Pronunciation
Teer-nun
Meaning
Little lord
Related forms: Tíghearnán (related irish form).
Alternate spellings
Tíghearnán
Fun fact
Tiernan is an anglicised spelling of Tíghearnán. Tiernan is the anglicised form of Tíghearnán. It has a little lord meaning, so there is a royal connection behind it. The Irish spelling is longer, but you may already know the sound from Tiernan. Tighearna is an older spelling of tiarna, the Irish word for lord, and -án is a little ending. So the name means little lord.
Popularity in Ireland
Figures for the spelling Tiernan, 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 | 48 | #115 |
| 2024 | 51 | #109 |
| 2023 | 49 | #115 |
| 2022 | 73 | #84 |
| 2021 | 68 | #92 |
| 2020 | 58 | #105 |
| 2019 | 61 | #113 |
| 2018 | 45 | #135 |
| 2017 | 49 | #127 |
| 2016 | 47 | #140 |
| 2015 | 39 | #161 |
| 2014 | 41 | #161 |
| 2013 | 57 | #119 |
| 2012 | 66 | #109 |
| 2011 | 57 | #127 |
| 2010 | 59 | #128 |
| 2009 | 52 | #136 |
| 2008 | 58 | #130 |
| 2007 | 49 | #130 |
| 2006 | 45 | #126 |
| 2005 | 50 | #111 |
| 2004 | 34 | #138 |
| 2003 | 42 | #115 |
| 2002 | 28 | #142 |
| 2001 | 24 | #148 |
| 2000 | 25 | #146 |
| 1999 | 27 | #132 |
| 1998 | 16 | #162 |
| 1997 | 19 | #162 |
| 1996 | 10 | #223 |
| 1995 | 13 | #191 |
| 1994 | 6 | #247 |
| 1993 | 9 | #213 |
| 1992 | 7 | #238 |
| 1991 | 13 | #179 |
| 1990 | 4 | #286 |
| 1989 | 5 | #253 |
| 1988 | 10 | #196 |
| 1987 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1986 | 9 | #210 |
| 1985 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1984 | 6 | #234 |
| 1983 | 6 | #237 |
| 1982 | 3 | #330 |
| 1981 | 4 | #292 |
| 1980 | 3 | #321 |
| 1979 | 7 | #245 |
| 1978 | 4 | #283 |
| 1977 | 5 | #273 |
| 1976 | 4 | #288 |
| 1975 | 4 | #290 |
| 1974 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1973 | 6 | #254 |
| 1972 | 5 | #254 |
| 1971 | 6 | #242 |
| 1970 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1969 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1968 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1967 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1966 | 3 | #256 |
| 1965 | 4 | #222 |
| 1964 | 3 | #232 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies’ Names, tables VSA50 and VSA60. Latest year: 2025.