Keegan is an Irish surname turned given name, derived from the Irish surname Ó Seanáin, which means "descendant of Seanán." The personal name Seanán is a diminutive form of the name Seán, meaning "old," "wise," or "God is gracious." Thus, Keegan can be translated to mean "littleSean" or "small Sean."
The Ó Seanáin clan was part of the Uí Fiachrach dynasty and originated from County Mayo in Ireland. Over time, Keegan became more commonly used as a given name rather than a surname. In some cases, Keegan may also have been influenced by the English given name Kevin, which shares a similar sound.
Keegan is not widely documented throughout history, but it has appeared occasionally in various contexts. One notable example is Keegan de Lacy, an Irish soldier and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for North Kerry from 1874 to 1875.
Today, Keegan is typically considered a male given name but can also be used for females. It gained popularity in the English-speaking world during the late 20th century and early 21st century. In some cultures, it may have different associations or interpretations due to its Irish origins and unique sound.
The name Keegan has seen a significant rise in popularity over the past five decades in the United States. Initially, it was quite uncommon with only seven births recorded each year between 1965 and 1969.
However, starting from the early 1970s, there was a noticeable increase in its usage. The number of babies named Keegan jumped to 24 in 1974, 25 in 1975, and reached 45 by 1976. This upward trend continued throughout the 1980s, with more than 100 births each year from 1980 onwards.
The name Keegan peaked in popularity during the late 1990s to early 2000s. In 1996 alone, there were 799 births, and this number rose even further to a staggering 1594 births in 2006. This high point was maintained for several years with over 1500 births annually from 2004 to 2008.
However, since then, the popularity of the name Keegan has been declining gradually but consistently. After reaching a peak of 1707 births in 2007, it decreased to 939 births in 2018 and further down to 595 births in 2021.
Overall, according to the statistics provided, there have been a total of 37569 babies named Keegan born in the United States since records began until 2022. This demonstrates that although its popularity has fluctuated over time, Keegan remains a well-liked and enduring choice for parents in the United States.