Kieran

At a Glance: Name: Kieran – Meaning: little dark one – Origin: Irish (anglicized form of Ciarán); also used as an anglicization of Sanskrit Kiran – Gender: Boy – Pronunciation: KEER-an

---

Kieran is a classic boy's name with a worldly feel, pronounced KEER-an. It's the Irish anglicized form of Ciarán, and it's also used as an anglicization of the Sanskrit Kiran. The name means "little dark one."

Meaning & Origin of Kieran

Meaning: Little dark one.

Origin: Irish (anglicized form of Ciarán); also used as an anglicization of Sanskrit Kiran.

Source: Wiktionary.

How to Pronounce Kieran

Phonetic: KEER-an   IPA: /ˈkɪərən/

Popularity of Kieran

Kieran ranked #440 in the U.S. in 2024, with 713 babies given the name. That's both its latest and its highest rank in the data, which runs from 1918 to 2024.

Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 1918–2024.

Make Kieran Name Art

Free printable nursery art for Kieran, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.

Names With a Similar Story

Derived from shared style, era, and origin data (or, for names we have no style data for, a similar Social Security popularity trajectory) — not a hand-picked list.

• Aiden
• Brendan
• Brennan
• Brody
• Caden
• Callahan

FAQ

What does the name Kieran mean?

Little dark one. (Source: Wiktionary, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Kieran)

How do you pronounce Kieran?

Kieran is pronounced KEER-an (IPA: /ˈkɪərən/).

Is Kieran a popular name right now?

Kieran is at its highest recorded popularity right now, ranked #440 in 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1918–2024.)

More Baby Name Inspiration

• Check any name’s popularity history
• Take the naming-style quiz
• Make art for a different name