Kieran
Ciarán or Ciaran is a traditionally male given name of Irish and Scottish origin. It means "little dark one" or "little dark-haired one", produced by appending a diminutive suffix to ciar. It is the masculine version of the name Ciara.
- Irish
- English
Meaning & Origin of Kieran
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Ciarán or Ciaran is a traditionally male given name of Irish and Scottish origin. It means "little dark one" or "little dark-haired one", produced by appending a diminutive suffix to ciar. It is the masculine version of the name Ciara.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- Irish
- English
The Story of Kieran
As a girl name
American parents first put Kieran on the record books as a girl name in 1949, with 5 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 2007, when 77 Kierans were born — ranking #2,433 that year. The 2000s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 36% of all recorded Kierans. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #7,164 among girl names with 15 births, gradually falling (-15%). In total, more than 2K Kierans have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1940s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
The earliest SSA record of Kieran as a boy name dates back to 1918, when 8 babies received it. 2026 was its biggest year on record, with 728 newborns named Kieran — #434 in the national rankings. The 2010s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 29% of all recorded Kierans. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #434 among boy names with 728 births, rising sharply (+18% over the past five years). In total, more than 18K Kierans have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1910s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Kieran
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Kieran. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Notable people named Kieran
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Ciarán Bairéad (1905–1976), Irish folklorist and scholar
- Ciarán Barry , Irish hurler
- Ciarán Bourke (1935–1988), Irish musician
- Ciarán Brennan (born 1956), Irish musician
- Ciarán Byrne (born 1994), Irish Australian rules footballer
- Ciarán Cannon (born 1965), Irish politician
- Ciarán Carey (born 1970), Irish hurling player
- Ciaran Carson (1948–2019), Northern Irish poet and playwright
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Kieran
Phonetically similar names — useful when Kieran is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Kieran
What does the name Kieran mean?
What is the origin of the name Kieran?
How popular is Kieran in 2026?
When was Kieran most popular?
In which U.S. states is Kieran most popular?
Is Kieran a unisex name?
What names go well with Kieran?
What are nicknames or variants of Kieran?
About the name Kieran
Kieran is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1918 and has accumulated 18K births in the dataset. Kieran's peak popularity came in 2026 when it ranked #434. Use the chart and map above to compare Kieran's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2026 →
- Names of the 2020s →
- Names starting with "K" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.