Regan is a baby name with Gaelic roots and a meaning often connected to “Little King.” It is often treated as a unisex name, which gives it flexibility for families looking for a more open-ended style.
What Does Regan Mean?
A magical and enchanting name meaning “Little King” – perfect for a boy with a wild, creative imagination.
The name Regan is often connected to Gaelic roots, with a meaning commonly given as “little ruler” or “royal” in its etymology. It is derived from the ancient Irish name Riagain, which comes from the Gaelic word “ri”, meaning “king” or “queen.”
Regan gained popularity as a unisex name in modern times and is most commonly used as a girl’s name. The name became well-known due to its association with the character Regan in William Shakespeare’s play “King Lear.” Regan is one of King Lear’s daughters and is depicted as cunning and ambitious in the play.
Origin And Style Of Regan
Regan is commonly connected to Gaelic naming traditions.
The meaning linked with Regan is usually given as “Little King.”
When choosing a name like Regan, many parents also compare how it looks on the page, how easy it is to say, and how well it fits with sibling names or family preferences.
Why Parents Consider Regan
Regan is often treated as a unisex baby name.
Families who like Regan may also be looking for names that start with R, have a similar tone, or carry a meaning that feels thoughtful and positive.
Names Similar To Regan
If you like Regan, you may also want to explore Rory, Ruari, Rylan, Ryder, Runes.
Top 100 Names Like Regan
Keep the loop going with Top 100 names like Regan and Unisex Names and Gaelic baby names.
Names Starting With R
Browse more R names such as Rory, Ruari, Rylan, Ryder or open the R baby names archive.
Explore More R Names
Looking for similar ideas? Browse more R baby names or return to the full baby names directory to compare more options.
A magical and enchanting name meaning “Little King” – perfect for a boy with a wild, creative imagination.
The name Regan is often connected to Gaelic roots, with a meaning commonly given as “little ruler” or “royal” in its etymology. It is derived from the ancient Irish name Riagain, which comes from the Gaelic word “ri”, meaning “king” or “queen.”
Regan gained popularity as a unisex name in modern times and is most commonly used as a girl’s name. The name became well-known due to its association with the character Regan in William Shakespeare’s play “King Lear.” Regan is one of King Lear’s daughters and is depicted as cunning and ambitious in the play.
In recent years, Regan has continued to be a popular choice for baby girls, particularly in English-speaking countries. It has a strong and regal sound, making it a stylish and distinctive name choice for parents seeking a name with a touch of royalty and power.
Profile Confidence
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Popularity
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Meaning
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Origin
Origin and root labels are used as browsing aids, not as a claim that one tradition is the only correct context.
Read the methodologyMeaning and origin guideHow to choose a name
How to use this profile
Look at Regan from more than one angle.
Data signal
Use the Social Security record summary to see whether Regan has a long usage trail, a newer rise, or a rare-name pattern.
Fit signal
Compare the R initial, sound, spelling, and rhythm with surname, sibling names, and family naming patterns.
Reader signal
Save Regan, react to it, or read approved notes so the page becomes more than a static unisex-name listing.
Sources and limits: public U.S. Social Security baby-name records are used where available. Meaning, origin, style, shortlist, and community notes are treated as decision aids, not as a claim that one name is objectively best.
Shortlist notes
Why parents might save Regan
- Regan is easy to compare with other unisex names while you build a shortlist.
- The name starts with R, which can help when matching sibling names, initials, or family naming patterns.
- Use the save button to keep this name available while browsing origins, topic lists, and generator ideas.
Community
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