Megan

For other uses, see Megan (disambiguation).
Megan
PronunciationWelsh: [ˈmɛɡan] ⓘ, Anglicised: /ˈmɛɡən/ (MEH-gən), /ˈmeɪɡən/ (MAY-gən) or /ˈmiːɡən/ (MEE-gən)
GenderFemale
Language(s)Welsh, English
Origin
Language(s)Welsh
Word/nameAncient Greek
MeaningPearl
Region of originWales
Other names
Short form(s)Meg
DerivedMargeret
Related names

Megan is a Welsh feminine given name, originally a diminutive form of Margaret. Margaret is from the Greek μαργαρίτης (margarítēs), Latin margarīta, "pearl". Megan is one of the most popular Welsh-language names for women in Wales and England, and is commonly truncated to Meg.[1]

Megan was one of the most popular feminine names in the English-speaking world in the 1990s, peaking in 1990 in the United States[2] and 1999 in the United Kingdom.[3] Approximately 54% of people named Megan born in the US were born in 1990 or later.[2] The name is also frequently spelled Meagan, Meaghan, Meghan, or Mehgan outside of Wales and the rest of the United Kingdom due to spelling influence from Irish-language names [4]

  1. ^ "Common Welsh Girls Names". 2 June 2012. Retrieved 2 June 2012.
  2. ^ a b "Girl Name Megan – Trends, Comments and Popularity of Megan". www.babynameshub.com. Archived from the original on 9 August 2017. Retrieved 16 September 2017.
  3. ^ Powell-Smith, Anna. "Baby Names in England & Wales". English Baby Names. Retrieved 16 September 2017.
  4. ^ Hanks, Patrick (2006). A Dictionary of First Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 191. ISBN 9780198610601.