Megann
A feminine name of English origin meaning "pearl".
Name Census estimates that about 761 living Americans carry the first name Megann. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Megann today is around 35 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Megann births was 1988 (40 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Megann. 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
761
~ 1 in 450,400 Americans
Peak year
1988
40 babies that year
Average age
35
years old
2011 SSA rank
#16,122
Tracked since 1967
Popularity
Megann: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Megann from the 1960s through to the 2010s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1980s, with 284 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1980s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Megann 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 Megann during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Meganns live
Origin
Meaning and history of Megann
The name Megann has its origins in the ancient Celtic language, tracing back to the 5th century AD in the region now known as Ireland and Scotland. It is derived from the Gaelic word "meagán," meaning "little one" or "little pearl." The name was initially a diminutive form of the name Meaghdha, which itself derived from the Old Irish word "mág," meaning "plain" or "field."
The earliest recorded use of the name Megann can be found in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history dating back to the 5th century. In these annals, a woman named Megann is mentioned as a noblewoman in the Kingdom of Dál Riata, an ancient Gaelic overkingdom located in modern-day western Scotland and northeastern Ireland.
Throughout the Middle Ages, the name Megann remained popular among Celtic communities, particularly in Ireland and Scotland. One notable figure bearing this name was Megann of Ferns, an Irish abbess who lived in the 7th century and founded the Monastery of Ferns in County Wexford, Ireland.
In the 12th century, the name Megann gained prominence in England due to the Norman Conquest and the intermingling of Anglo-Norman and Celtic cultures. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name in England was Megann of Whalley, a noblewoman who lived in Lancashire in the late 12th century.
During the Renaissance period, the name Megann appeared in various literary works, including the plays of William Shakespeare. In his play "Hamlet," a character named Megann is mentioned as a courtier in the royal court of Denmark.
Another notable figure with the name Megann was Megann Llewelyn, a Welsh poet and bard who lived in the late 16th century. She was renowned for her poetic works celebrating the Welsh language and culture.
In the 18th century, Megann O'Sullivan was an Irish patriot and rebel who fought against English rule during the Irish Rebellion of 1798. She was captured and executed for her involvement in the rebellion, becoming a symbol of Irish resistance and independence.
As the name Megann spread across Europe and beyond, it took on various spellings and forms, such as Megan, Meagan, and Meghan. However, the core meaning and Celtic origins of the name remained intact, continuing to inspire parents across generations.
People
Megann + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Megann as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with M
Other first names starting with M with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Megann: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Megann?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 761 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Megann 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 450,400 US residents.
Is Megann a common name?
We classify Megann as "Very Rare". It ranks above 88.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 797 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Megann most popular?
The single biggest year for Megann was 1988, when 40 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Megann is about 35 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Megann a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Megann in the SSA data are female. 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.