What does Kieran mean?
Anglicized from Irish Ciaran, a diminutive of 'ciar' meaning 'black, dark', giving 'little dark one'. Borne by several early Irish saints.
What does Ronan mean?
Rónán means “little seal,” from the Irish rón.
Kieran vs Ronan
Which is more popular?
Ronan is more popular than Kieran today: about 1,406 US babies were given the name Ronan in 2025, compared with 817 named Kieran.
| Kieran | Ronan | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | little dark one | Little seal |
| Origin | irish | Irish |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | KEER-uhn | ROH-nun |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1918 | 1959 |
| Peak year | 2025 (817) | 2025 (1,406) |
| In 2025 | 817 | 1,406 |
| Trend | Near its peak | Near its peak |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Kieran
Ronan
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Kieran | Ronan |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 3,946 | 7,749 |
| 2010s | 5,282 | 9,092 |
| 2000s | 4,412 | 3,343 |
| 1990s | 2,177 | 322 |
| 1980s | 610 | 84 |
| 1970s | 415 | 32 |
| 1960s | 374 | 47 |
| 1950s | 222 | 10 |
| 1940s | 81 | 0 |
| 1930s | 48 | 0 |
| 1920s | 38 | 0 |
| 1910s | 8 | 0 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Kieran or Ronan more popular?
Ronan is more popular than Kieran today: about 1,406 US babies were given the name Ronan in 2025, compared with 817 named Kieran.
What is the difference between Kieran and Ronan?
Kieran means little dark one (irish origin), while Ronan means Little seal (Irish origin).
Which name is older, Kieran or Ronan?
In US records, Kieran first appears in 1918 and Ronan in 1959, so Kieran has the longer recorded history.