Ragan

Meaning & origin

Ragan is a name of Irish origin that has seen modest use in the United States since the 1960s. Derived from the Gaelic Ó Riagáin, it shares its root with the more common Reagan, but with a distinct spelling. Though it has never ranked among the top names, Ragan reached its peak popularity in 1998, when it was given to a small number of children. Since 1999, its usage has been gradually declining, and in the latest year (2025), it had an incidence of about 1 in 267,878 births, ranking it 13,208th. The name first appeared on record in 1963 and saw its highest usage during the 1990s. Ragan's history is tied to Irish surnames, and like many similar names, it has been adopted across genders, though it is currently used more often for girls. Its spelling variant Regan is associated with Shakespeare's tragedy 'King Lear,' but Ragan itself remains a rare and less culturally loaded choice.

Ragan is an anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Riagáin, meaning 'descendant of Riagán.' The personal name Riagán is derived from the diminutive of rí, the Old Irish word for 'king,' thus meaning 'little king.' Historically, the Ó Riagáin family were a prominent sept in County Meath. As a given name, Ragan emerged in the mid-20th century, likely as a variant of Reagan.