Updated March 6, 2024

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Girl name origins & meanings

  • Welsh: Enchantress half-sister of Arthur; white sea; bright; dweller by the sea

What does Morgan mean and stand for?

The name Morgan is of Welsh origin and means "white sea." It is derived from the Welsh elements mor, meaning “sea” and cant, “circle.”

Syllables: 2

Discover more baby name meanings to learn what's behind every name.

Girl name variations

Morgana

Morgana

- 9% this year
Feminine
Rare
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Morganne

Morganne

0 % this year
Feminine
Rare
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Morganica

Morganica

0 % this year
Feminine
Rare
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Boy name origins & meanings

  • Irish: Lives by the sea

How Popular Is The Name Morgan

Family name origins & meanings

  • Welsh : from the Old Welsh personal name Morcant, which is of uncertain but ancient etymology.
  • Irish : importation of the Welsh surname, to which has been assimilated more than one Gaelic surname, notably Ó Muireagáin (see Merrigan).
  • Scottish : of uncertain origin; probably from a Gaelic personal name cognate with Welsh Morcant.
  • Morgan is one of the oldest and commonest of Welsh surnames, but there is also a Scottish family called Morgan, established from medieval times in Aberdeenshire, with connections with the McKays. The Scottish name is probably not the result of Welsh migration, but was established independently. Abel Morgan (1673–1722), a baptist clergyman, was born in Cardiganshire, South Wales, and emigrated to Philadelphia in 1712, establishing churches in PA, DE, and NJ.

Famous people with this first name

Famous people with this last name

Famous people who gave their babies this name

Popularity of the Name Morgan

According to Social Security Administration data, Morgan has been slowly decreasing in popularity. It fell out of the top 50 in 2009 and the top 100 in 2014. Despite the decline, Morgan has maintained a position in the top 200.

However, it is the 26th most popular name on FamilyEducation.com.

According to Google search data analysis, in the last five years, Morgan was at its peak popularity in February 2021.

Morgan is one of those rare names where the female version is not related to the male version. The female version comes from the Arthurian legend created for Morgan le Fay, King Arthur's half-sister and famed sorceress. Some notable namesakes include actress Morgan Fairchild, actress Morgan Weaving, actress Morgan York, and model Morgan Featherstone. Clint Eastwood also chose the name for his daughter. Morgan has appeared in various forms of pop culture, as well, such as Boy Meets World, Enchanted, and Criminal Minds.

Where is the name Morgan popular?

Morgan was searched for most often in the following states:

Nicknames for Morgan

  • Mo
  • Mor
  • Morg
  • Morgs

Morgan pairs well with these middle names:

Meaning and Origin of Morgan