Kieran
A unisex given name from Irish, an anglicized form of Ciarán.
Every Kieran since 1918 — 19,218 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Kieran
Kieran is moderately common for boys in the United States, ranked #389 in 2025 with 817 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1918, 19,218 American babies have been named Kieran — about 92% boys and 8% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 2025, when 828 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2020s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Kieran stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Kieran year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 11 | #9,184 | 817 | #389 |
| 2024 | 11 | #9,259 | 716 | #440 |
| 2023 | 21 | #5,862 | 636 | #477 |
| 2022 | 31 | #4,531 | 621 | #490 |
| 2021 | 8 | #11,672 | 598 | #493 |
| 2020 | 21 | #5,758 | 558 | #514 |
| 2019 | 25 | #5,232 | 581 | #493 |
| 2018 | 22 | #5,696 | 579 | #497 |
| 2017 | 34 | #4,266 | 567 | #512 |
| 2016 | 23 | #5,718 | 540 | #539 |
| 2015 | 29 | #4,794 | 560 | #512 |
| 2014 | 33 | #4,409 | 483 | #576 |
| 2013 | 35 | #4,206 | 471 | #558 |
| 2012 | 36 | #4,177 | 470 | #554 |
| 2011 | 51 | #3,246 | 562 | #474 |
| 2010 | 53 | #3,144 | 469 | #540 |
| 2009 | 63 | #2,814 | 528 | #510 |
| 2008 | 67 | #2,735 | 502 | #533 |
| 2007 | 77 | #2,447 | 450 | #571 |
| 2006 | 54 | #3,119 | 445 | #563 |
| 2005 | 56 | #2,920 | 408 | #571 |
| 2004 | 56 | #2,875 | 425 | #544 |
| 2003 | 52 | #2,938 | 429 | #538 |
| 2002 | 57 | #2,689 | 399 | #556 |
| 2001 | 55 | #2,724 | 410 | #534 |
| 2000 | 54 | #2,727 | 416 | #528 |
| 1995 | 32 | #3,456 | 265 | #638 |
| 1990 | 12 | #7,100 | 109 | #1,018 |
| 1985 | 14 | #5,195 | 65 | #1,162 |
| 1980 | 9 | #7,072 | 43 | #1,457 |
| 1975 | — | — | 41 | #1,370 |
| 1970 | 6 | #7,494 | 44 | #1,256 |
| 1965 | 10 | #4,343 | 46 | #1,101 |
| 1960 | 6 | #6,022 | 37 | #1,308 |
| 1955 | — | — | 26 | #1,523 |
| 1950 | — | — | 18 | #1,784 |
| 1945 | — | — | 5 | #3,558 |
| 1940 | — | — | 7 | #3,010 |
| 1935 | — | — | 5 | #3,926 |
| 1930 | — | — | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Kieran
- Kieran Culkin Actor · b. 1982
- Kieran Richardson Soccer player · b. 1984
- Kieran Dowell Soccer player · b. 1997
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Kieran mean?
A unisex given name from Irish, an anglicized form of Ciarán.
How popular is the name Kieran in 2025?
Kieran ranked #389 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 817 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Kieran?
19,218 babies have been named Kieran in the United States since 1918, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Kieran most popular?
Kieran peaked in 2025, when 828 newborns received the name.
Is Kieran a boy or girl name?
Kieran is used for both: about 8% of babies named Kieran have been girls and 92% boys.
Is the name Kieran rising or falling?
Kieran is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Kieran?
Well-known people named Kieran include Kieran Culkin (actor), Kieran Richardson (soccer player), Kieran Dowell (soccer player).