This post contains affiliate links.
At a Glance: Name: Tegan – Meaning: darling, pet – Origin: Welsh (20th-century coinage); also Irish (surname/Tadhg-diminutive) – Gender: Girl – Pronunciation: TEE-gan
Tegan is a girl's name that feels clean, modern, and classic all at once. It's a Welsh coinage from the 20th century, with a separate Irish route as a surname and a diminutive of Tadhg, and it means 'darling' or 'pet.' You may see it said that Tegan means 'fair, little one,' but that's not quite right: the Welsh word tegan is glossed as 'darling' or 'pet,' and the 'fair' idea likely comes from the similar Welsh word teg ('fair, pretty'). It's pronounced TEE-gan.
Meaning & Origin of Tegan
Meaning: Darling, pet.
Origin: Welsh (20th-century coinage); also Irish (surname/Tadhg-diminutive).
A common claim: Tegan means 'fair, little one' Actually: Wiktionary's gloss for the Welsh word tegan is 'darling' or 'pet,' not literally 'fair.' The 'fair' association likely comes from the similar Welsh word teg ('fair, pretty'), rather than being part of the name's actual meaning.
Source: Wiktionary.
How to Pronounce Tegan
Phonetic: TEE-gan IPA: /ˈtiːgən/
Popularity of Tegan
Tegan peaked at #780 in 2011, when 350 girls were given the name. By 2024 it had slipped to #2060 with 94 babies, so it's a name you'll rarely meet on a playground today.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 1957–2024.
Make Tegan Name Art
Free printable nursery art for Tegan, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.
Names With a Similar Story
Derived from shared style, era, and origin data (or, for names we have no style data for, a similar Social Security popularity trajectory) — not a hand-picked list.
FAQ
What does the name Tegan mean?
Darling, pet. (Source: Wiktionary, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Tegan)
How do you pronounce Tegan?
Tegan is pronounced TEE-gan (IPA: /ˈtiːgən/).
Is Tegan a popular name right now?
Tegan peaked at #780 in 2011 and is ranked #2060 as of 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1957–2024.)
📊 How popular is Tegan? See the full popularity history, trend data, and ranking since 1880 with our free Baby Name Popularity Checker.
🎲 Think you know your baby names? Take the quiz!
🎨 Get Printable Name Art for Tegan
Beautiful nursery-ready 8×10" print with name & meaning
Preview & Download →More Baby Name Inspiration
📱 The Baby Names app is here
Swipe names, match with your partner the moment you both say yes, and claim a free Name Art print of your winner. Free to download. See all our apps →
