Ciaran
4 syllables
♂ Male ◎ Irish ◈ 4 syllables
"Dark-haired, little dark one."

From Irish

Ciaran means little dark one — the most authentically Irish form, from the Gaelic ciar (dark). Saint Ciaran of Clonmacnoise IS one of Ireland's most important saints — he founded one of Europe's greatest monasteries. Cillian Murphy pronounces it KEE-ran. Two syllables of Ireland's-most-important-saint, Europe's-greatest-monastery, and the authentic Irish.

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Ciaran at a glance
MeaningDark-haired, little dark one.
OriginIrish
GenderMale
Syllables4
NumerologyLife Path 1
US Rank (today)#2047
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Why parents love Ciaran
  • Saint Ciaran founded Clonmacnoise — Europe's greatest.
  • The most authentically Irish form.
  • Two syllables with a bright, Irish sound: KEE-ran.
  • The authentic Irish spelling.
  • The meaning little dark one IS poetically deep.
◎
The vibe of Ciaran
little dark oneauthentic IrishGaelicciarSaint CiaranClonmacnoisemonasteryEuropepoetic
◎
Origin & history of Ciaran
Irish Gaelic ciar (dark) + diminutive → Ciaran
1
Irish roots
Ciaran IS the authentic Irish form. Saint founded Clonmacnoise — one of Europe's greatest monasteries.
2
First recorded
Earliest known use: Irish; Saint Ciaran of Clonmacnoise.
3
Today
Ciaran remains a beloved choice, ranking #2047 in the US. 2,122 babies have been named Ciaran since 1959.
◈ Sources: Behind the Name, SSA data
◆
How popular is Ciaran?
2024 peak year
Ciaran reached its widest reach during the 2020s. In 2024, 92 babies received the name (ranked #1776). In the present decade it sits well outside the top 1,000 (around #2047), with about 72 babies given the name annually. Ciaran's usage has held roughly steady recently. The all-time total comes to roughly 2,122 registrations.
Year-by-year registrations 1880–2024 · U.S. Social Security data
92 Babies named in peak year
(ranked #1,776)
72 Avg. per year
(last decade)
720 Total registrations
last 10 years
2,122 All-time total
(since 1880)
Popularity in the US today (rank #2,047) Moderate
→ Holding steady in recent years
📊 Check all names registered in the United States →
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Numerology of Ciaran
1
Life path number
The Leader
Leadership, independence and pioneering spirit.

Ciaran's Life Path 7 is the seeker's number — authentic seeking. People named Ciaran tend to be bright, authentic, and gifted at being the Irish saint who founded Europe's greatest.

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Authentic Irish saint
✦
Europe's-greatest-monastery
◈
Clonmacnoise
◎
Little-dark-one
♡
Poetically-deep
C3
I9
A1
R9
A1
N5
Sum: 28 → Life path 1
♡
Personality of Ciaran
🌟
Independent & bold
These individuals chart their own course. They lead, they don't follow.
⚡
Ambitious drive
Quiet determination sits behind everything they do.
💡
Original ideas
Their minds work differently — seeing angles others walk past.
🔑
Natural authority
Without trying, they earn respect.
◆
Famous people named Ciaran

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♩
Names that combine with Ciaran

Sibling pairings that share the timeless, classic energy of Ciaran.

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Middle names for Ciaran

The right middle name turns Ciaran into a complete story. Explore options for first-and-middle pairings, then last-name flow.

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Numerology life path calculator

Enter any full name and date of birth to discover the life path number — a core numerological indicator of personality, purpose and destiny.

First name
Middle name (optional)
Last name
Date of birth
7
Life path number

How we calculated this
Ciaran is a beautiful choice.
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