Morgan Unisex

Popularity: #294 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: MOR-gun //ˈmɔːrɡən//

Origin: Welsh; English

Meaning: Welsh: sea circle; English: bright, shining

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Morgan has its roots in the ancient Welsh language, derived from the elements "mor" meaning "sea" and "gan" meaning "born of" or "from." This etymology suggests a literal interpretation of Morgan as "born of the sea" or "sea-born." The name was originally used as a masculine given name in Wales, but over time, it has evolved into a unisex name, gaining popularity for girls particularly in the English-speaking world. The transition into English occurred through the Norman influence in the 11th century, as the Normans brought many Welsh names into wider usage following their conquest of England.

Historically, the name Morgan has been associated with notable figures, including the legendary Morgan le Fay, a powerful enchantress in Arthurian legend, who is often depicted as a complex character with both benevolent and malevolent traits. The popularity of Arthurian tales during the medieval period, particularly in the 12th century with works like Geoffrey of Monmouth's "Historia Regum Britanniae," helped to cement the name's place in cultural consciousness.

Additionally, the name appears in various forms in literature and folklore, contributing to its enduring legacy. Culturally, Morgan has been embraced in various traditions, often symbolizing strength and independence.

The name has been used in various contexts, from literature to modern media, reflecting a sense of versatility and adaptability. In some cases, the diminutive form "Morgie" has been affectionately employed, although it is less common in historical texts.

Overall, Morgan's rich linguistic roots and historical significance have contributed to its lasting resonance across cultures and eras.

Famous people named Morgan

In this section, you will find notable people named Morgan. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Morgan who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Morgan who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Morgan Freeman is an actor and narrator best known for The Shawshank Redemption, Million Dollar Baby, and Driving Miss Daisy.

Morgan Wallen is a country music singer and songwriter best known for his albums If I Know Me, Dangerous: The Double Album, and his hit singles like Whiskey Glasses.

Morgan Fairchild is an actress best known for her roles in Falcon Crest, Dallas, and the soap opera Days of Our Lives.

Morgan Spurlock is a documentary filmmaker best known for Super Size Me, Where in the World Is Osama Bin Laden?, and The Greatest Movie Ever Sold.

Morgan Saylor is an actress best known for her role in Homeland, as well as her work in the film White Girl.

Morgan Parker is a poet and author best known for her poetry collections There Are More Beautiful Things Than Beyoncé and Magical Negro.

Fictional characters named Morgan

The following list of fictional characters named Morgan is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Morgan le Fay is a fictional character from Arthurian legend and various adaptations. She is often portrayed as a powerful sorceress and antagonist to King Arthur and his knights.

Morgan Edge is a fictional character from DC Comics, particularly in Superman stories. He is a media mogul and often serves as an adversary to Superman, using his influence to manipulate public perception.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Morgan, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

MadisonTaylorJordanSydneyAveryRiley

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Morgan. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

MoriahMarloweMeganMiraMinaMabelMara

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Morgan was first seen in the United States in 1880.

Morgan has ranked as high as #55 nationally, which occurred in 1995, and has been most popular in California, Texas, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York.

