Kieren
Meaninglittle dark one · Irish form of Kieran
- US rank
- #5,608
- Syllables
- 2
- Peak
- #3,366 in 2003
16 babies were named Kieren in the US in 2025. It has climbed 1,894 places in five years.
Save adds it to your list. Vote moves it up the top voted names.
US births per million boys, 1990–2025
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Kieren you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
Famous Kieren
Kieren Perkins
Australian swimmer
Choose Kieren and your child shares a first name with Kieren Perkins, an Australian swimmer. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Kieren, like who?” Kieren Perkins's Wikipedia article is available in 26 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.
Read about Kieren Perkins on Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)- How commonAbout 1 in every 106,383 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Kieren, 16 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Kieren would very likely be the only one.
- HistoryKieren first shows up in US birth records in 1990, the first year at least 5 babies got it. It has been in use for 35 years since.
- Best yearIts best year was 2003, when it reached #3,366.
- TrendKieren has climbed 1,894 places in the US rankings over the last five years and now sits at #5,608. Fast risers like this often keep climbing, so expect to hear it more.
- MeaningKieren is an Irish form of Kieran, which means “little dark one”.
About the name Kieren
Kieren is a boy name of Irish origin meaning “little dark one”. It has 6 letters and 2 syllables, starting with K and ending in “-ren”. US birth records list Kieren for boys from 1990 to 2025, in 34 of those 36 years. Its best year was 2003, when it ranked #3,366 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #5,608, with 16 babies.
Origin:Irish names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 4.5 | 224,719 boys |
| 2000s | 8.2 | 121,507 boys |
| 2010s | 10 | 96,618 boys |
| 2020s | 7.0 | 141,844 boys |
More Irish boy names
- Boy name: Liam · resolute protector
- Unisex name: Owen · well-born
- Unisex name: Logan · little hollow
- Unisex name: Nolan · descendant of Nuallán
- Unisex name: Gael · a Gael
- Boy name: Arthur · possibly bear
- Unisex name: Ryan · little king
- Boy name: Dominic · of the Lord
Questions about the name Kieren
What does the name Kieren mean?
Kieren means “little dark one” in Irish, as a form of Kieran.
What is the origin of the name Kieren?
Kieren has Irish roots in our records. Other Irish names include Liam, Owen, Logan.
Is Kieren a boy or girl name?
Kieren is a boy name.
How popular is the name Kieren?
Kieren ranked #5,608 for US boys in 2025, given to 16 babies. Its best year was 2003 (#3,366).