Egan is an Irish surname and given name, derived from the Gaelic 'Ó hEacháin', which means 'descendant of Eachán'. Eachán was a personal name meaning 'fierce' or 'bold', suggesting that those named Egan may have been considered spirited or courageous. The name has been anglicized to various spellings, such as Egghan and Eichin in Irish, and Eagan or Eaken in English. Notable figures with the surname Egan include the American actor and director Michael Egan and Australian rules footballer Mark Egan.
The name Egan has seen significant fluctuations in popularity over the years, with a notable spike in recent times. Between 1915 and 1984, the number of annual births named Egan ranged from a low of 5 to a high of 10, with most years seeing around 6 births. However, starting in 1985, there was a consistent increase in the popularity of the name, reaching a peak of 21 births in 1997 and 49 births in 2019. Despite some fluctuations since then, the total number of births with the name Egan from 1915 to 2023 is an impressive 1165.