Regana
A feminine name of uncertain origin, potentially derived from the Irish name Reagan.
Name Census estimates that about 55 living Americans carry the first name Regana. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Regana today is around 63 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Regana births was 1962 (15 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Regana. 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.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Regana. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
55
~ 1 in 6,231,897 Americans
Peak year
1962
15 babies that year
Average age
63
years old
1967 SSA rank
#7,580
Tracked since 1960
Popularity
Regana: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Regana 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 Regana during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0 | 68 | 68 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Regana
The name Regana is believed to have originated from the Old English language, derived from the Germanic roots "ræg" and "ana," which together mean "advice" or "counsel." This suggests that the name may have been associated with wisdom and guidance in its early usage.
During the Anglo-Saxon period in Britain, which lasted from the 5th to the 11th century, the name Regana was relatively common among the ruling classes and nobility. It appears in several historical records and chronicles from that time, indicating its widespread use.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Regana can be found in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles, a collection of annals that document the history of the Anglo-Saxons. In the entry for the year 689, a Lady Regana is mentioned as a prominent figure in the court of King Ine of Wessex.
In the 9th century, a Regana of Mercia was a noted scholar and advisor to King Offa of Mercia. Her writings on law and governance were highly influential during that period and were widely studied in monastic schools.
During the Norman Conquest of England in the 11th century, the name Regana fell out of favor among the ruling classes but remained in use among the common people. It experienced a resurgence in popularity during the Renaissance period, when a renewed interest in classical literature and philosophy led to a revival of many ancient names.
One notable bearer of the name Regana was an English playwright and poet who lived in the late 16th century. Regana Wylde, born in 1567, was a contemporary of William Shakespeare and is known for her works that explored themes of love, betrayal, and political intrigue.
In the 18th century, Regana Fairchild (1712-1792) was a prominent philanthropist and advocate for women's education. She founded several schools for underprivileged girls in London and was a vocal supporter of the early feminist movement.
Another notable figure was Regana Blackwood (1825-1891), an explorer and naturalist who traveled extensively throughout Africa and the Middle East. Her detailed accounts of the flora and fauna she encountered were instrumental in advancing the field of natural history during the 19th century.
Regana Pemberton (1878-1964) was a pioneering aviator and one of the first women to obtain a pilot's license. She set several long-distance flight records and was a vocal advocate for women's involvement in aviation.
People
Regana + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Regana as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with R
Other first names starting with R with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Regana: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Regana?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 55 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Regana 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 6,231,897 US residents.
Is Regana a common name?
We classify Regana as "Very Rare". It ranks above 55.7% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 68 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Regana most popular?
The single biggest year for Regana was 1962, when 15 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Regana is about 63 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 Regana in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Regana a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Regana 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.
Is Regana still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Regana 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 Regana 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 people have Regana as a first name?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.