Kiran
Meaningray of light · Sanskrit
- US rank
- #1,267
- Syllables
- 2
- Peak
- #1,267 in 2025
155 babies were named Kiran in the US in 2025. It has climbed 342 places in five years.
Found on lists
Save adds it to your list. Vote moves it up the top voted names.
US births per million girls, 1966–2025
US births per million boys, 1970–2025
Most popular states (2025)
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Kiran you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
Famous Kiran
Kiran Desai
Indian author
Choose Kiran and your child shares a first name with Kiran Desai, an Indian author. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Kiran, like who?” Kiran Desai's Wikipedia article is available in 62 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.
Read about Kiran Desai on Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)Photo: PEN American Center, CC BY 2.0 (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons
- How commonAbout 1 in every 11,025 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Kiran, 155 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Kiran would very likely be the only one.
- HistoryKiran first shows up in US birth records in 1966, the first year at least 5 babies got it. It has been in use for 59 years since.
- Best yearKiran is at its all-time high right now: #1,267 in 2025.
- Then vs nowKiran is 3.4× more common today than it was in 2000. In 2000 it was given to about 1 in 37,736 baby boys; in 2025, about 1 in 11,025.
- TrendKiran has climbed 342 places in the US rankings over the last five years and now sits at #1,267. Fast risers like this often keep climbing, so expect to hear it more.
- Where it's lovedKiran is most popular in Massachusetts, where it ranks #467, followed by Washington (#684) and California (#807). It's in the top 1,000 in 6 states.
- MeaningIn Sanskrit, Kiran means “ray of light”. Our records link it to Hindu and Russian roots.
- OriginKiran is the #9 most popular Hindu boy name in the US. That's out of 107 Hindu boy and unisex names in our list.
About the name Kiran
Kiran is a boy name of Hindu and Russian origin meaning “ray of light”. It has 5 letters and 2 syllables, starting with K and ending in “-ran”. US birth records list Kiran for boys from 1970 to 2025, in 54 of those 56 years. Its best year was 2025, when it ranked #1,267 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #1,267, with 155 babies.
Origin:Hindu namesRussian names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2.3 | 444,444 girls |
| 1970s | 7.6 | 131,926 girls |
| 1980s | 14 | 69,204 girls |
| 1990s | 23 | 43,630 girls |
| 2000s | 37 | 27,115 girls |
| 2010s | 19 | 52,938 girls |
| 2020s | 7.4 | 134,831 girls |
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 5.3 | 188,679 boys |
| 1980s | 7.6 | 132,275 boys |
| 1990s | 16 | 62,344 boys |
| 2000s | 42 | 23,708 boys |
| 2010s | 56 | 17,867 boys |
| 2020s | 71 | 14,151 boys |
Other spellings of Kiran
More Hindu boy names
- Boy name: Zain · beauty, grace
- Unisex name: Rohan · ascending
- Boy name: Gian · God is gracious
- Boy name: Rishi · sage, seer
- Unisex name: Dev · god, divine
- Unisex name: Neel · blue
- Boy name: Hiram · exalted brother
- Unisex name: Taj · crown
Questions about the name Kiran
What does the name Kiran mean?
Kiran means “ray of light” in Sanskrit.
What is the origin of the name Kiran?
Kiran has Hindu, Russian roots in our records. Other Hindu names include Zain, Rohan, Gian.
Is Kiran a boy or girl name?
Kiran is a boy name, though a few girls get it too.
How popular is the name Kiran?
Kiran ranked #1,267 for US boys in 2025, given to 155 babies. Its best year was 2025 (#1,267).