegan a common name?
We classify Leegan as "Very Rare". It ranks above 22.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 6 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Leegan most popular?
The single biggest year for Leegan was 2017, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Leegan is about 9 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Leegan in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Leegan a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Leegan 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.
Is Leegan still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Leegan in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Leegan can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
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.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many Americans are named Leegan?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.