Given name & surname
Reagan
“born into royalty; the little ruler”
Reagan is a variant of Regan. One interpretation is “born into royalty; the little ruler.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
Reagan is a variant of Regan. One interpretation is “born into royalty; the little ruler.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
Reagan is a variant of Regan. An origin associated with Regan is Celtic.
Explained through its name family
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1913. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. Reagan is a variant of Regan. The history of Regan gives this family its wider story. Regan is one of Lear’s daughters in King Lear. Shakespeare’s source for the name is uncertain; later use has also been reinforced by the Irish surname Regan or Reagan, a distinct naming route.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Reagan through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 73,580
- 7,841 boys · 65,739 girls
- Most popular year
- 2012
- 3,322 babies
- 2025
- 1,342
- #248 for girls · #1,687 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −39%
- Cooling
Boys, girls and both
The balance of boys and girls given this name has shifted over time. Recent births are 7% boys.
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 1,244 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 248 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 39.5% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 3,097 in 2016. It also appeared in 98 birth records for boys in 2025. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (118). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 58,855 as a first name in 2020; 15,210 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Reagan’s family of names
In Cebuano usage, Reagan has a diminutive in Gangan. Reagan has a related form in Regan. In Czech usage, Reagan as a surname has a related form in Reaganová.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Reagan has relatives in 10 languages.
14 related names in 10 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 5
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Across languages 10
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
- 雷根borrowing · Chinese, Mandarin
- РейганRussian
- 里根borrowing · Chinese, Mandarin
- 列根borrowing · Chinese, Mandarin
- Ре́йганRussian
- 레이건Korean
- レーガンJapanese
- Ре́йгънBulgarian
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People named Reagan
- Reagan Gomez-PrestonAmerican actressborn 1980
- Reagan PasternakCanadian actressborn 1977
- Reagan WilsonAmerican model and actress (1947–2026)
- Reagan Dale NeisCanadian actressborn 1976
- Reagan NobleAssociation footballerborn 1983
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Reagan, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Raegan
“born into royalty; the little ruler”
1% boys · 99% girls
Elayna
“the shining light”
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Reaghan
“born into royalty; the little ruler”
>99% girls
Elaina
“the shining light”
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Cordelia
“a good-hearted woman; a woman of honesty”
>99% girls
Ragan
“born into royalty; the little ruler”
14% boys · 86% girls
Riagan
“born into royalty; the little ruler”
—
Regnan
“born into royalty; the little ruler”
—