At a Glance
- Meaning
- Descendant of Tighearnán, a diminutive of 'tighearna' (lord) — roughly 'little lord'
- Origin
- Irish Gaelic
- Gender
- Boy
- Pronunciation
- KEER-nun
Kiernan is an Irish Gaelic boy's name meaning “descendant of Tighearnán, a diminutive of 'tighearna' (lord) — roughly 'little lord'”. It appears in our list of 200+ Unique Last Names As First Names.
Meaning & Origin of Kiernan
Meaning: Descendant of Tighearnán, a diminutive of 'tighearna' (lord) — roughly 'little lord'.
Origin: Irish Gaelic.
A common claim: means 'little dark one' Actually: Kiernan is widely said to mean 'little dark one' — that's actually the meaning of the similar name Kieran (from Ciarán, 'dark'); Kiernan/Tiernan instead traces to 'tighearna' (lord).
Source: Wiktionary.
How to Pronounce Kiernan
KEER-nunIPA /ˈkɪərnən/
Popularity of Kiernan
Lists That Include Kiernan
Similar Names
Lennox · Keegan · Morrigan · Nolan · Malone · Kearney
