Pronunciation
Kway-lawn / Kay-lawn / Kee-lawn
These spellings are a guide to the sound. Irish pronunciation can vary by dialect.
Meaning
Slender
Alternate spellings
Caolan; Keelan
Fun fact
Caol means ‘slender’ or ‘narrow’, and you can hear it at the beginning of Caolán. Keelan is an anglicised form that makes the sound easier to recognise.
Popularity in Ireland
Figures for the spelling Caolán, Republic of Ireland.
The CSO only publishes names given to three or more babies in a year. “Less than 3” means zero, one or two babies, and these years appear as gaps on the graph.
Number of babies registered each year
From 2018, spellings with and without fadas are counted separately. Earlier figures group these spellings together, so the graph has a break at 2018.
View yearly figures
| Year | Babies named | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 41 | #132 |
| 2024 | 44 | #125 |
| 2023 | 48 | #119 |
| 2022 | 34 | #164 |
| 2021 | 33 | #164 |
| 2020 | 40 | #144 |
| 2019 | 29 | #188 |
| 2018 | 19 | #257 |
| 2017 | 31 | #188 |
| 2016 | 33 | #177 |
| 2015 | 34 | #177 |
| 2014 | 32 | #184 |
| 2013 | 38 | #171 |
| 2012 | 43 | #156 |
| 2011 | 34 | #189 |
| 2010 | 29 | #201 |
| 2009 | 25 | #220 |
| 2008 | 26 | #208 |
| 2007 | 36 | #160 |
| 2006 | 28 | #166 |
| 2005 | 36 | #140 |
| 2004 | 26 | #157 |
| 2003 | 25 | #156 |
| 2002 | 26 | #148 |
| 2001 | 37 | #120 |
| 2000 | 23 | #154 |
| 1999 | 34 | #120 |
| 1998 | 23 | #139 |
| 1997 | 36 | #127 |
| 1996 | 31 | #135 |
| 1995 | 23 | #147 |
| 1994 | 11 | #192 |
| 1993 | 23 | #151 |
| 1992 | 8 | #222 |
| 1991 | 5 | #263 |
| 1990 | 7 | #229 |
| 1989 | 4 | #278 |
| 1988 | 10 | #196 |
| 1987 | 9 | #203 |
| 1986 | 11 | #192 |
| 1985 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1984 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1983 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1982 | 4 | #286 |
| 1981 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1980 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1979 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1978 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1977 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1976 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1975 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1974 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1973 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1972 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1971 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1970 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1969 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1968 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1967 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1966 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1965 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1964 | Less than 3 | - |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies’ Names, tables VSA50 and VSA60. Latest year: 2025.