Aidan vs Kieran
Aidan and Kierancompared on official birth-registration statistics and Namewise's recorded data. This page states what each name's record shows — it never picks a winner or scores one name against the other.
Head to head
Ranks are only compared within one published list and one year. Two ranks from different years, from a boys' and a girls' list, or from different registrars are not comparable, so they are not placed side by side.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2000, Aidan was ranked #75 and Kieran #88 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1995, Aidan was ranked #79 and Kieran #88 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Aidan was ranked #82 and Kieran #348 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2023, Aidan was ranked #108 and Kieran #395 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Aidan was ranked #155 and Kieran #246 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Aidan was ranked #255 and Kieran #664 among boys in England and Wales.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2000, Aidan was ranked #3912 and Kieran #3247 among girls in England and Wales.
Aidan and Kieran over time
Aidan and Kieran appear together in 4 published lists, across 125 years of shared records. Aidan held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Kieran in 0.
The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Kieran reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Aidan in 1. Each position is a place inside its own list, so this compares when they peaked and never how high.
Counted list by list. Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale in the same year, so those comparisons are real — but positions from different lists are not, so nothing here is combined into an overall standing.
How this pair is related
The relationship kinds these two qualify for, each under its own stated rule. Every one is drawn from a list they both appear in.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2011, Aidan moved ahead of Kieran in England and Wales · Boys — #91 and #89 the year before became #101 and #129.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Aidan and Kieran changed places 13 times in Republic of Ireland · Boys between 1964 and 2025, ending at #82 and #348.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 62 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Aidan and Kieran averaged 56.2 places apart, ending at #82 and #348.
- Longest-running competitions
Aidan and Kieran were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 62 years, from 1964 to 2025, ending at #82 and #348.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Republic of Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Aidan #33 in 1965, Kieran #28 in 1967.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1964 they stood at #37 and #32 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, 5 places apart; by 2025 they were #82 and #348.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Aidan held the stronger position in 31 of those years, Kieran in 31.
Highest recorded here: Aidan #33 in 1965, Kieran #28 in 1967.
The order changed in 2002: Aidan moved ahead. In 2001 they stood at #73 and #72; by 2002 that had become #62 and #69.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Aidan #82, Kieran #348.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Aidan held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Kieran in 14.
Highest recorded here: Aidan #67 in 2002, Kieran #26 in 1996.
The order changed in 2011: Aidan moved ahead. In 2010 they stood at #91 and #89; by 2011 that had become #101 and #129.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Aidan #255, Kieran #664.
Northern Ireland · Boys26 shared years, 1997–2023
Aidan held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Kieran in 0.
Highest recorded here: Aidan #43 in 2011, Kieran #90 in 1998.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Aidan #108, Kieran #395.
New Zealand · Boys8 shared years, 1993–2000
Aidan held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Kieran in 4.
Highest recorded here: Aidan #64 in 1998, Kieran #50 in 1995.
The order changed in 1997: Aidan moved ahead. In 1996 they stood at #96 and #72; by 1997 that had become #67 and #74.
Most recent shared year, 2000: Aidan #75, Kieran #88.
Two names moving past each other in a ranking is a fact about the ranking. Namewise does not claim one name displaced the other, that families chose between them, or that either influenced the other — none of that is in this data.
Side by side
| Field | Aidan | Kieran |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | The Anglicized form of Ciarán, itself a diminutive of Ciar ('black, dark') — the same underlying name as the cohort's own Ciaran, spelled via the more common English-world transliteration. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Irish; shares Ciaran's root, this being the more widely used English-world spelling of the two |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /ˈkɪɹ.ən/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Ciarán, Kieron, Kyran, Keiran |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #82 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #348 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | high |
What the data shows
- Kieran has a recorded origin (Irish; shares Ciaran's root, this being the more widely used English-world spelling of the two); Aidan does not have one recorded yet.
- Aidan and Kieran both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Kieran; Aidan doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
- The available evidence gives Aidan a "medium" Data Confidence level and Kieran a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
Aidan
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #37 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #33 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1965 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #82 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Kieran
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #32 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #26 among boys in England and Wales, in 1996 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #348 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys