Find out how popular the first name Meagan has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Meagan by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Meagan is more commonly used as a female name, with approximately 100% of people named Meagan being female.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 12 female babies and 0 male babies born with the name Meagan.

The history of the first name Meagan

The name Meagan is an Anglicized form of the Irish name Muadhnait, which is derived from the Gaelic words "muad" meaning "honorable" and "nait" meaning "fire" or "radiant." The name was prominent in ancient Irish culture, dating back to the 5th century AD.

Meagan was originally a feminine name used by the Gaels, a group of Celtic peoples inhabiting Ireland and parts of Scotland. The earliest recorded instance of the name appears in the Annals of Ulster, an ancient chronicle of medieval Irish history, where it is spelled "Muadnait."

In the 9th century, the name Muadhnait was borne by an Irish princess who became a nun and was later canonized as Saint Muadhnait. Her feast day is celebrated on April 19th in the Catholic Church, and she is venerated as the patron saint of County Louth, Ireland.

Another notable figure with the name was Muadhnait Ní Cholmáin, a 12th-century Irish poet and princess from the kingdom of Uí Failghe. Her poems, which were written in the Irish language, were highly regarded during her lifetime and are still studied today.

As the name spread beyond Ireland, it underwent various spelling changes and adaptations. In the 16th century, the English variant "Meagan" emerged, and it grew in popularity during the 19th and 20th centuries.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name "Meegan" (an alternative spelling) was in the 17th century. Meegan Bourke was an Irish noblewoman who lived from 1630 to 1689 and was known for her involvement in the Irish Confederate Wars.

In more recent history, Meagan Duhamel (1876-1964) was a Canadian author and educator who wrote extensively about the culture and history of the French-Canadian community. Meagan Lee Hagerty (1923-2011) was an American actress and singer who performed on Broadway and in films during the mid-20th century.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Meagan was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Meagan, please contact us.

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!