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© 2026 Namesake · namesake.baby

Data: Social Security Administration, US births 1880–2024

Kieran — Meaning, Origin & Popularity | Namesake
All names
Kiera|Kiere
Irish◈ Unisex · 54% boy · 46% girl↑ Rising

◈= unisex (gender-neutral)

Kieran

◈

KEER-un · 2 syllables

Share Kieran:
Compare with another name
Boy
#440
↑ Rising
Boy
#440
Popularity score: 39
↑ Rising
Peak
#440 in 2024
5yr
+37 ranks
Velocity
+37
Birth frequency
2.0 per 10,000 births
Girl
#9227
Popularity score: 8
↓ Fading
Peak
#4527 in 2022
5yr
-3371 ranks
Velocity
-3371
Birth frequency
3.1 per 1,000,000 births

Popularity Over Time

↑ Higher on this chart = more popular · ↓ Lower = less popular

How Popular Is This Name?

Bars show the range of popularity for each group. The dot shows where this name sits. Further right = more popular.

BOY
Average0255075100Popularity score (0–100)20202024

Rank #440 · Rising since 2020

All US boy names
Top 200 boy names
Irish boy names
Kieran

Popularity score: 39  ·  SSA Rank: #440

GIRL
Average0255075100Popularity score (0–100)20202024

Rank #9227 · Falling since 2020

All US girl names
Top 200 girl names
Irish girl names
Kieran

Popularity score: 8  ·  SSA Rank: #9227

Rare  ·  Distinctive  ·  Familiar  ·  Common  ·  Very Common

Popularity score: 0 = least popular, 100 = most popular. Based on SSA rank.

Namesake Score
69
Higher than 69% of names
Combines uniqueness, trend, meaning, feasibility, and search interest.
Trend
↑ Rising
+37 ranks
Based on SSA rank velocity
Feasibility
Unknown
— · — · —
Low friction, available
Uniqueness
85
1 per 10,000 births
Won't be common in class

Kieran scores well on uniqueness but there are tradeoffs — domain availability is limited.

Meaning Depth37% of score
77
Name Trend28% of score
58
Uniqueness20% of score
85
Feasibility15% of score
50

Scores are percentile-ranked across 43,000+ names.

Name DNA
IrishCelticGaelicUnisex2-syllableClassicDark-meaningTraditional
Character
grounded authenticity
People with this name

Qualities shared by notable Kierans

versatileprofessionaldeterminedresilientintelligent
STRONG
High confidence

Kieran is an Irish unisex name with upward momentum in SSA rankings. It ranked #440 in the US in 2024.

Trend:↑ Rising · +37 ranks
Feasibility:— · — · —
Popularity:#440 · niche
Kieran at a Glance
Meaning:Dark-haired or dark-skinned. From the Old Irish 'Ciarán,' a diminutive of 'ciar' meaning dark or black.
Language root:Old Irish · Gaelic
Peak rank:#440 in 2024
5yr change:+37 ranks
Sex usage:Boy #440 · Girl #9227
Notable bearers
Kieran Culkin
Actor
Kieran Tierney
Footballer
Kieran Hebden
Musician
Kieran Shipka
Actress
Kieran Hayward
Singer
Similar Sound
Kian◈CiaranKeiranKyranCiarán
Similar Style
Ronan◈Finn◈LiamSoren◈Caspian◈
Works well with
SiobhanNiamhDeclan◈Rory◈FionaEoinAoifeCallum
You Might Also Like
Ronan◈
Irish · #257
↑ Rising
Finn◈
Irish · #198
→ Stable
Liam
Irish · #1
→ Stable
Soren◈
Scandinavian · #571
→ Stable
Caspian◈
Persian · #578
↑ Rising
Aiden
Irish · #47
→ Stable
Source: Social Security Administration baby names data. Popularity data reflects US births. Feasibility data updated monthly.
Kieran illustration
Name Intelligence
Kieran · Overview
Summary

Kieran is an Irish unisex name with upward momentum in SSA rankings. It ranked #440 in the US in 2024.

Search interest: 3/100 → Stable

Strengths
Strong fundamentals
Kieran scores 69/100 on the Namesake scale — meaning, origin, and trend all contribute positively.
Rising steadily
Rank has moved 37 positions in the last year. Consistent upward trajectory.
Works for any sex
54% boy · 46% girl. A genuinely unisex name is rare at this level of distinctiveness.
Classic character
Kieran carries a grounded, cool quality that makes it distinctive without being invented.
Explore

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Data source:Social Security Administration
Coverage:US births 1879–2024
Updated:January 2025
ISR:Refreshes monthly
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