Baby Name Regan: Surprising Find

The name Regan winds from Shakespeare to 1970s horror movies and beyond.

Thanks to Alanna for suggesting our Baby Name of the Day.

WHAT DOES THE NAME REGAN MEAN?

First up: Regan isn’t a single name.

It’s actually two. They’re nearly identical.

Let’s begin with the surname Reagan. 

It’s clearly of Irish origin. It comes from Riagan, which some say means impulsive, but others suggest comes from rí – king – combined with an – little. So Reagan might mean “little king.” 

The most famous Reagan was American actor turned politican Ronald Reagan. We’ll come back to him in a bit.

Because long before American parents embraced Irish imports, this name had separate, literary roots.

LEAR’S DISLOYAL DAUGHTER

The second backstory for this name comes from Geoffrey of Monmouth.

Born sometime around 1095, Geoffrey wrote Historia Regum Britanniae – History of the Kings of Britain.

It was accepted as history, too, for several centuries. Even now, it’s hard to untangle exactly what’s true and what’s legend. Julius Caesar’s invasion? Yes, that happened. The dragons? Not historical. King Arthur? Maybe a bit.

But we’re interested in his History of the Kings of Britain for another reason. It’s the earliest known account of the story of King Lear. 

Shakespeare’s King Lear was inspired by this tale.

Because King Lear had no sons, he planned to divide his kingdom between his three daughters: Goneril, Regan and Cordelia. But not equally. Each sister must make her case for inheritance.

Enter treachery. 

Goneril and Regan claim much of the kingdom, while youngest sister Cordelia insists she needs nothing.

So Lear disowns the loyal, honest Cordelia. Regan and Goneril go to war for control. 

It all falls to pieces.

Even if you’ve never read King Lear in an English class, the play is much-performed and adapted for screen.

It’s inspired lots of similar works, too. Jane Smiley won the 1992 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction with A Thousand Acres, a Lear-inspired story set in rural Iowa. In her story, the sisters were named Ginny, Rose, and Caroline.

Status as a Shakespearean given name borrowed from history makes Regan feel both traditional and literary. 

But it was mostly unused.

THE EXORCIST

Then came 1973’s The Exorcist.

In the movie, fictional Regan MacNeil was possessed by a demon. She spends much of her screen time spewing profanity and split pea soup. 

It’s scary and dark and an absolute classic, still watched today.

The Exorcist was based on a 1971 novel by the same name, and that story was based on a real-life account overheard by the author, William Peter Blatty, when he was a student at Georgetown University around the year 1950.

The Regan origin story in the novel is tied to King Lear. Her mother was a famous actress and found the name in the play. 

Plenty of parents clearly took baby name inspiration from the film.

In 1970, 35 girls and 32 boys received the name. By 1975, those numbers were 220 girls and 76 boys.

THE REAGAN YEARS

In 1981, Ronald Reagan became the 40th president of the United States. Born in Iowa, his first career was acting. He’d eventually serve as president of the Screen Actors Guild, the labor union for the entertainment industry. Reagan would eventually turn to politics, becoming governor of California before running for the presidency. 

The Exorcist had lifted Regan. Now parents had another spelling option to consider, too. 

Worth noting: by the 1980s, American parents really weren’t naming their children after their political heroes. But it’s possible that Reagan’s surname spelling fit neatly into a bigger trend.

MEGAN, MORGAN, REGAN, TEAGAN

The given name Regan – or Reagan – was part of a wave beginning in the 1950s.

Megan – a Margaret nickname seldom heard in the US prior to the middle of the twentieth century – entered the popularity charts in 1952.

The name marched right up the rankings, entering the Top 100 in 1975 and hovering around #10 during the 1990s.

Ends-with-N names for girls enjoyed a moment. Also big in the 1990s: Lauren, Morgan, Kristen, Kaitlyn Allison, Jordan, and Shannon. Other spellings of Megan caught on, too, including Meghan and Meagan. 

They’d clear the way for a next generation, too, with names like Teagan and Maren trending as we headed into the 2000s. 

Regan and Reagan just plain fit with trends – even if it was the name of the girl from that scary movie.

HOW DO YOU PRONOUNCE REGAN?

One possible hurdle to the name’s popularity. How do you pronounce this name? 

Options include:

• Rhyme it with Megan: reh-gin or reh-gan. 
• Say it like Ronald: ray-gin or ray-gan. 
• Pronouce it with a long E: ree-gin or ree-gan. 

Regional accents are a factor, of course. And plenty of parents look at Regan and Reagan and pronounce them differently.

HOW POPULAR IS THE NAME REGAN?

Let’s look at the numbers.

As of 2023, the baby name Regan was given to 77 girls and 30 boys. 

Reagan, on the other hand? That spelling was given to 1,721 girls and 115 boys.

Ranked #168 for girls, Reagan is the most popular form of the name.

IS THE NAME REGAN UNISEX?

So is Regan a boy’s name? How ’bout Reagan?

The numbers say yes.

We started with King Lear’s daughters, but most of us probably see this as a surname name. 

And surname names? They’re almost always unisex.

While Reagan is a Top 200 choice for girls right now, the style and sound suggest that this name – either spelling – could work well for a daughter or a son.

FORERUNNER OF ROWAN, REMY, AND RIVER

Remember how Megan, Morgan, and Lauren lifted Regan to mainstream success? 

Unisex R names are having a moment. Think Rowan, Remy, River, and Rory. Riley, Reign, and Robin.

Once again, the baby name Regan fits in beautifully.

STRONG and STYLISH

Regan could be the perfect name for parents after something on-trend but not too popular. 

It’s time-tested, after all, from British history to the twenty-first century. 

If you’re all about unisex names with an intriguing story and a current sound, Regan might belong on your list. 

What do you think of the baby name Regan? 

First published on October 26, 2008, this post was revised on November 13, 2024.