McGonigal

McGonigal is a surname of Irish origin. It is an Anglicized form of a Gaelic patronymic, typically interpreted as meaning “son of a Gaelic personal name.” Variants and related spellings, such as McGonagall, reflect historical orthographic changes in Ireland and among emigrant communities. The name is found in Ireland and throughout the Irish diaspora, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia.

In contemporary usage, McGonigal appears as a family name for individuals in various professions and public life. The most widely cited contemporary figure is Jane McGonigal, an American game designer and author known for work on the positive potential of games. Her books include Reality Is Broken and SuperBetter, which advocate using game-design principles to improve real-world resilience and well-being.

As with many Irish surnames, McGonigal has multiple spellings and occasional confusion with similarly spelled names. In cultural references, variants such as McGonagall have appeared in fiction, notably in the Harry Potter series, though that variant refers to a different surname. Overall, McGonigal is primarily a diasporic surname tied to Irish lineage, with individuals contributing to fields such as technology, writing, and the arts.