UK name, mostly girls
Kerrigan
Of Irish origin, a surname that may mean "descendant of Ciarán".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2006. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Also recorded as a boys' name in the UK, with 9 boys.
Kerrigan is mostly registered for girls in the UK records. People looking for Kerrigan popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2006 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5061, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1997, with 4 births.
This profile covers 14 England and Wales registrations across 4 recorded years from 1997 to 2006. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, 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 75% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 14 living people in the UK are called Kerrigan. 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 2007 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Kerrigan ranked #5061 for girls in England and Wales in 2006, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 1997, when 4 girls were registered as Kerrigan.
- • Kerrigan is also recorded for boys, but the girls side is the larger UK variant in these records.
- • About 14 living people in the UK are estimated to have Kerrigan as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
- • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 60.9% of Kerrigan registrations are for girls.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5061
2006
Births in 2006
3
Latest year
Peak year
1997
4 births
Estimated living
14
2026
Gender
Boy and girl registrations for Kerrigan
In England and Wales birth records, Kerrigan has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 39.1% of registrations are for boys and 60.9% 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.
Kerrigan registered for boys
- Ranked #4,333 in 2007
- 3 boys registered in 2007
- Peak: 2000 (3 births)
Kerrigan registered for girls
- Ranked #5,061 in 2006
- 3 girls registered in 2006
- Peak: 1997 (4 births)
Meaning
What does Kerrigan mean?
The given name Kerrigan has its origins in the Gaelic language, derived from the Irish surname Ó Ciarghráin, which means "descendant of Ciarghráin." The name Ciarghráin itself is a combination of the Gaelic elements "ciar," meaning "black" or "dark," and "grán," meaning "grain" or "seed."
This name is believed to have originated in Ireland, specifically in the regions of County Mayo and County Sligo, where it was first recorded as a surname in the 12th century. The earliest documented use of Kerrigan as a given name dates back to the 16th century.
In Irish mythology, there are references to a figure named Ciarán of Saigir, who was a prominent saint and one of the Twelve Apostles of Ireland in the 5th century. While not directly related to the name Kerrigan, this association with an important religious figure may have contributed to the name's popularity in Ireland.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Kerrigan was Kerrigan O'Reilly, an Irish chieftain who lived in the 16th century and played a significant role in the Irish Confederate Wars of the 1640s.
Other notable individuals with the name Kerrigan throughout history include:
1. John Kerrigan (1768-1847), an Irish-American soldier who fought in the American Revolutionary War and the War of 1812. 2. Kathleen Kerrigan (1886-1975), an Irish actress and theater manager who co-founded the Abbey Theatre in Dublin. 3. Joseph Kerrigan (1904-1973), an American Catholic bishop who served as the Bishop of Santa Rosa, California, from 1962 to 1973. 4. Marcia Kerrigan (1928-2008), an American actress known for her roles in television shows such as "The Untouchables" and "Perry Mason." 5. John Kerrigan (born 1952), an English literary critic and academic who has written extensively on Shakespeare and Renaissance literature.
While the name Kerrigan has been more commonly used in Ireland and among Irish communities around the world, it has also gained popularity in other English-speaking countries, particularly in the United States and Australia, where it is often associated with Irish heritage and culture.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Kerrigan over time
The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Kerrigan in England and Wales, from 1997 to 2007. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Kerrigan, the clearest high point is 1997. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2006, compared with 4 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Kerrigan by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Kerrigan 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | #4343 | 10 | 3 |
| 1990s | #3174 | 4 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Kerrigan
- Katie 53,185
- Keira 14,411
- Katherine 11,323
- Kayleigh 10,677
- Kate 10,276
- Kelsey 7,224
- Kiera 7,218
- Kayla 6,541
- Kirsty 6,384
- Khadija 5,948
- Kimberley 5,189
- Kaitlyn 5,137
FAQ
Kerrigan: questions and answers
How popular is the name Kerrigan in the UK right now?
In 2006, Kerrigan was ranked #5061 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Kerrigan most popular?
The peak year on record was 1997, with 4 babies registered as Kerrigan in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Kerrigan?
Of Irish origin, a surname that may mean "descendant of Ciarán".
How many people are called Kerrigan in the UK?
A total of 14 babies have been registered as Kerrigan across the 4 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
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.