Branigan is of Irish origin, derived from an ancient Gaelic family name 'Ó Braonáin'. It translates to 'descendant of Branán', where Branán was a personal name meaning 'little raven'. Historically, the name was brought to Scotland by Irish immigrants and is still found in both countries today. In English-speaking nations, Branigan has been adopted as a given name as well, often used as an alternative to more common names like Brian.
"Over the period from 1984 to 1991, there were a total of 39 children named Branigan born."