UK name, mostly girls
Brogan
An anglicized form of the Irish name Brogán meaning "little shoe or footwear".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Also recorded as a boys' name in the UK, with 1,212 boys.
Brogan is mostly registered for girls in the UK records. People looking for Brogan popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4843, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1996, with 165 births.
This profile covers 1,527 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, NRS Scotland and NISRA Northern Ireland, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 2% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 2,230 living people in the UK are called Brogan. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Brogan ranked #4843 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 4 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 1996, when 165 girls were registered as Brogan.
- • Brogan ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #446 in 2021.
- • Brogan is also recorded for boys, but the girls side is the larger UK variant in these records.
- • About 2,230 living people in the UK are estimated to have Brogan as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
- • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 55.8% of Brogan registrations are for girls.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4843
2024
Births in 2024
4
Latest year
Peak year
1996
165 births
Estimated living
2,230
2026
Gender
Boy and girl registrations for Brogan
In England and Wales birth records, Brogan has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 44.2% of registrations are for boys and 55.8% are for girls.
These figures use the sex categories in the published baby-name files. They are useful for spotting how the name is used at registration, but they are not a live measure of gender identity or everyone living with the name today.
Brogan registered for boys
- Ranked #2,671 in 2024
- 8 boys registered in 2024
- Peak: 2008 (71 births)
Brogan registered for girls
- Ranked #4,843 in 2024
- 4 girls registered in 2024
- Peak: 1996 (165 births)
Meaning
What does Brogan mean?
The name Brogan has its origins in the Irish language, where it is derived from the Gaelic word "bróg," meaning "shoe." It is believed to have first emerged as a surname in Ireland during the Middle Ages, likely referring to someone who worked as a shoemaker or had some association with the shoe trade.
While the exact origins of Brogan as a given name are unclear, it is thought to have gained popularity in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, possibly as a way to honor one's Irish heritage or to pay tribute to an ancestor with the surname Brogan. The name has since been adopted in various English-speaking countries, particularly in the United States, Canada, and Australia.
One of the earliest recorded instances of Brogan as a first name can be found in the works of Irish playwright and novelist Seán O'Casey, who featured a character named Brogan in his 1923 play "The Shadow of a Gunman." This early literary reference may have contributed to the name's broader recognition and usage.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Brogan. One such figure is Brogan Duffy (1924-1975), an Irish republican and member of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) during the 20th century. Another is Brogan BamBrogan (1947-2006), a Canadian actor and voice artist best known for his work on the animated series "Dragonball Z" and "Sailor Moon."
In the world of sports, Brogan Towler (born 1993) is a professional rugby league player from England, currently playing for the Leeds Rhinos in the Super League. Brogan Rafferty (born 1984) is an Australian boxer who competed in the lightweight division and won multiple national titles.
Lastly, Brogan Bentley (born 1991) is a British author and poet, known for her works exploring themes of identity, feminism, and mental health. Her debut poetry collection, "Reservoir," was published in 2018 and received critical acclaim.
While not an exhaustive list, these examples showcase the diverse backgrounds and accomplishments of individuals who have carried the name Brogan throughout history, reflecting its enduring presence across various cultures and disciplines.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Brogan over time
The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Brogan in England and Wales, from 1996 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Brogan, the clearest high point is 1996. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2024, compared with 165 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Brogan by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Brogan was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #3204 | 38 | 5 |
| 2010s | #1677 | 225 | 10 |
| 2000s | #535 | 682 | 10 |
| 1990s | #265 | 582 | 4 |
Geography
Where Brogan is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Brogan. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Brogan ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #446 in 2021.
Across the UK
Brogan in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#792 in 2021
31 years of NRS records, 651 total registered
Northern Ireland (NISRA)
#446 in 2021
15 years of NISRA records, 67 total registered
Related
Names similar to Brogan
- Bethany 43,226
- Brooke 18,370
- Bella 14,112
- Bonnie 12,149
- Beatrice 11,306
- Bethan 7,968
- Beth 6,440
- Betsy 5,065
- Beatrix 4,317
- Billie 4,220
- Beau 3,231
- Bryony 3,167
FAQ
Brogan: questions and answers
How popular is the name Brogan in the UK right now?
In 2024, Brogan was ranked #4843 for girls in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.
When was Brogan most popular?
The peak year on record was 1996, with 165 babies registered as Brogan in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Brogan?
An anglicized form of the Irish name Brogán meaning "little shoe or footwear".
How many people are called Brogan in the UK?
A total of 1,527 babies have been registered as Brogan across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 651 more in Scotland and 67 in Northern Ireland.
Where is Brogan most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Brogan ranks best in Northern Ireland, where it placed #446 in 2021. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.