boy's name
Kieran
KEER-un
- Origin Irish
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 2
- Letters 6
- Popularity Top 1000 (E&W)
- Births on record 72,243
the United States
#389
2025 births
Kieran means little dark one, and Scotland ranks it 259th — above Ireland at 361st and the United States at 389th, which is not where an Irish saint's name would be expected to lead.
- Kieran is a name of Irish origin.
- Peaked in England and Wales in 1996, when 2,885 babies were given the name.
- It has been falling over the past decade in England and Wales.
- Today about 1 in 9,245 babies in England and Wales is given this name.
- First appears in birth records in 1996.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Kieran over time
Births per decade in England and Wales, 1990s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1990s | 11,163 |
| 2000s | 16,136 |
| 2010s | 2,836 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 378 |
What Kieran means
Kieran means little dark one, or black-haired. The Irish ciar means dark or black, and the diminutive ending turns it into an affectionate byname in the first place.
Where Kieran comes from
Kieran anglicizes the Irish Ciarán, built on ciar — dark or black, usually describing hair — with a diminutive. Two major saints carry it: Ciarán of Saigir, one of the twelve apostles of Ireland, and Ciarán of Clonmacnoise, who founded the monastery that became Ireland's greatest center of learning and died at thirty-three. The same ciar appears in Ciara and in Kerry, the county named for the people of Ciar.
Kieran in use
Kieran peaked in England and Wales in 1996, when 2,885 babies were registered, and is falling in our data. It now ranks 259th in Scotland on 16 births — its strongest market — then 361st in Ireland on 11, 389th in the United States on 828, 648th in England and Wales on 57 and 2953rd in France, across 72,243 lifetime births in six of the seven markets we track.
How popular is Kieran?
In 2025, Kieran was given to 57 babies in England and Wales, ranking #648 that year. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
Where Kieran is used
Figures for England and Wales withhold any name given to fewer than three babies in a year, so a gap means the name fell below that floor rather than went unused. Data & sources.
How Kieran is spelled
Birth registers count each spelling separately, so every one has its own ranking.
| Spelling | What it is | Births on record |
|---|---|---|
| Kiéran | Kiéran is a rare spelling of Kieran, written with an acute accent and recorded about 105 times, mostly in France. | 105 |
Names that peaked alongside Kieran
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Kieran also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Kieran over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
1 nickname for Kieran
Each one is a name in its own right — the figure underneath is how it is doing today, so you can see which short forms are rising and which have faded.
Kieran in other languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling names for Kieran
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Kieran — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Kieran
What does the name Kieran mean?
Little dark one — the Irish ciar, dark, with a diminutive ending.
Is Kieran related to Kerry?
Yes — Kerry is the territory of the people of Ciar, built on the same word.
Who was Ciarán of Clonmacnoise?
The founder of Ireland's greatest monastic school, who died at thirty-three.
Where is Kieran most used?
Scotland at 259th, ahead of Ireland and the United States.
How popular is the name Kieran?
In 2025, Kieran was given to 57 babies in England and Wales, ranking #648 that year. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
Is Kieran a girl's or a boy's name?
Kieran is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Kieran?
Kieran has 2 syllables.
When was Kieran most popular?
Kieran peaked in 1996, when 2,885 babies were given the name. It has been falling over the past decade.
What are the nicknames for Kieran?
Kieran is usually shortened to Kier.
Is Kieran a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Kieran currently ranks #259 in England and Wales. It has been falling over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.