The name Morgan, both in its male and female forms, appears to have its origins in Wales and Welsh mythology. The name has numerous connotations relating to magic and sorcery.
It is widely believed to originate from the Old Welsh masculine name 'Morcant'. The name Morcant appears to derive from two Welsh words; 'Mor', meaning 'sea', and 'cant', meaning 'circle'.
Alternatively, the female use of the name Morgan appears to have its origins in the legends of King Arthur. Early accounts by Geoffrey of Monmouth in the 12th century make reference to the character of Morgan le Fay, who is described as a powerful sorceress and a prominent antagonist to King Arthur and Queen Guinevere. Some of Geoffrey of Monmouth's early accounts describe Morgan as a supernatural being, while later stories tend to refer to her as a human with additional magical powers.
The increasing popularity of Morgan as a female name in the past thirty years, particularly in the United States, is generally believed to be due to the stories of Morgan le Fay.
It is unlikely that Geoffrey of Monmouth's use of Morgan was a derivation of the masculine form 'Morcant'. Instead, it is often argued that his use of the name might have been inspired by the Irish feminine name 'Muirgen', which means "born of the sea" in Gaelic.
In Irish legend, Muirgen was a woman who was the name of a woman who was transformed into a mermaid. The legend states that 300 years later she was brought back to dry land to be baptised where she then turned back into a woman.
It is widely believed to originate from the Old Welsh masculine name 'Morcant'. The name Morcant appears to derive from two Welsh words; 'Mor', meaning 'sea', and 'cant', meaning 'circle'.
Alternatively, the female use of the name Morgan appears to have its origins in the legends of King Arthur. Early accounts by Geoffrey of Monmouth in the 12th century make reference to the character of Morgan le Fay, who is described as a powerful sorceress and a prominent antagonist to King Arthur and Queen Guinevere. Some of Geoffrey of Monmouth's early accounts describe Morgan as a supernatural being, while later stories tend to refer to her as a human with additional magical powers.
The increasing popularity of Morgan as a female name in the past thirty years, particularly in the United States, is generally believed to be due to the stories of Morgan le Fay.
It is unlikely that Geoffrey of Monmouth's use of Morgan was a derivation of the masculine form 'Morcant'. Instead, it is often argued that his use of the name might have been inspired by the Irish feminine name 'Muirgen', which means "born of the sea" in Gaelic.
In Irish legend, Muirgen was a woman who was the name of a woman who was transformed into a mermaid. The legend states that 300 years later she was brought back to dry land to be baptised where she then turned back into a woman.
