Cairan
- Gender
- Boy
- Say it
- KEER-an
- Origin
- Irish
Cairan is a boys' name of Irish origin, meaning “little dark one”. Too few babies were given it in the latest year to rank.
What does Cairan mean?
Irish: spelling of Ciarán
“little dark one”
St Ciarán of Clonmacnoise founded one of early Ireland's greatest monasteries.
Is Cairan a girl's or a boy's name?
Cairan is a boys' name.
How popular is Cairan in the UK?
No boys in the UK were given it in 2025, or too few to be listed. Its busiest year was 1997, with 9 boys.
Half of all the boys named Cairan in the UK since 1996 were born between 2000 and 2010. It was already well used in 1996, when the records begin, so earlier boys aren't counted.
Cairan in the UK, year by year
| Year | Boys | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 3 | #5,193 |
| 2022 | 0 | – |
| 2021 | 0 | – |
| 2020 | 1 | #6,143 |
| 2019 | 0 | – |
| 2018 | 0 | – |
| 2017 | 1 | #6,312 |
| 2016 | 5 | #3,655 |
| 2015 | 3 | #4,955 |
| 2014 | 6 | #3,125 |
| 2013 | 1 | #6,198 |
| 2012 | 0 | – |
| 2011 | 0 | – |
| 2010 | 7 | #2,775 |
| 2009 | 5 | #3,395 |
| 2008 | 5 | #3,305 |
| 2007 | 6 | #2,873 |
| 2006 | 5 | #3,013 |
| 2005 | 1 | #5,109 |
| 2004 | 0 | – |
| 2003 | 9 | #1,723 |
| 2002 | 4 | #2,751 |
| 2001 | 3 | #3,255 |
| 2000 | 2 | #3,980 |
| 1999 | 1 | #3,925 |
| 1998 | 7 | #1,727 |
| 1997 | 9 | #1,412 |
| 1996 | 3 | #2,949 |
Names like Cairan
Names given in the same years and the same naming tradition, with a similar sound.
Declan, Regan, Brogan, Conlan, Keelan, Keegan, Keenan, Ryan, Conan, Connor, Rogan, Aiden
Names related to Cairan
More Irish names
Oscar, Rowan, Rory, Maeve, Finn, Nolan, Quinn, Orla, Cody, Erin, Ronan, Casey, Kennedy, Callan, Lennon, Cillian
Sources
Figures from Baby names in England and Wales (Office for National Statistics), Babies' first names (National Records of Scotland) and Baby names (Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency). Nameling last updated them on 20 October 2026. How the figures are worked out, and the data to download.
To cite this page: Nameling, “Cairan: name meaning, origin and popularity”, https://www.nameling.co.uk/names/cairan, updated 20 October 2026.