Megan Name Meaning, Origin and Popularity
Megan is predominantly used for girls. The statistics below show this exact spelling in official U.S. records.
Megan meaning and origin
Megan is an anglicized diminutive form of the Welsh name Margaret, which means “pearl.”
Origin: Megan is commonly associated with Welsh origins as a diminutive of Margaret.
Pronunciation
Pronunciation: MEG-ən
Syllables: 2
History of the name
- History
- The name Megan has been used as a diminutive in Wales and later gained popularity independently in English-speaking countries.
Names connected to Megan
Related names
Megan popularity by year
| Year | Usage category | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Girls | 301 | #887 |
| 2024 | Girls | 369 | #762 |
| 2023 | Girls | 417 | #694 |
| 2022 | Girls | 399 | #730 |
| 2021 | Girls | 490 | #609 |
| 2020 | Girls | 453 | #640 |
| 2019 | Girls | 499 | #608 |
| 2018 | Girls | 565 | #547 |
| 2017 | Girls | 631 | #496 |
| 2016 | Girls | 751 | #432 |
| 2015 | Girls | 855 | #385 |
| 2014 | Girls | 1,064 | #305 |
| 2014 | Boys | 6 | #10,717 |
| 2013 | Girls | 1,246 | #255 |
| 2012 | Girls | 1,561 | #199 |
| 2011 | Girls | 1,915 | #164 |
| 2010 | Girls | 2,406 | #131 |
| 2009 | Girls | 3,058 | #105 |
| 2009 | Boys | 5 | #12,491 |
| 2008 | Girls | 3,416 | #100 |
| 2007 | Girls | 4,124 | #78 |
| 2007 | Boys | 9 | #8,173 |
| 2006 | Girls | 4,946 | #60 |
| 2006 | Boys | 8 | #8,732 |
Ranks compare names only within the same year and source category. Birth totals are historical records, not an exact count of living people.
Peak recorded years
These are the years with the highest recorded birth totals for this exact spelling and usage category, ordered from the largest total downward.
1990 · Girls
20,259 recorded births and rank #11.
1985 · Girls
20,013 recorded births and rank #10.
1989 · Girls
19,780 recorded births and rank #11.
1991 · Girls
19,278 recorded births and rank #11.
Where Megan ranked highest in 2025
State rankings are calculated separately for girls and boys within each state. The SSA omits state-level names recorded fewer than five times, so low visible counts can still represent a relatively high state rank.
Highest state rankings for Girls
| State | Rank | Recorded births |
|---|---|---|
| FL | #404 | 46 |
| UT | #490 | 8 |
| NJ | #618 | 12 |
| TX | #713 | 42 |
| IN | #721 | 8 |
| MO | #728 | 7 |
| KY | #744 | 5 |
| IL | #748 | 12 |