Fun Facts About the Name Deegan
- More than 3 thousand babies named Deegan: U.S. records list 3,465 babies given the name Deegan from 1880 through 2025. Even 12 girls received the name Deegan - about 1 girl for every 288 boys.
What Does the Name Deegan Mean?
Deegan is an English-language given name and surname of Irish Gaelic origin. It is usually derived from the Irish patronymic Ó Duibhín, meaning "descendant of Duibhín." The personal name Duibhín is a diminutive of dubh, "black" or "dark," so its literal sense is "little dark one." Combined with Ó, the surname's meaning is "descendant of the little dark one" or, more exactly, "descendant of Duibhín." In Irish bynames, dubh commonly described black or dark hair or complexion. When Deegan is used as a first name, it carries this surname meaning rather than an independent given-name root.
Deegan Name History & Origins
The name began as an Irish patronymic surname. In the Gaelic system, Ó meant "grandson" or "descendant," so Ó Duibhín identified the family of a man whose byname was Duibhín. The personal name was formed from dubh ("black," "dark") plus the diminutive ending -ín, giving the sense "little dark one." Like other Irish patronymics, it became a fixed hereditary surname in the medieval period.
After the Anglo-Norman and English conquests, Irish names were written by English-speaking clerks and officials, often according to sound rather than Gaelic spelling. Ó Duibhín was anglicized in several ways, and Deegan became one of the established English forms. The surname is associated mainly with Leinster, especially Counties Kilkenny and Laois. Similar-looking anglicizations such as Deighan and Deehan exist, but they do not all necessarily come from the same Irish original.
Deegan is not a traditional Gaelic given name. Its modern use as a first name is a transferred use of the Irish surname rather than a continuation of an old Gaelic naming tradition.
How Popular is the Name Deegan?
Deegan recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 2011. Its best rank was #835 in 2011.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | #13,256 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2015 | #17,121 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #2,024 | 74 | 0.0043% |
| 2024 | #1,674 | 100 | 0.0058% |
| 2023 | #1,708 | 98 | 0.0057% |
| 2022 | #1,789 | 91 | 0.0052% |
| 2021 | #1,530 | 115 | 0.0066% |
| 2020 | #1,610 | 100 | 0.0058% |
| 2019 | #1,401 | 126 | 0.0070% |
| 2018 | #1,460 | 119 | 0.0066% |
| 2017 | #1,216 | 151 | 0.0082% |
| 2016 | #1,172 | 163 | 0.0086% |
| 2015 | #1,111 | 173 | 0.0090% |
| 2014 | #1,153 | 164 | 0.0085% |
| 2013 | #968 | 207 | 0.0109% |
| 2012 | #926 | 222 | 0.0117% |
| 2011 | #835 | 259 | 0.0136% |
| 2010 | #893 | 230 | 0.0120% |
| 2009 | #985 | 201 | 0.0101% |
| 2008 | #984 | 201 | 0.0099% |
| 2007 | #1,059 | 177 | 0.0085% |
| 2006 | #1,391 | 114 | 0.0055% |
| 2005 | #1,364 | 110 | 0.0055% |
| 2004 | #1,677 | 77 | 0.0039% |
| 2003 | #2,213 | 49 | 0.0025% |
| 2002 | #2,070 | 52 | 0.0027% |
| 2001 | #2,698 | 35 | 0.0018% |
| 2000 | #4,630 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 1999 | #5,097 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1998 | #5,925 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1997 | #8,377 | 6 | 0.0003% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Deegan Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You are strong in material matters, determined and stubborn. You have good business ability. You are a good worker, steady and practical, a builder who takes responsibility well. These qualities may bring you a position of authority and power. You are a doer, down-to-earth, serious-minded, reliable, and self-disciplined; have good power of concentration. You have an eventful, exciting life. You are versatile and have the ability to learn easily.
You desire to inspire and lead, to control other's affairs. You are giving, courageous and bold, action oriented,energetic and strong willed. You want to make a difference in the world, and this attitude often attracts you to cultural interests, politics, social issues, and the cultivation of your creative talents.
✦ Deegan's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Deegan's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.