UK name, mostly girls
Broghan
Irish diminutive form of Brogan, meaning "little robust one".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2012. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Also recorded as a boys' name in the UK, with 17 boys.
Broghan is mostly registered for girls in the UK records. People looking for Broghan popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2012 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4838, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1997, with 8 births.
This profile covers 36 England and Wales registrations across 9 recorded years from 1997 to 2012. 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 50% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 77 living people in the UK are called Broghan. 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 2013 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Broghan ranked #4838 for girls in England and Wales in 2012, with 4 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 1997, when 8 girls were registered as Broghan.
- • Broghan ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #451 in 2012.
- • Broghan is also recorded for boys, but the girls side is the larger UK variant in these records.
- • About 77 living people in the UK are estimated to have Broghan as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
- • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 67.9% of Broghan registrations are for girls.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4838
2012
Births in 2012
4
Latest year
Peak year
1997
8 births
Estimated living
77
2026
Gender
Boy and girl registrations for Broghan
In England and Wales birth records, Broghan has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 32.1% of registrations are for boys and 67.9% 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.
Broghan registered for boys
- Ranked #3,959 in 2018
- 4 boys registered in 2018
- Peak: 2011 (4 births)
Broghan registered for girls
- Ranked #4,838 in 2012
- 4 girls registered in 2012
- Peak: 1997 (8 births)
Meaning
What does Broghan mean?
The name Broghan is of Irish Gaelic origin, derived from the old Irish words 'brog' meaning 'shoe' or 'boot' and 'an' meaning 'one'. It is believed to have emerged as a surname in the 12th century, with the earliest recorded instance being Broghan O'Duibhir, a minor chieftain from County Sligo, Ireland.
In the 16th century, Broghan mac Rory O'Neill was a prominent figure in the Nine Years' War against English rule in Ireland. He was a skilled military leader and is mentioned in several historical accounts of the time for his bravery and strategic prowess.
The name Broghan also appears in ancient Irish folklore and mythology. One notable example is the story of Broghan the Druid, a powerful sorcerer who is said to have lived in the 5th century and played a significant role in the legendary tales of the Fianna, a band of warrior-hunters led by the famous Finn MacCool.
In the 18th century, Broghan O'Shaughnessy (1718-1792) was a notable Irish-American soldier who fought in the American Revolutionary War. He served under General George Washington and was instrumental in several key battles, including the Battle of Monmouth in 1778.
Another historical figure with the name Broghan is Broghan O'Malley (1832-1901), an Irish nationalist and member of the Irish Republican Brotherhood. He was involved in the Fenian uprising of 1867 and spent several years in prison for his role in the rebellion against British rule.
It is worth noting that while the name Broghan has its roots in Irish culture, it has been adopted and adapted in various forms across different regions and languages over the centuries. However, the core meaning and historical significance remain tied to its Irish Gaelic origins.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Broghan over time
The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Broghan in England and Wales, from 1997 to 2018. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Broghan, the clearest high point is 1997. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2012, compared with 8 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Broghan by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Broghan 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | #5312 | 7 | 2 |
| 2000s | #4518 | 17 | 5 |
| 1990s | #2550 | 12 | 2 |
Geography
Where Broghan is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Broghan. 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.
Broghan ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #451 in 2012.
Across the UK
Broghan in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#810 in 2011
10 years of NRS records, 32 total registered
Northern Ireland (NISRA)
#451 in 2012
3 years of NISRA records, 9 total registered
Related
Names similar to Broghan
- 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
Broghan: questions and answers
How popular is the name Broghan in the UK right now?
In 2012, Broghan was ranked #4838 for girls in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.
When was Broghan most popular?
The peak year on record was 1997, with 8 babies registered as Broghan in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Broghan?
Irish diminutive form of Brogan, meaning "little robust one".
How many people are called Broghan in the UK?
A total of 36 babies have been registered as Broghan across the 9 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 32 more in Scotland and 9 in Northern Ireland.
Where is Broghan most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Broghan ranks best in Northern Ireland, where it placed #451 in 2012. 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.