Riggins is an English and Irish surname, usually explained as "son of Riggin", a form of the Irish Ó Riagáin, "descendant of the little king". Most American parents know it from Tim Riggins, the brooding fullback in the TV series Friday Night Lights, which turned the surname into a first name. Riggins was essentially unused before the show aired in 2006, peaked at number 1427 in 2023 and ranks number 1776 among boys' names in 2025.