In the past 5 years the name Morgan has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Morgan is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Morgan was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Morgan.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 1,509 532 977
2024 1,705 561 1,144
2023 1,781 532 1,249
2022 1,933 550 1,383
2021 1,902 455 1,447
2020 1,858 367 1,491
2019 1,985 334 1,651
2018 2,079 320 1,759
2017 2,299 370 1,929
2016 2,749 410 2,339
2015 3,070 381 2,689
2014 3,410 404 3,006
2013 3,483 367 3,116
2012 3,844 441 3,403
2011 4,147 475 3,672
2010 4,576 499 4,077
2009 5,203 592 4,611
2008 6,047 714 5,333
2007 6,394 729 5,665
2006 7,316 821 6,495
2005 7,650 901 6,749
2004 8,306 1,011 7,295
2003 8,676 748 7,928
2002 9,142 709 8,433
2001 9,519 784 8,735
2000 10,341 839 9,502
1999 10,504 897 9,607
1998 11,168 951 10,217
1997 11,404 1,062 10,342
1996 11,511 1,216 10,295
1995 12,135 1,258 10,877
1994 11,678 1,023 10,655
1993 9,435 862 8,573
1992 8,778 989 7,789
1991 7,700 906 6,794
1990 6,983 936 6,047
1989 5,254 828 4,426
1988 4,625 829 3,796
1987 3,698 770 2,928
1986 3,151 674 2,477
1985 2,965 682 2,283
1984 2,875 700 2,175
1983 2,281 624 1,657
1982 2,347 631 1,716
1981 2,534 766 1,768
1980 1,763 702 1,061
1979 946 503 443
1978 648 390 258
1977 581 370 211
1976 447 303 144
1975 396 282 114
1974 371 276 95
1973 346 255 91
1972 361 303 58
1971 391 311 80
1970 411 336 75
1969 394 332 62
1968 298 263 35
1967 312 270 42
1966 257 223 34
1965 251 207 44
1964 267 224 43
1963 240 219 21
1962 268 254 14
1961 236 203 33
1960 276 250 26
1959 239 225 14
1958 214 192 22
1957 195 185 10
1956 209 197 12
1955 213 197 16
1954 190 179 11
1953 157 150 7
1952 175 169 6
1951 165 153 12
1950 126 121 5
1949 126 121 5
1948 124 124 0
1947 175 175 0
1946 158 147 11
1945 112 112 0
1944 134 128 6
1943 123 123 0
1942 114 114 0
1941 100 100 0
1940 130 130 0
1939 104 104 0
1938 116 116 0
1937 107 102 5
1936 119 119 0
1935 131 131 0
1934 123 123 0
1933 122 122 0
1932 140 140 0
1931 135 135 0
1930 108 108 0
1929 138 138 0
1928 131 131 0
1927 147 147 0
1926 154 154 0
1925 160 160 0
1924 155 155 0
1923 154 154 0
1922 144 144 0
1921 184 184 0
1920 160 160 0
1919 138 138 0
1918 173 168 5
1917 179 179 0
1916 155 155 0
1915 136 136 0
1914 125 125 0
1913 106 106 0
1912 78 78 0
1911 54 54 0
1910 45 45 0
1909 34 34 0
1908 33 33 0
1907 21 21 0
1906 25 25 0
1905 30 30 0
1904 18 18 0
1903 26 26 0
1902 23 23 0
1901 16 16 0
1900 31 31 0
1899 30 30 0
1898 28 28 0
1897 29 29 0
1896 25 25 0
1895 26 26 0
1894 32 32 0
1893 22 22 0
1892 21 21 0
1891 19 19 0
1890 23 23 0
1889 24 24 0
1888 21 21 0
1887 17 17 0
1886 32 32 0
1885 26 26 0
1884 33 33 0
1883 19 19 0
1882 24 24 0
1881 23 23 0
1880 33 33 0

Top States for Morgan (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
CA 165
10%
TX 158
10%
OH 86
5%
GA 71
4%
FL 67
4%
PA 63
4%
NY 63
4%
WA 62
4%
MI 58
4%
NC 57
3%
IL 56
3%
VA 51
3%
IN 44
3%
CO 42
3%
MA 41
2%
MO 39
2%
TN 36
2%
NJ 34
2%
MD 32
2%
SC 29
2%
WI 28
2%
OR 27
2%
AZ 26
2%
KS 26
2%
CT 26
2%
AL 24
1%
MN 23
1%
KY 23
1%
UT 22
1%
OK 19
1%
AR 17
1%
LA 17
1%
NH 16
1%
NM 16
1%
MS 15
1%
IA 14
1%
MT 13
1%
ID 13
1%
NV 11
1%
NE 8
0%
ND 6
0%
WV 5
0%