Pronunciation
Keer-awn / Keer-an
These spellings are a guide to the sound. Irish pronunciation can vary by dialect.
Meaning
Little dark one
Alternate spellings
Ciaran; Kieran
Fun fact
Ciarán and Ciara share a dark-haired name connection. They make a lovely example of related Irish names with different endings.
Popularity in Ireland
Figures for the spelling Ciarán, 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.
#149Rank among boy names in 202535Babies registered in 2025
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 | 35 | #149 |
| 2024 | 24 | #200 |
| 2023 | 49 | #115 |
| 2022 | 36 | #157 |
| 2021 | 37 | #153 |
| 2020 | 47 | #129 |
| 2019 | 56 | #118 |
| 2018 | 55 | #117 |
| 2017 | 89 | #78 |
| 2016 | 81 | #90 |
| 2015 | 120 | #64 |
| 2014 | 137 | #61 |
| 2013 | 107 | #74 |
| 2012 | 143 | #62 |
| 2011 | 155 | #57 |
| 2010 | 166 | #53 |
| 2009 | 170 | #54 |
| 2008 | 217 | #40 |
| 2007 | 200 | #41 |
| 2006 | 227 | #33 |
| 2005 | 226 | #31 |
| 2004 | 253 | #30 |
| 2003 | 244 | #30 |
| 2002 | 252 | #28 |
| 2001 | 264 | #25 |
| 2000 | 286 | #23 |
| 1999 | 230 | #30 |
| 1998 | 237 | #24 |
| 1997 | 306 | #25 |
| 1996 | 327 | #25 |
| 1995 | 297 | #27 |
| 1994 | 269 | #29 |
| 1993 | 287 | #26 |
| 1992 | 303 | #24 |
| 1991 | 287 | #24 |
| 1990 | 286 | #26 |
| 1989 | 291 | #30 |
| 1988 | 317 | #28 |
| 1987 | 347 | #25 |
| 1986 | 295 | #36 |
| 1985 | 344 | #28 |
| 1984 | 285 | #35 |
| 1983 | 307 | #35 |
| 1982 | 359 | #31 |
| 1981 | 288 | #39 |
| 1980 | 297 | #40 |
| 1979 | 253 | #42 |
| 1978 | 222 | #46 |
| 1977 | 207 | #51 |
| 1976 | 181 | #53 |
| 1975 | 193 | #52 |
| 1974 | 180 | #57 |
| 1973 | 216 | #45 |
| 1972 | 183 | #51 |
| 1971 | 173 | #50 |
| 1970 | 166 | #43 |
| 1969 | 161 | #43 |
| 1968 | 111 | #55 |
| 1967 | 120 | #49 |
| 1966 | 125 | #50 |
| 1965 | 124 | #51 |
| 1964 | 124 | #49 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies’ Names, tables VSA50 and VSA60. Latest year: 2025.