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.
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 →
The Story of Kiran
As a girl name
Kiran first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1966, with 7 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2008, when 79 Kirans were born — ranking #2,419 that year. As of 2026, Kiran ranks #8,800 for girls with 10 births, falling sharply (-44%). In total, more than 2K Kirans have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1960s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Kiran first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1970, with 8 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2024, when 142 Kirans were born — ranking #1,340 that year. As of 2026, Kiran ranks #1,364 for boys with 140 births, rising sharply (+25% over the past five years). In total, more than 3K Kirans have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1970s through 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?
How popular is Kiran in 2026?
When was Kiran most popular?
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.