Pronunciation
Keer-un
Meaning
Little dark one
Related forms: Ciarán (related irish form).
Alternate spellings
Ciarán; Ciaran
Fun fact
Kieran is an anglicised spelling of Ciarán. The related girl's name is Ciara, which is also very familiar in Ireland. I think we all know a few Ciaráns and Ciaras here! With the fada it's usually Keer-awn, and without it you may hear Keer-an. Ciar means dark or dusky, and -án is a little ending. So Ciarán is little dark one.
Popularity in Ireland
Figures for the spelling Kieran, Republic of Ireland.
The CSO only publishes names given to three or more babies in a year. “Less than 3” means zero, one or two babies, and these years appear as gaps on the graph.
Number of babies registered each year
From 2018, spellings with and without fadas are counted separately. Earlier figures group these spellings together, so the graph has a break at 2018.
View yearly figures
| Year | Babies named | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 11 | #348 |
| 2024 | 9 | #394 |
| 2023 | 12 | #330 |
| 2022 | 12 | #349 |
| 2021 | 28 | #186 |
| 2020 | 10 | #381 |
| 2019 | 20 | #237 |
| 2018 | 18 | #262 |
| 2017 | 25 | #220 |
| 2016 | 30 | #190 |
| 2015 | 29 | #194 |
| 2014 | 30 | #193 |
| 2013 | 42 | #152 |
| 2012 | 25 | #227 |
| 2011 | 46 | #152 |
| 2010 | 52 | #142 |
| 2009 | 44 | #149 |
| 2008 | 69 | #112 |
| 2007 | 75 | #94 |
| 2006 | 60 | #104 |
| 2005 | 70 | #90 |
| 2004 | 89 | #73 |
| 2003 | 87 | #72 |
| 2002 | 94 | #69 |
| 2001 | 85 | #72 |
| 2000 | 109 | #60 |
| 1999 | 81 | #73 |
| 1998 | 81 | #67 |
| 1997 | 127 | #60 |
| 1996 | 108 | #65 |
| 1995 | 126 | #60 |
| 1994 | 134 | #54 |
| 1993 | 137 | #55 |
| 1992 | 158 | #52 |
| 1991 | 184 | #45 |
| 1990 | 178 | #47 |
| 1989 | 191 | #40 |
| 1988 | 178 | #45 |
| 1987 | 235 | #39 |
| 1986 | 214 | #43 |
| 1985 | 221 | #45 |
| 1984 | 224 | #46 |
| 1983 | 230 | #45 |
| 1982 | 245 | #45 |
| 1981 | 260 | #42 |
| 1980 | 263 | #46 |
| 1979 | 268 | #38 |
| 1978 | 241 | #41 |
| 1977 | 266 | #36 |
| 1976 | 241 | #41 |
| 1975 | 236 | #42 |
| 1974 | 277 | #35 |
| 1973 | 283 | #34 |
| 1972 | 241 | #41 |
| 1971 | 273 | #32 |
| 1970 | 270 | #30 |
| 1969 | 260 | #31 |
| 1968 | 196 | #38 |
| 1967 | 275 | #28 |
| 1966 | 243 | #32 |
| 1965 | 252 | #31 |
| 1964 | 224 | #32 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies’ Names, tables VSA50 and VSA60. Latest year: 2025.