Kiran
Kiran is a Nepali or Indian given name. It originates in the Sanskrit word kiraṇa, meaning "ray" or "ray of light" or "beam of light". Other names that sound like Kiran are Kira, Kirwan, Ciaran, Keiran and Kieran.
- Hindi
- Marathi
- Kannada
- Telugu
Meaning & Origin of Kiran
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Kiran is a Nepali or Indian given name. It originates in the Sanskrit word kiraṇa, meaning "ray" or "ray of light" or "beam of light". Other names that sound like Kiran are Kira, Kirwan, Ciaran, Keiran and Kieran.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- Hindi
- Marathi
- Kannada
- Telugu
- Malayalam
- Tamil
- Gujarati
- Nepali
- Urdu
The Story of Kiran
As a girl name
The earliest SSA record of Kiran as a girl name dates back to 1966, when 7 babies received it. 2008 was its biggest year on record, with 79 newborns named Kiran — #2,419 in the national rankings. About 36% of every Kiran on record arrived during the 2000s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Kiran ranks #8,800 for girls with 10 births, falling sharply (-44%). All told, over 2K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1960s to the 2020s.
As a boy name
American parents first put Kiran on the record books as a boy name in 1970, with 8 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 2024, when 142 Kirans were born — ranking #1,340 that year. About 32% of every Kiran on record arrived during the 2010s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Kiran ranks #1,364 for boys with 140 births, rising sharply (+25% over the past five years). All told, over 3K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1970s to the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Kiran
Phonetically similar names — useful when Kiran 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 Kiran
What does the name Kiran mean?
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How popular is Kiran in 2026?
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In which U.S. states is Kiran most popular?
Is Kiran a unisex name?
What names go well with Kiran?
About the name Kiran
Kiran is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1970 and has accumulated 3K births in the dataset. Kiran's peak popularity came in 2024 when it ranked #1,340. Use the chart and map above to compare Kiran's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2024 →
- 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.