UK boy's name
Kiaran
A masculine name of Irish origin meaning "little dark one".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2013. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Kiaran is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Kiaran popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2013 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4685, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2004, with 11 births.
This profile covers 97 England and Wales registrations across 15 recorded years from 1996 to 2013. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 27% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 96 living people in the UK are called Kiaran. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2014 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Kiaran ranked #4685 for boys in England and Wales in 2013, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2004, when 11 boys were registered as Kiaran.
- • About 96 living people in the UK are estimated to have Kiaran as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4685
2013
Births in 2013
3
Latest year
Peak year
2004
11 births
Estimated living
96
2026
Meaning
What does Kiaran mean?
The name Kiaran is an anglicized version of the Irish name Ciarán, which originated from the Gaelic word "ciar," meaning "dark" or "black." This name has its roots in ancient Celtic culture and is believed to have been in use since the 5th century AD.
In Irish mythology, Ciarán was the name of one of the sons of Fergus mac Róich, a legendary king of Ulster. The name gained prominence with the birth of Saint Ciarán of Saigir, also known as Ciarán the Elder, who lived in the 5th century and is regarded as one of the Twelve Apostles of Ireland.
Saint Ciarán of Clonmacnoise, also known as Ciarán the Younger, was another influential figure who lived in the 6th century. He was the founder of the famous monastery of Clonmacnoise, which became a renowned center of learning and spirituality in medieval Ireland.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Kiaran can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the 17th century. The annals mention several individuals with the name Ciarán, including abbots, scholars, and ecclesiastical figures.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Kiaran or its variations:
1. Kiaran Doherty (1828-1891), an Irish Catholic priest and founder of St. Eunan's College in Letterkenny, Ireland. 2. Kiaran McDonald (1826-1913), an Irish-born Catholic bishop who served as the first Bishop of Harbor Grace, Newfoundland, Canada. 3. Kiaran Madden (born 1961), an Irish former Gaelic football player and manager, known for his successful tenure with the Galway senior football team. 4. Kiaran O'Loughlin (born 1967), an Irish former professional footballer who played as a midfielder for various clubs in England and Scotland. 5. Kiaran Timmins (born 1989), an Irish musician and singer-songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist and guitarist of the rock band Inhaler.
The name Kiaran has maintained its popularity in Ireland and among the Irish diaspora, carrying with it a rich cultural heritage and historical significance rooted in the ancient Celtic traditions of the Emerald Isle.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Kiaran over time
The chart below shows babies named Kiaran registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2013. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Kiaran, the clearest high point is 2004. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2013, compared with 11 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Kiaran by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Kiaran was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | #3819 | 13 | 3 |
| 2000s | #2057 | 58 | 8 |
| 1990s | #1819 | 26 | 4 |
Related
Names similar to Kiaran
- Kieran 30,429
- Kyle 28,463
- Kai 24,432
- Kian 17,666
- Kayden 8,305
- Kevin 7,927
- Kane 7,149
- Kaiden 5,762
- Kieron 4,547
- Kacper 4,366
- Kye 4,012
- Kit 3,529
FAQ
Kiaran: questions and answers
How popular is the name Kiaran in the UK right now?
In 2013, Kiaran was ranked #4685 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Kiaran most popular?
The peak year on record was 2004, with 11 babies registered as Kiaran in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Kiaran?
A masculine name of Irish origin meaning "little dark one".
How many people are called Kiaran in the UK?
A total of 97 babies have been registered as Kiaran across the 15 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.