Kiernan
Kiernan is a surname of Irish origin and a unisex given name, and may refer to:
Meaning & Origin of Kiernan
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Kiernan is a surname of Irish origin and a unisex given name, and may refer to:
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Kiernan
As a girl name
Kiernan first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1972, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2002, when 34 Kiernans were born — ranking #3,809 that year. As of 2026, Kiernan ranks #9,957 for girls with 6 births, falling sharply (-57%). In total, more than 684 Kiernans have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1970s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Kiernan first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1957, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2008, when 77 Kiernans were born — ranking #1,874 that year. As of 2026, Kiernan ranks #3,321 for boys with 36 births, gradually falling (-14%). In total, more than 2K Kiernans have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1950s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Kiernan
Phonetically similar names — useful when Kiernan 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 Kiernan
What does the name Kiernan mean?
How popular is Kiernan in 2026?
When was Kiernan most popular?
In which U.S. states is Kiernan most popular?
Is Kiernan a unisex name?
What names go well with Kiernan?
About the name Kiernan
Kiernan is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1957 and has accumulated 2K births in the dataset. Kiernan's peak popularity came in 2008 when it ranked #1,681. Use the chart and map above to compare Kiernan's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2008 →
- Names of the 2000s →
- 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.