Reagan Unisex

Popularity: #236 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: RAY-gun //ˈreɪɡən//

Origin: Irish; English

Meaning: Irish: 'descendant of Raghnaid'; English: 'regal'

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Reagan has its roots in the Irish language, derived from the Gaelic surname "Ó Riagáin," which means "descendant of Riagán." The name Riagán itself is believed to be derived from the word "riag," meaning "impulsive" or "active." This surname was historically associated with a notable family in Ireland, particularly in the province of Munster, where it was borne by various chieftains and local leaders. The transition of the name into a given name occurred in the 20th century, particularly in English-speaking countries, as surnames began to be adopted as first names, a trend that gained momentum in the late 1900s.

Historically, the name Reagan has been linked to various cultural and political figures, most notably Ronald Reagan, the 40th President of the United States, who served from 1981 to 1989. His presidency was marked by significant events such as the Cold War's conclusion and substantial economic changes in the U.S.

This association has contributed to the name's recognition and resonance in American culture, although it is essential to note that the name's origins predate this association by centuries. Culturally, the name Reagan carries connotations of strength and leadership, reflecting its historical ties to influential figures in Irish history.

The name has also been embraced in literature and media, further embedding it within cultural narratives. In addition to its use as a standalone name, diminutive forms such as "Rae" have emerged, offering a softer alternative while maintaining the name's original essence.

Overall, Reagan's journey from a Gaelic surname to a modern given name illustrates the dynamic interplay between language, culture, and identity.

Fictional characters named Reagan

The following list of fictional characters named Reagan 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.

Reagan is a fictional character from the video game series Fire Emblem. They are a key figure in the story, often involved in political intrigue and battles.

Sibling suggestions

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

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Reagan. 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.

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Reagan was first seen in the United States in 1913.

Reagan has ranked as high as #201 nationally, which occurred in 2012, and has been most popular in Texas, California, Ohio, Florida, and Georgia.

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

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Reagan 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 Reagan 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 Reagan.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 1,342 98 1,244
2024 1,407 110 1,297
2023 1,843 115 1,728
2022 2,133 145 1,988
2021 2,408 166 2,242
2020 2,533 160 2,373
2019 2,950 196 2,754
2018 3,022 202 2,820
2017 3,218 213 3,005
2016 3,301 204 3,097
2015 3,268 207 3,061
2014 3,109 206 2,903
2013 3,249 209 3,040
2012 3,322 234 3,088
2011 2,843 232 2,611
2010 2,683 203 2,480
2009 2,751 211 2,540
2008 2,589 204 2,385
2007 2,508 247 2,261
2006 2,498 260 2,238
2005 2,724 299 2,425
2004 2,635 366 2,269
2003 1,857 200 1,657
2002 1,847 223 1,624
2001 1,680 235 1,445
2000 1,311 180 1,131
1999 1,055 190 865
1998 1,042 153 889
1997 861 166 695
1996 707 140 567
1995 519 120 399
1994 383 85 298
1993 273 74 199
1992 189 49 140
1991 170 46 124
1990 140 52 88
1989 123 42 81
1988 116 44 72
1987 97 38 59
1986 86 32 54
1985 94 35 59
1984 87 28 59
1983 87 30 57
1982 86 31 55
1981 160 50 110
1980 219 58 161
1979 184 45 139
1978 220 53 167
1977 201 55 146
1976 137 27 110
1975 171 38 133
1974 105 35 70
1973 83 31 52
1972 44 24 20
1971 58 35 23
1970 52 32 20
1969 52 29 23
1968 36 17 19
1967 42 29 13
1966 42 27 15
1965 35 24 11
1964 47 25 22
1963 46 34 12
1962 22 22 0
1961 9 9 0
1960 17 17 0
1959 14 14 0
1958 22 22 0
1957 21 21 0
1956 21 14 7
1955 15 15 0
1954 17 17 0
1953 22 22 0
1952 22 22 0
1951 25 25 0
1950 22 22 0
1949 18 18 0
1948 18 18 0
1947 13 13 0
1946 16 16 0
1945 12 12 0
1944 10 10 0
1943 14 14 0
1942 13 13 0
1941 7 7 0
1940 7 7 0
1939 6 6 0
1938 5 5 0
1937 7 7 0
1932 6 6 0
1931 9 9 0
1930 8 8 0
1929 5 5 0
1927 6 6 0
1924 7 7 0
1922 6 6 0
1921 9 9 0
1920 6 6 0
1919 5 5 0
1918 8 8 0
1917 10 10 0
1916 10 10 0
1915 5 5 0
1913 5 5 0

Top States for Reagan (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
TX 123
9%
CA 108
8%
FL 74
6%
OH 71
5%
PA 66
5%
VA 62
5%
NY 58
4%
NC 51
4%
MI 48
4%
GA 48
4%
TN 44
3%
NJ 42
3%
IL 40
3%
MO 34
3%
WA 29
2%
AZ 29
2%
IN 28
2%
CO 28
2%
MA 27
2%
KY 25
2%
MN 24
2%
MD 23
2%
LA 20
2%
SC 19
1%
WI 18
1%
ID 17
1%
OK 16
1%
UT 15
1%
AL 14
1%
IA 12
1%
OR 11
1%
CT 11
1%
NE 11
1%
SD 11
1%
NV 9
1%
AR 8
1%
KS 8
1%
MS 7
1%
NH 7
1%
ME 7
1%
NM 7
1%
MT 6
0%
WV 6
0%
ND 5
0%