Morgan (given name)

Morgan is a name of Welsh and Breton origin. Traditionally, it was a male-only name in Wales and Brittany. It also has been used for girls in recent years.

Morgan

Morgan le Fay
Gender	Unisex
Language(s)	Welsh / Breton
Origin
Meaning	Sea chief or famous magic (male) Sea-born or great queen (female)
Other names
Related names	Margan, Morgan, Morgana, Morgane, Morgen, Morghan, Morghann

The male and female names do not originate from the same source. The male name is a descendant of Old Welsh Morcant, possibly derived from môr (meaning "sea") and "cant" (the circle) or "gen" (come / origin) with the meaning: "sea chief", "sea protector", "sea defender" or "sailor/captain"[1] or "born of / on the sea" or "belonging to the circle of the sea". Contemporaneous records of the first Mormaer, or count de Mar, spelled his name Morggán, Earl of Mar.

The female version of the first name likely finds its origins with Morrígan which is derived from the Irish Mór Ríoghain and which means "great queen". In Irish myth, she was a goddess of war and death who often took the form of a crow. She is also the inspiration for the character of the fairy Morgan Le Fay in the Arthurian legend. For the etymology of the female version of the name, see here.

The spelling evolution resulted in a single form but with different meanings.

The first name Morgan spreads during the Middle Ages in the Celtic countries, especially in Wales and Armorica. Several characters who marked medieval mythology have illustrated this first name, thus testifying to its great popularity in these regions. In France, it had to wait until the 1970s to go beyond the borders of Brittany and he soon became successful. It had its heyday in the 1990s and continues to be used frequently today. It is currently estimated that more than 28,600 people have been named Morgan since the turn of the 20th century. It is used as a first name celebrated on October 81 and as a patronymic.

In the United States, it is commonly used for both sexes, though it has been a more popular name for girls in recent years. The name is also used for both sexes in other English-speaking countries, including Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom and New Zealand.[2] The French feminine version of the name is Morgane.

Morgan is not only a first name, but is also commonly used as a surname.