Given name & surname
Kiernan
“having dark features; the little dark one”
Kiernan is a variant of Kieran. One interpretation is “having dark features; the little dark one.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
Kiernan is a variant of Kieran. One interpretation is “having dark features; the little dark one.”
Explained through its name family
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1957. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Kiernan through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 2,448
- 1,761 boys · 687 girls
- Most popular year
- 2008
- 104 babies
- 2025
- 43
- #3,409 for boys · #10,519 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −22%
- Easing
Boys, girls and both
The balance of boys and girls given this name has shifted over time. Recent births are 69% boys.
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 34 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 3,409 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 8.9% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 77 in 2008. It also appeared in 9 birth records for girls in 2025. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 2,153 as a first name in 2020; 5,630 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Kiernan’s family of names
Kiernan has a related form in Kieran.
Inner ring: spellings · outer: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 1
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
People named Kiernan
- Kiernan ShipkaAmerican actress (born 1999)
- Kiernan Dewsbury-HallEnglish association football player (born 1998)
- AKASouth African rapper (1988–2023)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Kiernan, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Keelin
“a lively and bright-headed woman” · “a slender and beautiful woman”
56% boys · 44% girls
Devine
“resembling an ox” · “of the divine”
50% boys · 50% girls
Kelby
“from the waters” · “from the farm near the spring”
60% boys · 40% girls
Conley
“one who is pure; chaste”
63% boys · 37% girls
Dempsey
“a proud man”
66% boys · 34% girls
Findley
“a fair-haired hero”
75% boys · 25% girls
Ramsay
Ramsay is a variant of Ramsey. One English interpretation is “from the raven island; from the island of wild garlic.”
74% boys · 26% girls
Reilly
“an outgoing man”
46% boys · 54% girls