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Kieran

Boy / Girl name · 7,419 babies recorded · 1974–2025

Rooted in Irish tradition, Kieran comes from the Gaelic Ciarán, meaning “little dark one” — a common nickname for a dark-haired child. It belongs to a line of early Irish saints, most notably Saint Ciarán of Clonmacnoise, a revered sixth-century abbot. Modern bearers include actor Kieran Culkin and Scottish footballer Kieran Tierney, who has helped keep the name prominent in Scotland. The Scottish town of Kilkerran derives its name from the same saint. Though often anglicised as Kieran, the original Irish spelling Ciarán remains widely used, and the name has enjoyed steady popularity in Scotland since the 1970s, particularly among families with Celtic heritage.