Baby Names US
girls' name ★ peaked 1986

Meaghan

Gender Girl Rank 2025 Below top lists

A female given name from Welsh, a pseudo-Irish spelling of the Welsh Megan.

Rank 2025
–
among girls
Babies in 2025
<5
named Meaghan
How common
–
girls born in 2025
Peak year
1986
744 babies
All-time total
14,043
#1,346 all-time among girls
First recorded
1955
in Social Security records

Meaghan popularity over time

14,043 babies have been named Meaghan since 1955, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
0.130.250.380.518801900192019401960198020002020GirlsBoys
GirlsBoys

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Girls Boys Total Per year Change Best rank
1880s – – – – – –
1890s – – – – – –
1900s – – – – – –
1910s – – – – – –
1920s – – – – – –
1930s – – – – – –
1940s – – – – – –
1950s 14 – 14 1 – #4,521
1960s 143 – 143 14 +921% #2,190
1970s 1,103 – 1,103 110 +671% #596
1980s 5,342 7 5,349 535 +385% #325
1990s 5,425 – 5,425 543 +1% #367
2000s 1,756 – 1,756 176 -68% #690
2010s 240 – 240 24 -86% #3,107
2020s (to 2025) 13 – 13 2 -91% #8,262

The story of Meaghan

Meaghan is not currently in use for newborns in the United States: fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.

Since 1955, 14,043 American babies have been named Meaghan. Its peak came in 1986, when 744 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1980s.

The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Meaghan stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Meaghan?

The median living Meaghan is about 35 years old; half are between 29 and 40. An estimated 14 thousand people named Meaghan are alive in the United States today.

median 35 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Meaghan year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year Girls Girls rank Boys Boys rank
2025 – – – –
2024 – – – –
2023 – – – –
2022 – – – –
2021 – – – –
2020 13 #8,262 – –
2019 10 #10,228 – –
2018 10 #10,308 – –
2017 10 #10,466 – –
2016 14 #8,262 – –
2015 18 #6,896 – –
2014 24 #5,572 – –
2013 23 #5,772 – –
2012 30 #4,794 – –
2011 47 #3,442 – –
2010 54 #3,107 – –
2009 68 #2,698 – –
2008 92 #2,181 – –
2007 110 #1,891 – –
2006 111 #1,841 – –
2005 140 #1,498 – –
2004 155 #1,361 – –
2003 203 #1,089 – –
2002 242 #926 – –
2001 293 #807 – –
2000 342 #690 – –
1995 520 #475 – –
1990 722 #367 – –
1985 633 #368 – –
1980 341 #546 – –
1975 93 #1,237 – –
1970 50 #1,794 – –
1965 15 #3,366 – –
1960 5 #6,992 – –
1955 5 #6,415 – –
1950 – – – –
1945 – – – –
1940 – – – –
1935 – – – –
1930 – – – –
1925 – – – –
1920 – – – –
1915 – – – –
1910 – – – –
1905 – – – –
1900 – – – –
1895 – – – –
1890 – – – –
1885 – – – –
1880 – – – –

Famous people named Meaghan

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

  1. 1 Meaghan Rath Meaghan Rath Canadian actress (born 1986) Contemporary
  2. 2 Meaghan Martin Meaghan Martin American actress and singer (born 1992) Contemporary
  3. 3 Meaghan Benfeito Meaghan Benfeito Canadian diver (born 1989) Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Meaghan, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Meaghan?

The median living Meaghan is about 35 years old. Half of all living Meaghans are between 29 and 40 years old.

How many people named Meaghan are alive today?

An estimated 14 thousand people named Meaghan are alive in the United States, based on 14,043 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Meaghan mean?

A female given name from Welsh, a pseudo-Irish spelling of the Welsh Megan.

How popular is the name Meaghan in 2025?

Meaghan did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.

How many people are named Meaghan?

14,043 babies have been named Meaghan in the United States since 1955, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Meaghan most popular?

Meaghan peaked in 1986, when 744 newborns received the name.

Is Meaghan a boy or girl name?

Meaghan is overwhelmingly a girl's name: 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Meaghan rising or falling?

Meaghan is declining, less popular now than a decade ago.

Who are famous people named Meaghan?

Well-known people named Meaghan include Meaghan Rath (actor), Meaghan Martin (actor), Meaghan Benfeito (athlete).

Names like Meaghan

Names that sound and feel close to Meaghan: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Meaghan with similar names → More names starting with M →