Morgan
Morgan was the 312th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 977 babies. Its best year was 1997, when it ranked 22nd; the most babies were born in 1995 (10,877). Over the last ten years it has moved down 191 places. More babies were named Morgan in the 1990s than in any other decade.
Meaning Meaning disputed · Welsh, Breton
Say it MOR-guhn /ˈmɔrɡən/
- Rank in 2025
- #312 girls, down 117 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 977girls
- Girls and boys
- 70% girls, 30% boys2021–2025
- Peak year
- 199510,877 babies
- Total since 1880
- 269,269babies recorded
What does the name Morgan mean?
Morgan is a Welsh and Breton name from Old Welsh Morcant. DMNES derives it from mawr or mor, 'great', and cant, 'perfection' or 'host, throng'. Wiktionary and Wikipedia give an alternative first element, mor, 'sea', with cant, 'circle', yielding glosses such as 'sea chief' or 'great chief', and DMNES notes that the 'sea' reading led to some false connections. It was the name of early Welsh kings. Traditionally male in Wales and Brittany, it is now used for both boys and girls.
mawr (Middle Welsh, “great”)môr (Welsh, “sea (alternative reading)”)cant (Old Welsh, “host; circle; perfection”)
How sure is this? Disputed. 'Great' + 'host/perfection' (DMNES) versus 'sea' + 'circle' (Wiktionary, Wikipedia).
Related names: Morgana, Morgaine, Morcant.
See also: Welsh names.
Sources for this meaning
- Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, ed. S. L. Uckelman, Edition 2023 no. 1, s.v. 'Morgan', Durham University / The DMNES Editors
- Wiktionary, entry 'Morgan', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation); facts restated, no text reused
- Wikipedia, 'Morgan (given name)', Wikipedia (Wikimedia Foundation); facts restated, no text reused
Morgan popularity since 1880
| Year | Rank (girls) | Rank (boys) | Babies (girls) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #312 | #559 | 977 | 532 |
| 2020 | #195 | #695 | 1,491 | 367 |
| 2010 | #63 | #519 | 4,077 | 499 |
| 2000 | #25 | #332 | 9,502 | 839 |
| 1990 | #58 | #278 | 6,047 | 936 |
| 1980 | #244 | #292 | 1,061 | 702 |
| 1970 | #1,401 | #449 | 75 | 336 |
| 1960 | #2,354 | #500 | 26 | 250 |
| 1950 | — | #624 | — | 121 |
| 1940 | — | #507 | — | 130 |
| 1930 | — | #577 | — | 108 |
| 1920 | — | #481 | — | 160 |
| 1910 | — | #391 | — | 45 |
| 1900 | — | #410 | — | 31 |
| 1890 | — | #375 | — | 23 |
| 1880 | — | #288 | — | 33 |
How popular is Morgan, counting every spelling?
Morgan is the most common spelling of a name family that ranked #332 for girls in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #312 for Morgan on its own. Together these spellings went to 988 girls in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Morgan | 977 | #312 | 6,200 |
| Morgyn | — | — | 37 |
| Morgen | 6 | #14,376 | 26 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Morgan?
977 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Morgan (0.27 per 1,000 births). For a girl named Morgan born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 9 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Morgan.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Morgan?
About 220,000 people born in the US named Morgan are alive today, with a median age of 27; half are between 20 and 32. That makes Morgan mostly worn by children and young adults.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Morgan by state
How common Morgan was among girls born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in New Hampshire (3.0×), South Dakota (2.3×), Connecticut (2.1×), Michigan (2.0×), Massachusetts (1.9×). It is least common, relative to the national rate, in Maine, Hawaii, Nebraska.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Morgan: their share of US girls followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Morgan, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Morgan · Sibling names for Morgan
Questions about the name Morgan
What does Morgan mean?
The meaning of Morgan is disputed: 'Great' + 'host/perfection' (DMNES) versus 'sea' + 'circle' (Wiktionary, Wikipedia).
How popular is the name Morgan?
Morgan was the 312th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 977 babies. Its best year was 1997, when it ranked 22nd; the most babies were born in 1995 (10,877). Over the last ten years it has moved down 191 places. More babies were named Morgan in the 1990s than in any other decade.
Is Morgan a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, 70% girls, 30% boys given the name Morgan in the US.
Where is Morgan most popular?
In 2021–2025, Morgan was most common in New Hampshire (2.33 per 1,000 girls), followed by South Dakota and Connecticut.