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