Boy name · Irish Gaelic
Kieran
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: little dark oneKieran is a boy's name that comes from Irish Gaelic and means "little dark one". It is used in Irish and English.
- Meaning
- Little dark one
- Origin
- Irish Gaelic
- Gender
- Boy
- Say it
- KEER-an
Meaning and origin of Kieran
As a boy's name, Kieran comes from Irish Gaelic and means "little dark one". It is used in Irish and English.
Say it KEER-an. Respellings are a guide; accents vary by region.
Meanings come from published name dictionaries, led by Behind the Name. How we research names
Kieran on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Kieran on 6 lists.
“Irish for little dark one”
From Black cat names, black cat names for males
“Little dark one; Irish Gaelic. From Ciarán. Say KEER-an”
From Classic boy names, classic Irish, Scottish and Welsh boy names
“Little dark one; English spelling of an Irish saint's name. Say KEER-an”
From Cute boy names, soft and gentle boy names
“Little dark one; Irish. Borne by a 6th-century saint of Clonmacnoise”
From Gothic names, names that mean dark, night or raven
“English spelling of Ciarán, little dark one. Say KEER-an.”
From Irish boy names, irish boys' names in English spelling
“Little dark one; Irish, from ciar, dark”
From Names that mean shadow, boy names that mean shadow or darkness
How popular is Kieran?
- US rank in 2025
- #389
- 817 babies, 478 per million boys
- Best rank
- #389 in 2025
- 817 babies that year
- Babies since 1918
- At least 17,613
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 0 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 0 per million |
| 1900s | 0 per million |
| 1910s | 1 per million |
| 1920s | 3 per million |
| 1930s | 5 per million |
| 1940s | 5 per million |
| 1950s | 11 per million |
| 1960s | 19 per million |
| 1970s | 25 per million |
| 1980s | 33 per million |
| 1990s | 112 per million |
| 2000s | 221 per million |
| 2010s | 281 per million |
| 2020s | 381 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #539 | #512 | #497 | #493 | #514 | #493 | #490 | #477 | #440 | #389 |
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 Kieran
The same name in other languages and spellings, with the same meaning and origin.
- CiaránLittle dark one (Irish Gaelic, boy)
- DubhánLittle dark one (Irish Gaelic, boy)
- DwayneLittle dark one (Irish Gaelic, boy)
Names spelled like Kieran
One or two letters apart, but from a different root: they look alike without sharing a meaning.
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 Kieran
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)
Kieran: common questions
What does the name Kieran mean?
Kieran comes from Irish Gaelic and means "little dark one".
Is Kieran a boy or girl name?
Kieran is mainly a boy's name. In 2025, 11 girls and 817 boys in the US were named Kieran, according to Social Security Administration data.
Where does the name Kieran come from?
Kieran comes from Irish Gaelic and means "little dark one". Today it is used in Irish and English.
How do you pronounce Kieran?
Say KEER-an. Pronunciation can vary between languages and regions.
How popular is the name Kieran?
Kieran ranked #389 in the US in 2025, with 817 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What are other forms of Kieran?
Forms of Kieran with the same meaning and origin include Ciarán (Irish), Dubhán (Irish) and Dwayne (English).
What middle names go with Kieran?
Middle names that flow well with Kieran include Ethan, Ford, Glenn, Isaac and James. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.