How to say it
KIE · ran
/ˈkɪər.ən/
Masculine
Kieran
Little dark one
What it means
The anglicized Irish Ciarán, a diminutive of ciar ('black, dark'), so 'little dark-haired one.'
Kieran is the anglicized spelling of the Irish Ciarán, 'little dark one,' from ciar, 'black,' a name for a dark-haired child. St. Ciarán of Clonmacnoise was one of the Twelve Apostles of Ireland. It is warm, soft, and unmistakably Irish, carried today by actor Kieran Culkin. Ciarán is the Irish spelling; Kieron and Keiran are variants.
Popularity over time
peaked at #389 in 2025, currently #389 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–present. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Spelling
Kieran is the anglicized Ciarán; both mean 'little dark one.'
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- Kieran Culkin American actor (Succession)
- St. Ciarán founder of Clonmacnoise, an Apostle of Ireland
Spelling variants
- Ciarán
- Kieron
- Keiran
Names with the same feeling
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