Fun Facts About the Name Keeghan
- 444 babies named Keeghan: U.S. records list 444 babies given the name Keeghan from 1880 through 2025. Even 84 girls received the name Keeghan - about 1 girl for every 4 boys.
What Does the Name Keeghan Mean?
Keeghan is a spelling variant of the Irish name Keegan, an anglicized form of the Gaelic surname Mac Aodhagáin, which means "son of Aodhagán." The personal name Aodhagán is a diminutive of the older Irish name Aodh, meaning "fire." Taken literally, then, the surname means "son of little Aodh," and the customary interpretation of the name's meaning is "little fire" or "fiery." The -gh- spelling in Keeghan simply renders the same sound found in Keegan; it does not point to a different root. Other Irish names that look similar, such as Keoghan and Keehan, come from separate Gaelic sources and should not be confused with this one.
Keeghan Name History & Origins
The surname Mac Aodhagáin belonged to a well-known Irish family who served as hereditary brehons (judges) and poets to the O'Kellys of Uí Maine, in the part of Ireland that is now County Galway, with later associations in County Offaly. During the centuries of English administration in Ireland, the Mac prefix in such surnames was often dropped or shortened, and Mac Aodhagáin was anglicized as Keegan. Because English spelling had no fixed way to represent Irish sounds, the name appeared in a range of forms, including Keegan, Keagan, and Keeghan; Keeghan is best understood as one of these respellings rather than as a distinct Irish name with its own history.
Over time Keegan and its variants passed from an Irish surname into wider use as a given name in the English-speaking world, and Keeghan follows that pattern. Its development therefore parallels the parent form's movement from Gaelic patronymic to English-language surname to personal name, with the ee and gh spellings reflecting English pronunciation conventions rather than any change in meaning or origin.
How Popular is the Name Keeghan?
Keeghan has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2008. Its best rank was #3,608 in 2008.
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 | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | #14,739 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 2013 | #15,581 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2012 | #15,925 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2010 | #12,874 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2009 | #13,063 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2007 | #12,155 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2006 | #11,026 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2004 | #15,105 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2003 | #11,868 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2000 | #8,873 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1997 | #12,903 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #11,362 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 2019 | #11,480 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2018 | #11,499 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2017 | #7,323 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2016 | #7,885 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2015 | #7,778 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2014 | #7,302 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2013 | #5,535 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 2012 | #6,160 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 2011 | #6,816 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 2010 | #4,176 | 24 | 0.0013% |
| 2009 | #3,686 | 29 | 0.0015% |
| 2008 | #3,608 | 30 | 0.0015% |
| 2007 | #3,845 | 27 | 0.0013% |
| 2006 | #4,603 | 20 | 0.0010% |
| 2005 | #5,443 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 2004 | #5,640 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 2003 | #6,068 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 2002 | #7,351 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2001 | #5,529 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2000 | #5,193 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 1999 | #7,520 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1998 | #6,079 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1997 | #5,120 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1996 | #6,268 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1995 | #8,354 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1992 | #7,968 | 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 Keeghan Shapes Your Personality and Life?
EXTREMES in fortune, health and spirituality. You are very versatile, idealistic and intuitive. You either enjoy great success or suffer abject misery. The solution is service to others. Use your leadership abilities for humanity and not for self-glorification. You have an eventful, exciting life. You are versatile and have the ability to learn easily.
You find the best contentment in life when you own your own home and provide well for your family and loved ones. You have a great sense of responsibility and duty. You are comforting, appreciative and affectionate. Your obligation in life is to hold justice and truth, and if you follow the Law, you can find the great happiness and satisfaction.
✦ Keeghan's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Keeghan's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.