Boy name · Irish Gaelic
Ciarán
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: little dark oneCiarán is a boy's name that comes from Irish Gaelic and means "little dark one". It is used in Irish.
- Meaning
- Little dark one
- Origin
- Irish Gaelic
- Gender
- Boy
- Say it
- KEER-awn (Irish)
Meaning and origin of Ciarán
As a boy's name, Ciarán comes from Irish Gaelic and means "little dark one". It is used in Irish.
In Irish, say KEER-awn. Respellings are a guide; accents vary by region.
Meanings come from published name dictionaries, led by Behind the Name. How we research names
Ciarán on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Ciarán on 3 lists.
“Little dark one; Irish Gaelic, two 6th-century saints. Say KEER-awn.”
From Irish boy names, irish saints' names for boys
“Little dark one; the Irish original of Kieran. Say KEER-awn”
From Names that mean shadow, boy names that mean shadow or darkness
“Little dark one; Irish Gaelic, a beloved early saint. Say KEER-awn”
From Unique boy names, uncommon Irish and Welsh boy names
How popular is Ciarán?
- US rank in 2025
- #1,609
- 105 babies, 61 per million boys
- Best rank
- #1,609 in 2025
- 105 babies that year
- Babies since 1959
- At least 2,198
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 0 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 0 per million |
| 1900s | 0 per million |
| 1910s | 0 per million |
| 1920s | 0 per million |
| 1930s | 0 per million |
| 1940s | 0 per million |
| 1950s | 0 per million |
| 1960s | 1 per million |
| 1970s | 1 per million |
| 1980s | 3 per million |
| 1990s | 16 per million |
| 2000s | 31 per million |
| 2010s | 37 per million |
| 2020s | 49 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #2,094 | #2,218 | #2,238 | #2,270 | #2,051 | #2,065 | #1,894 | #1,914 | #1,767 | #1,609 |
Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.
Other forms of Ciarán
The same name in other languages and spellings, with the same meaning and origin.
- CiarBlack, dark (Irish Gaelic, unisex)
- DubhánLittle dark one (Irish Gaelic, boy)
- DwayneLittle dark one (Irish Gaelic, boy)
- KieranLittle dark one (Irish Gaelic, boy)
Names spelled like Ciarán
One or two letters apart, but from a different root: they look alike without sharing a meaning.
- CianánLittle ancient one (Irish Gaelic, boy)
- CianAncient, enduring (Irish Gaelic, boy)
- CihanWorld (Persian, unisex)
Names with a similar meaning
- MelaniaBlack, dark (Greek, girl)
- MelanieBlack, dark (Greek, girl)
- DonovanDark brown (Irish Gaelic, boy)
- DouglasDark river (Scottish Gaelic, boy)
- DoyleDescendant of the dark stranger (Irish Gaelic, boy)
- DuffDark (Scottish Gaelic, boy)
- KedarDark (Hebrew, boy)
- KeiraDark one (Irish Gaelic, girl)
- MauriceDark-skinned, Moorish (Latin, boy)
- AdhamBlack, dark (Arabic, boy)
Middle names for Ciarán
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a shorter length, so the full name flows.
More boy names from Irish Gaelic
- OscarPossibly deer friend (Irish Gaelic, boy)
- FinnFair, white (Irish Gaelic, boy)
- FergusMan of vigor (Irish Gaelic, boy)
- KevinGentle birth (Irish Gaelic, boy)
- RonanLittle seal (Irish Gaelic, boy)
- RoryRed king (Irish Gaelic, boy)
- AidanLittle fire (Irish Gaelic, boy)
- AidenLittle fire (Irish Gaelic, boy)
- AodhFire, flame (Irish Gaelic, boy)
- AydenVariant of Aidan, little fire (Irish Gaelic, boy)
Ciarán: common questions
What does the name Ciarán mean?
Ciarán comes from Irish Gaelic and means "little dark one".
Is Ciarán a boy or girl name?
Ciarán is mainly a boy's name. In 2025, 5 girls and 105 boys in the US were named Ciarán, according to Social Security Administration data.
Where does the name Ciarán come from?
Ciarán comes from Irish Gaelic and means "little dark one". Today it is used in Irish.
How do you pronounce Ciarán?
In Irish, say KEER-awn. Pronunciation can vary between languages and regions.
How popular is the name Ciarán?
Ciarán ranked #1,609 in the US in 2025, with 105 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What are other forms of Ciarán?
Forms of Ciarán with the same meaning and origin include Ciar (Irish), Dubhán (Irish), Dwayne (English) and Kieran (Irish).
What middle names go with Ciarán?
Middle names that flow well with Ciarán include Asher, Grant, Jack, Lane and Mark. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.