UK name, mostly boys
Regan
A feminine name of Irish origin meaning "little queen" or "queenly".
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 girls' name in the UK, with 821 girls.
Regan is mostly registered for boys in the UK records. People looking for Regan popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #945, with 33 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1999, with 233 births.
This profile covers 3,767 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 14% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 4,063 living people in the UK are called Regan. 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
- • Regan ranked #945 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 33 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 1999, when 233 boys were registered as Regan.
- • Regan ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #404 in 2024.
- • Regan is also recorded for girls, but the boys side is the larger UK variant in these records.
- • About 4,063 living people in the UK are estimated to have Regan as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
- • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 82.1% of Regan registrations are for boys.
Latest rank (E&W)
#945
2024
Births in 2024
33
Latest year
Peak year
1999
233 births
Estimated living
4,063
2026
Gender
Boy and girl registrations for Regan
In England and Wales birth records, Regan has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 82.1% of registrations are for boys and 17.9% 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.
Regan registered for boys
- Ranked #945 in 2024
- 33 boys registered in 2024
- Peak: 1999 (233 births)
Regan registered for girls
- Ranked #3,695 in 2024
- 6 girls registered in 2024
- Peak: 2004 (61 births)
Meaning
What does Regan mean?
The name Regan has its roots in the Irish Gaelic language, originating from the word "Rioghan," which means "queen" or "royal." This name first emerged in the medieval period, specifically in Ireland, where it was associated with sovereignty and regal authority.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Regan can be found in the Irish Annals, which document historical events from the 5th to the 16th century. These annals mention several individuals bearing the name, indicating its widespread use among the Irish nobility and ruling families during that era.
In the realm of mythology, the name Regan holds significance as it was borne by one of the three daughters of King Lear in the legendary tales from ancient Britain. This literary reference can be traced back to the famous play "King Lear" by William Shakespeare, which was written in the early 17th century.
Throughout history, several notable figures have carried the name Regan. One of the earliest recorded individuals was Regan, the daughter of the 7th-century Irish king Aillil mac Dunlang. Another prominent bearer was Regan of Howth, a 12th-century Irish noblewoman who played a pivotal role in the Norman invasion of Ireland.
In the 16th century, Regan Mor O'Rahilly was a renowned Irish poet and scholar, known for his contributions to the preservation of the Gaelic language and culture. His works were highly celebrated during his lifetime and continue to be studied by scholars today.
Moving forward to the 20th century, Regan Grimes was an American professional baseball player who played for the Brooklyn Dodgers in the 1920s. He was a versatile athlete and is remembered for his impressive batting skills.
Another notable figure was Regan MacNeil, the name of the character played by Ellen Burstyn in the iconic 1973 horror film "The Exorcist." While a fictional character, the name gained widespread recognition and popularity due to the film's cultural impact.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Regan over time
The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Regan 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 Regan, the clearest high point is 1999. The latest England and Wales figure is 33 births in 2024, compared with 233 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Regan by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Regan 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 | #712 | 257 | 5 |
| 2010s | #405 | 1,082 | 10 |
| 2000s | #225 | 1,683 | 10 |
| 1990s | #187 | 745 | 4 |
Geography
Where Regan is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Regan. 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.
Regan ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #404 in 2024.
Across the UK
Regan in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#727 in 2024
26 years of NRS records, 258 total registered
Northern Ireland (NISRA)
#404 in 2024
18 years of NISRA records, 72 total registered
Notable bearers
Famous people named Regan
-
Regan Riley
association football player
British association football player (born 2002)
2002-
-
Regan Griffiths
association football player
English association football player (born 2000)
2000-
-
Regan Slater
association football player
association football player (born 1999)
1999-
-
Regan Charles-Cook
association football player
British association football player
1997-
-
Regan Walker
association football player
Footballer (born 1996)
1996-
-
Regan Grace
rugby union player; rugby league player
Welsh rugby union and rugby league footballer
1996-
-
Regan Drennan
annelidologist
British annelidologist
Related
Names similar to Regan
- Ryan 68,692
- Riley 37,992
- Robert 27,462
- Reuben 25,122
- Rhys 24,418
- Reece 24,329
- Rory 21,870
- Roman 16,609
- Ronnie 16,445
- Reggie 14,684
- Rowan 14,371
- Ralph 8,892
FAQ
Regan: questions and answers
How popular is the name Regan in the UK right now?
In 2024, Regan was ranked #945 for boys in England and Wales, with 33 births registered.
When was Regan most popular?
The peak year on record was 1999, with 233 babies registered as Regan in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Regan?
A feminine name of Irish origin meaning "little queen" or "queenly".
How many people are called Regan in the UK?
A total of 3,767 babies have been registered as Regan across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 258 more in Scotland and 72 in Northern Ireland.
Where is Regan most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Regan ranks best in Northern Ireland, where it placed #404 in 2024. 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.