Regan

Derived from the Irish surname Ó Riagáin, pointing back to an old Gaelic personal name associated with chieftaincy or impulse. Shakespeare introduced it to the theatrical stage as King Lear's middle daughter in 1606. In the United States, the spelling saw occasional use before joining the broader late-twentieth-century surge in Irish surnames for girls.

The name suggests soccer tournaments, nylon warm-up jackets, and a lifetime spent clarifying pronunciation. Peaking in 2001, it belongs decisively to early adulthood rather than high office or the schoolyard. Half of all living bearers fall squarely into Generation Z. Most have resigned themselves to finding their name spelled with an extra 'a' on coffee cups.