Son of Aodhagán, in the Irish surname-transfer tradition.
Woulfe explicitly lists Keegan with the Irish surname Mac Aodhagáin and explains descent from Aodhagán, a diminutive of Aodh. The exact modern name entry independently documents given-name transfer from that Irish surname and a separate Kalenjin route. This patronymic explanation belongs to the Irish tradition; thinker is not established by these sources, and no actual family relationship is inferred. Original factual summary by Rare Baby Names; credit: Rev. Patrick Woulfe, Irish Names and Surnames (1923), digitized by Library Ireland. No passage reproduced.
Origin
Irish surname-transfer and separate Kalenjin name traditions
The reviewed English entry distinguishes Irish patronymic surname transfer from borrowing of Kalenjin Kigan. These are separate traditions and do not share one universal literal meaning or native pronunciation.
English pronunciation
/ˈkiɡən/
Selected English reading for the Irish surname-transfer tradition. The entry separately records a Kalenjin name tradition; its native pronunciation is not inferred from this English guide.
Recorded English reading, as published. Accents and preferred pronunciations can differ.
Published name usage
Counts apply only to the exact spelling, place, year and recorded usage shown. Places are separate; these figures are never added into a worldwide total. Missing or suppressed records never mean zero.
Latest published record available for this spelling in each place and recorded usage
Place
Year
Recorded usage
Published births
Rank
Notes
Canada
2009
Girls
9
2161
2025 figures are preliminary. Quebec counts below five are randomly imputed by the publisher before national aggregation. Accents are removed in the source; this profile was matched only where the catalog spelling was unambiguous. Unpublished values are unknown, not zero. Rank basis: source published.
Canada
2025
Boys
25 · preliminary
1015
2025 figures are preliminary. Quebec counts below five are randomly imputed by the publisher before national aggregation. Accents are removed in the source; this profile was matched only where the catalog spelling was unambiguous. Unpublished values are unknown, not zero. Rank basis: source published.
France
2022
Boys
5 (rounded to 5)
4028
Counts are rounded to the nearest multiple of five. Ranks use unrounded publisher counts with randomly ordered ties; equally rounded counts can have different ranks. National coverage excludes Mayotte before 2012. Missing years are unavailable, not zero. Automated direction labels are withheld for this rounded-count series. Rank basis: source published.
England & Wales
2016
Girls
4
4763
Historical source: not all years independently cross-checked. Rank basis: source published.
England & Wales
2025
Boys
32
953
Source-reported counts; unpublished names are not zero. Rank basis: source published.
Northern Ireland
2024
Boys
5
305
Source-reported counts; unpublished names are not zero. Rank basis: source published.
Scotland
2025
Boys
6
495
Source-reported counts; unpublished names are not zero. Rank basis: source published.
Ireland
2025
Boys
11
348
Names below three occurrences are unpublished. Accent recording changed in 2018; comparisons across that boundary may not describe the same spelling coverage. Counts refer to registrations in the year. Missing years are unavailable, not zero. Rank basis: source published.
United States
2025
Girls
48
3249
Source-reported counts; unpublished names are not zero. Rank basis: calculated from published counts.
United States
2025
Boys
449
621
Source-reported counts; unpublished names are not zero. Rank basis: calculated from published counts.
Canada, Ireland and France coverage includes confidently matched existing profiles only; unmatched spellings are awaiting review. French counts are rounded to five.
Sources & notes
Open an entry for its source, credit, licence and full qualifications. Different name traditions remain separate.
Language of use: English
Checked against cited source
The exact English entry records both the Irish surname-transfer and separate Kalenjin borrowing traditions. Documented usage is not a universal linguistic origin.
Credit: Wiktionary contributors. Adapted by Rare Baby Names: wording shortened and name contexts separated. Recorded pronunciations are shown as published.
This adapted text is available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
CC BY-SA 4.0
Meaning: Son of Aodhagán, in the Irish surname-transfer tradition.
Checked against cited source
Woulfe explicitly lists Keegan with the Irish surname Mac Aodhagáin and explains descent from Aodhagán, a diminutive of Aodh. The exact modern name entry independently documents given-name transfer from that Irish surname and a separate Kalenjin route. This patronymic explanation belongs to the Irish tradition; thinker is not established by these sources, and no actual family relationship is inferred. Original factual summary by Rare Baby Names; credit: Rev. Patrick Woulfe, Irish Names and Surnames (1923), digitized by Library Ireland. No passage reproduced.
Original factual summary by Rare Baby Names; cited 1923 work by Patrick Woulfe, digitization at Library Ireland; no open licence asserted for the website.
Name history: The Irish patronymic contains an Aodh-related personal-name element with a fire association.
