How to say it
REA · gan
ˈreɪ.ɡən
Feminine
Reagan
Descendant of Riagán
What it means
Anglicized Irish surname Ó Riagáin, 'descendant of Riagán.' The personal name Riagán probably from rí ('king') with a diminutive, so 'little king.' Ronald Reagan and Shakespeare's King Lear's Regan are the two cultural anchors.
Reagan is the anglicization of the Irish surname Ó Riagáin, 'descendant of Riagán.' The Old Irish personal name Riagán likely derives from rí ('king') with a diminutive suffix, giving 'little king' or 'impulsive one.' Two very different cultural anchors: Shakespeare's King Lear has a villainous daughter Regan (Lear's middle daughter who betrays him), and US President Ronald Reagan (in office 1981-1989) gave the surname conservative political weight. The first-name usage in the US accelerated unisex-then-feminine in the 2000s. The Exorcist's possessed girl Regan MacNeil is the horror-genre anchor (Reagan and Regan are often used interchangeably). It's been in the US top 200 since 2008.
How to spell Reagan
The standard spelling is Reagan. Common variants include Regan, Reagen, Raegan, but Reagan is the most widely used form.
Popularity over time
peaked at #97 in 2012, currently #248 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–2025. Reviewed July 2026. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Spelling
Reagan, Regan, Raegan, and Reagen all circulate. The Reagan spelling shares the US president's surname; the Regan spelling is the Shakespeare and Exorcist form.
- Pop culture
Ronald Reagan, King Lear's Regan, and The Exorcist's Regan MacNeil each carry weight in different directions.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- Ronald Reagan 40th US president, 1981-1989, the Reagan Doctrine (Reagan as surname)
- Regan (King Lear) Lear's middle daughter in Shakespeare's tragedy
Spelling variants
- Regan
- Reagen
- Raegan
Names with the same feeling
See Reagan from another angle
By style
Common questions
- What does the name Reagan mean?
- Anglicized Irish surname Ó Riagáin, 'descendant of Riagán.' The personal name Riagán probably from rí ('king') with a diminutive, so 'little king.' Ronald Reagan and Shakespeare's King Lear's Regan are the two cultural anchors.
- What does Reagan mean in Irish?
- In Irish, Reagan means "Descendant of Riagán." Reagan is the anglicization of the Irish surname Ó Riagáin, 'descendant of Riagán.' The Old Irish personal name Riagán likely derives from rí ('king') with a diminutive suffix, giving 'little king' or 'impulsive one.' Two very different cultural anchors: Shakespeare's King Lear has a villainous daughter Regan (Lear's middle daughter who betrays him), and US President Ronald Reagan (in office 1981-1989) gave the surname conservative political weight. The first-name usage in the US accelerated unisex-then-feminine in the 2000s. The Exorcist's possessed girl Regan MacNeil is the horror-genre anchor (Reagan and Regan are often used interchangeably). It's been in the US top 200 since 2008.
- How do you pronounce Reagan?
- Reagan is pronounced ˈreɪ.ɡən. Say it as REA-gan, with the stress on the "rea" syllable.
- How do you spell Reagan?
- The standard spelling is Reagan. Common spelling variants include Regan, Reagen, Raegan.
- Is Reagan a boy or girl name?
- Reagan is traditionally a feminine name.
- How popular is the name Reagan?
- Reagan ranked #248 in the U.S. in 2025, according to Social Security Administration data.