Reagan is a unisex given name of Irish origin. It is derived from the Irish surname Ó Raghallaigh, which comes from the Old Irish word "Ragallach," meaning "little bright-headed." This nickname was likely given to someone with light hair or a cheerful temperament.
The name Reagan has been used as both a boy's and girl's name throughout history. In Ireland, it has traditionally been more common for boys, but in recent years, its usage has become more gender-neutral in other countries such as the United States.
One famous bearer of this name is Ronald Reagan, who served as the 40th President of the United States from 1981 to 1989. However, his first name was actually Ronald, not Reagan, which he used professionally. The name Reagan gained popularity for baby girls in particular after it was chosen by actress Charisma Carpenter and her husband Evan Longoria in 2015.
Overall, the name Reagan has a strong Irish heritage and a unique meaning that makes it appealing to parents looking for an uncommon yet meaningful name choice for their child.
The name Reagan has seen a significant increase in popularity over the past few decades in the United States. According to the data provided, there were only 7 births with the name Reagan in 1956, but this number began to rise steadily throughout the 1960s and 1970s.
The trend of increased usage continued into the 1980s and 1990s, with a notable jump from 59 births in 1987 to 72 births in 1988. This upward trajectory became even more pronounced in the late 1990s and early 2000s, with a significant spike occurring between 1994 (with 298 births) and 1995 (with 399 births).
The peak of popularity for the name Reagan occurred between 2000 and 2016. During this period, the number of births with the name Reagan doubled from 1131 in 2000 to 3096 in 2016. However, since then, there has been a decline in popularity, with the total number of births with the name Reagan dropping to 1721 in 2023.
In conclusion, while the name Reagan was relatively uncommon in the mid-20th century, it gained significant traction throughout the latter half of the century and into the early 21st century. Despite a recent decline in popularity, Reagan remains a widely-used name in the United States today, with a total of 63,177 births recorded since 1956.