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Keygan

KEE-gan /ˈkiːɡən/

At a glance

In short
Keygan is a modern masculine name of Gaelic origin, functioning as a variant of Keegan and ultimately derived from the Irish surname Ó Catháin, which means “descendant of Aodh” or “little fire.”
U.S. rank 2025
Not in the 2025 data · last seen 2022 (#12,330)
Babies in 2022
5 (<0.01% of boys)
Peak
#3,286 in 2008
First recorded
1996

Meaning of Keygan

Keygan is a modern masculine name of Gaelic origin, functioning as a variant of Keegan and ultimately derived from the Irish surname Ó Catháin, which means “descendant of Aodh” or “little fire.” Pronounced KEE-gan (/ˈkiːɡən/) in American English, it first appeared in U.S. birth records in the late 1990s, climbed into the top 900 by the early 2000s, peaked around rank 863 in 2013, and most recently held the 938th spot with five occurrences in 2022. Its distinctive spelling also evokes the English word “key,” lending the name a symbolic edge around ideas of unlocking potential—a quality that has resonated in multicultural, including Latin American, communities seeking fresh yet approachable names. Over two decades of steady use highlight Keygan’s blend of Celtic heritage, contemporary phonetics and cross-cultural appeal, making it a concise choice for parents who value both tradition and modernity.

How to pronounce Keygan

English

Popularity of Keygan in the U.S.

Keygan was last recorded in the U.S. in 2022, ranked #12,330 with 5 babies. It peaked at #3,286 in 2008. It first appears in the records in 1996.

Bar and line chart: Keygan in the U.S., 1996–2022. Bars: boys given the name each year, most 34 in 2008 and 5 in 2022. Line: rank among boy names, peak #3,286 in 2008, #12,330 in 2022.
  • Boys named Keygan (left scale)
  • Rank among U.S. boy names (right scale, #1 at the top)
By year, 1996–2022. Source: SSA. Download: PNG · SVG
Year-by-year table, 1996⁠–⁠2022 25 rows
Keygan: babies and rank among boy names in the U.S. by year
YearBabiesRankvs previous year
2022512,330back (not recorded in 2021)
2020107,502▲ 713
201998,215▼ 598
2018107,617▲ 3,158
2017610,775▼ 4,986
2016155,789▼ 731
2015185,058▼ 520
2014214,538▼ 785
2013273,753▲ 1,729
2012165,482▼ 1,877
2011293,605▲ 103
2010283,708▲ 123
2009273,831▼ 545
2008343,286▲ 1,710
2007184,996▼ 891
2006234,105▲ 1,770
2005135,875▼ 2,140
2004243,735▲ 881
2003174,616▲ 3,840
200278,456▼ 2,789
2001125,667▲ 2,542
200078,209▼ 335
199977,874back (not recorded in 1998)
199777,281▼ 145
199677,136new