Morgan is a name of Welsh and Breton origin. Traditionally, it is a masculine-coded name in Wales and Brittany, but has been decoupled from its traditional gender outside of its regions of origin. It spread in popularity outside of Welsh and Breton communities during the past century, including in France, and in English-speaking countries worldwide. Morgan is also used as a surname, derived from the given name.

Morgan
GenderUnisex
Language(s)Welsh / Breton
Origin
MeaningSea chief or famous magic (male)
Sea-born or Magic Enchantress (female)
Other names
Related namesMorcant, Morgain, Morgaine, Morgana, Morgane, Morganna, Morgant, Morgen, Morghan, Morgue

The 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] Contemporaneous records of the first Mormaer, or count de Mar, spelt his name Morggán, Earl of Mar.

The use of the name for women may be inspired by the character Morgan le Fay from Arthurian legend. For the etymology of Morgan le Fay, see Morgan le Fay § Etymology and origins.

In the United States it is commonly used for any gender, although it has become a more popular name for women than men since the 1990s. The name is also used for any gender in other English-speaking countries, including Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom and New Zealand.[2] The French feminine version of the name is Morgane.

Notable people

edit

Female

edit

Male

edit

Fictional characters

edit
  • Morgan le Fay, a powerful enchantress in the Arthurian legend
  • Morgan Jones, a character in The Walking Dead franchise
  • Morgan the Midnight Fairy, a character in the book series Rainbow Magic
  • Morgan Stark, a character in ‘‘Avengers Endgame’’ from the Marvel franchise

References

edit
  1. ^ "Morgan". Surname Database. Retrieved 2014-03-01.
  2. ^ Cambell, Mike. "Morgan (1)". Behind the Name. Retrieved 3 December 2024.