Checked against cited source
Woulfe links Aodhagán to Aodh and explains the older Aodh name with a fire root. The whole Keegan surname formation is a patronymic; fire is the deeper personal-name association, not a universal translation of the modern spelling. The separate Kalenjin naming history remains distinct. Original factual summary by Rare Baby Names; credit: Rev. Patrick Woulfe, Irish Names and Surnames (1923), digitized by Library Ireland. No passage reproduced.
Original factual summary by Rare Baby Names; cited 1923 work by Patrick Woulfe, digitization at Library Ireland; no open licence asserted for the website.
Origin: Irish surname-transfer and separate Kalenjin name traditions
Checked against cited source
The reviewed English entry distinguishes Irish patronymic surname transfer from borrowing of Kalenjin Kigan. These are separate traditions and do not share one universal literal meaning or native pronunciation.
Credit: Wiktionary contributors. Adapted by Rare Baby Names: wording shortened and name contexts separated. Recorded pronunciations are shown as published.
This adapted text is available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
CC BY-SA 4.0
English pronunciation: /ˈkiɡən/
Checked against cited source
Selected English reading for the Irish surname-transfer tradition. The entry separately records a Kalenjin name tradition; its native pronunciation is not inferred from this English guide.
Credit: Wiktionary contributors. Adapted by Rare Baby Names: wording shortened and name contexts separated. Recorded pronunciations are shown as published.
This adapted text is available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
CC BY-SA 4.0
Related name: Egan
Checked against cited source
The reviewed entry records alternate forms within separate Irish surname-transfer and Kalenjin traditions. The relationship depends on tradition; counts remain separate.
Credit: Wiktionary contributors. Adapted by Rare Baby Names: wording shortened and name contexts separated. Recorded pronunciations are shown as published.
This adapted text is available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
CC BY-SA 4.0
Related name: Kigan
Checked against cited source
The exact English entry lists this form in the separate Kalenjin-derived tradition. It is not assigned the Irish patronymic meaning; spelling statistics and preferred personal readings remain separate.
Credit: Wiktionary contributors. Adapted by Rare Baby Names: wording shortened and name contexts separated. Recorded pronunciations are shown as published.
Supporting primary historical evidence for the qualified Irish name route. Original factual summary by Rare Baby Names; credit: Rev. Patrick Woulfe, Irish Names and Surnames (1923), digitized by Library Ireland. No passage reproduced.
Original factual summary by Rare Baby Names; cited 1923 work by Patrick Woulfe, digitization at Library Ireland; no open licence asserted for the website.
Supporting evidence: Mac Aodhagáin · Woulfe’s Keegan surname account
Checked against cited source
Supporting primary historical evidence for the qualified Irish name route. Original factual summary by Rare Baby Names; credit: Rev. Patrick Woulfe, Irish Names and Surnames (1923), digitized by Library Ireland. No passage reproduced.
Original factual summary by Rare Baby Names; cited 1923 work by Patrick Woulfe, digitization at Library Ireland; no open licence asserted for the website.
Spelling variant: Keagan
Checked against cited source
The reviewed entry records alternate forms within separate Irish surname-transfer and Kalenjin traditions. The relationship depends on tradition; counts remain separate.
Credit: Wiktionary contributors. Adapted by Rare Baby Names: wording shortened and name contexts separated. Recorded pronunciations are shown as published.
This adapted text is available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
CC BY-SA 4.0
Spelling variant: Kegan
Checked against cited source
The exact English entry lists this form in the separate Kalenjin-derived tradition. It is not assigned the Irish patronymic meaning; spelling statistics and preferred personal readings remain separate.
Credit: Wiktionary contributors. Adapted by Rare Baby Names: wording shortened and name contexts separated. Recorded pronunciations are shown as published.
Statistics Canada, Table 17-10-0147-01, 1991–2025, released 23 September 2026.
Credit: Statistics Canada, Table 17-10-0147-01, 1991–2025, released 23 September 2026.
License: Statistics Canada Open Licence
Adaptation: Adapted from Statistics Canada, First names at birth by sex at birth, selected indicators, Table 17-10-0147-01, reference years 1991–2025. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product.
Central Statistics Office, Ireland, VSA50 and VSA60, updated 27 February 2026.
Credit: Central Statistics Office, Ireland, VSA50 and VSA60, updated 27 February 2026.
License: CC BY 4.0
Adaptation: Adapted by Rare Baby Names: joined the published count and rank indicators and matched unambiguous existing spellings. Source values retained.
Source : Insee, Fichier des prénoms, updated 16 July 2026.
Credit: Source : Insee, Fichier des prénoms, updated 16 July 2026.
License: Open Licence 2.0 (Etalab)
Adaptation: Adapted by Rare Baby Names: column names and sex codes mapped and unique case-only spellings matched to existing profiles. Published rounded counts and ranks retained.
