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Cieran

Boy name · 59 babies recorded · 1974–2025

Cieran: 59 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to boys, peaking at 8 births in 2000.

Cieran is a variant of the Irish name Ciaran, which derives from the Gaelic word *ciar*, meaning 'black' or 'dark', originally given to a child with dark hair. Its most famous bearer is Saint Ciarán of Clonmacnoise, a 6th-century Irish monk and one of the Twelve Apostles of Ireland, who founded the revered monastery of Clonmacnoise in County Offaly, a major centre of learning. The place name Kieran or Kilkerran, such as the village in Ayrshire, Scotland, also shares this root, meaning 'church of Ciarán'. This spelling with a 'C' rather than a 'K' offers a softer, more modern alternative while retaining the name’s deep Celtic heritage.