The first name Kerrigan
A girl’s name from Irish meaning “grandson/descendant of ciaragán”, “black”.
3 syllables Female Also a surname
Meaning and origin
Irish origin
Kerrigan means “grandson/descendant of ciaragán”, “black” in Irish.
Reduced Anglicized form of Irish Ó Ciaragáin (“grandson/descendant of Ciaragán”), a byname from a double diminutive of ciar (“black”).
More names that mean black.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
Kerrigan last appeared in the official list in 2007, given to 3 boys. It peaked in 1997, with 4 births (#3,174).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Kerrigan with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Kerrigan at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 30 girls born in the United States were named Kerrigan, the 4,608th most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 2012, when 118 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
More Irish girls’ names
Questions
- What does the name Kerrigan mean?
- Kerrigan means “grandson/descendant of ciaragán”, “black” in Irish.
- What is the origin of the name Kerrigan?
- Reduced Anglicized form of Irish Ó Ciaragáin (“grandson/descendant of Ciaragán”), a byname from a double diminutive of ciar (“black”).
- How popular is the name Kerrigan?
- In 2007, 3 boys born in England and Wales were named Kerrigan, ranking 4,333rd. Its peak was 1997, with 4 births.
- Is Kerrigan a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a girl's name: 96% of the 2,571 US babies named Kerrigan since 1880 were girls.
- When was Kerrigan most popular?
- 2012 in the United States, when 118 babies were named Kerrigan, its highest rank at 1,755th.
- Is Kerrigan also a surname?
- Yes. Kerrigan is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.