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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Reagan

112 replies

MMJK · 23/05/2026 14:38

What would your first thought be if you met a girl or woman named Reagan? Does it remind you too much of Ronald Reagan or the Exorcist? We would be pronouncing it like reg-in (so the same as the president and the film), not ree-gan.

OP posts:
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AgnesMcDoo · 23/05/2026 21:19

Ronald

Besafeeatcake · 23/05/2026 21:19

Ree-gun pronunciation is nice.

Ray-gun isn’t.

ladyrinths · 23/05/2026 21:16

The president & Exorcist references are really old though so not particularly relevant

GeorgeMichaelsCat · 23/05/2026 21:15

Blue Bloods TV show or Ronald.

westcott · 23/05/2026 21:14

why would you make up its pronunciation? This would be a nightmare for them.

MMJK · 23/05/2026 21:00

WhimsyWhim · 23/05/2026 17:28

Reg-in and ray-gun sound the same to me when they’re said quickly.

I think it depends on the accent. They sound very similar to each other in our accent too.

OP posts:
HaveYouFedTheFish · 23/05/2026 20:58

QwestSprout · 23/05/2026 14:40

I'd assume her parents liked King Lear.

You wouldn't call your daughter Reagan if you liked King Lear though, unless you had a very odd sense of humour or a masochistic / self destructive streak! Cordelia maybe.

Getching99 · 23/05/2026 20:51

MMJK · 23/05/2026 20:34

Like Megan but with an R in place of the M!

That isn’t how I have ever heard it pronounced and isn’t like the surname of the president. You would be setting her and you up for a life of telling people they’re pronouncing her name wrong.

Loures · 23/05/2026 20:47

MMJK · 23/05/2026 20:34

Like Megan but with an R in place of the M!

I love it, which is quite surprising because I hate Megan.

Hassell · 23/05/2026 20:39

MMJK · 23/05/2026 20:34

Like Megan but with an R in place of the M!

Good lord - I didn think it could get worse

this is awful. Perhaps worse I have come across on mumsnet

MMJK · 23/05/2026 20:34

AuContrairePubicHair · 23/05/2026 16:43

Reg-in? I don't understand how you want this to be pronounced. Reggin? Rejjin?

Like Megan but with an R in place of the M!

OP posts:
greenfingers2026 · 23/05/2026 19:36

All the people I've known with that name are Ree-gan and I think most people would assume that is how it is said.

canuckup · 23/05/2026 19:15

I have a friend whose daughter is called this

I can never remember if it's Ree-gan or Ray-gan

So I just always say Ray 😂 (friends nickname, not mine)

And yes, it's basically Ronald

CamomileCream · 23/05/2026 19:10

I know one and she's lovely. I don't associate it with the president and have never seen the exorcist

LizardyGuts · 23/05/2026 18:56

I dislike surnames for first names in general. Campbell, Mackenzie, Mason etc.

But if this doesn't bother you I can't see why Reagan (pron ray-gun) or Regan (pron ree-gun) is any worse than any of the other surname names.

PeatandDieselfan · 23/05/2026 18:53

Well, they can't all be Harriet and Olivia! 🤣

HelenaWilson · 23/05/2026 18:51

There's the rather awful US president

What was wrong with Ronald Reagan?

Vaguelyclassical · 23/05/2026 18:43

Oh dear. Reagan/Regan. There's the rather awful US president. There is the particularly vile daughter in King Lear (brush up your Shakespeare). And there is the hideously possessed young girl in The Exorcist. (Head swiveling round on neck, obscenities, projectile green vomiting etc.) Take your pick of unfortunate associations!

ToadRage · 23/05/2026 18:16

I like the name but I'm unsure of your pronunciation, can you make it clearer? I would always assume it would be Ray-gan or Ree-gan. I would associate it with the film not the president but that may be age related.

BillieWiper · 23/05/2026 18:06

WhimsyWhim · 23/05/2026 17:28

Reg-in and ray-gun sound the same to me when they’re said quickly.

Sorry, to me it's phonetic so that spelling sounds like 'rej- in' or 'regg- inn'. Rather than 'ray-gun'.

PeatandDieselfan · 23/05/2026 18:04

HugoThatway · 23/05/2026 16:59

How do you say Megan? I'd say it as Meggun.

I'd say Reagan as Raygun and Regan as Reegun.

Edited

Reggun.

QwestSprout · 23/05/2026 18:00

BitterTits · 23/05/2026 16:46

I wouldn't. Regan is a vile character and for that reason, I hate the name.

Hah well, true. People often don't look very deeply into characters though, given the number of Khaleesis and such like from Game of Thrones.

Satsuma55 · 23/05/2026 17:46

No.

Reagan
cloudysky75 · 23/05/2026 17:40

I know one pronounced Ray-gun. I don't like the gun sounding part of the name

HugoThatway · 23/05/2026 17:36

WhimsyWhim · 23/05/2026 17:28

Reg-in and ray-gun sound the same to me when they’re said quickly.

You need a hearing test.