Ciaran vs Keelan
Ciaran and Keelancompared 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.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2023, Ciaran was ranked #169 and Keelan #348 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Ciaran was ranked #191 and Keelan #727 among boys in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Ciaran was ranked #372 and Keelan #211 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Ciaran was ranked #800 and Keelan #1675 among boys in England and Wales.
Ciaran and Keelan over time
Ciaran and Keelan appear together in 3 published lists, across 98 years of shared records. Ciaran held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Keelan in 0.
The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 1 of the lists they share.
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.
- Longest-running competitions
Ciaran and Keelan were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 43 years, from 1980 to 2025, ending at #372 and #211.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Ciaran #107 in 2004, Keelan #286 in 2004.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys43 shared years, 1980–2025
Ciaran held the stronger position in 36 of those years, Keelan in 7.
Highest recorded here: Ciaran #23 in 2000, Keelan #115 in 1999.
The order changed in 2018: Keelan moved ahead. In 2017 they stood at #78 and #188; by 2018 that had become #520 and #216.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ciaran #372, Keelan #211.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Ciaran held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Keelan in 0.
Highest recorded here: Ciaran #107 in 2004, Keelan #286 in 2004.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ciaran #800, Keelan #1675.
Northern Ireland · Boys26 shared years, 1997–2023
Ciaran held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Keelan in 0.
Highest recorded here: Ciaran #26 in 1998, Keelan #111 in 2001.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Ciaran #169, Keelan #348.
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 | Ciaran | Keelan |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | The unaccented catalogue spelling of Ciarán, a diminutive of Ciar ('black, dark') — borne by two 6th-century Irish saints, Ciarán the Elder (founder of Saighir) and Ciarán the Younger (founder of Clonmacnoise). | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Irish, from Old Irish ciar ('dark') | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | /ˈciə.ɾˠaːnˠ/ | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Ciarán, Kieran, Kieron, Kyran | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #372 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #211 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | medium |
What the data shows
- Ciaran has a recorded origin (Irish, from Old Irish ciar ('dark')); Keelan does not have one recorded yet.
- Ciaran and Keelan both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Ciaran; Keelan doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.
- The available evidence gives Ciaran a "high" Data Confidence level and Keelan a "medium" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
Ciaran
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #49 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: #23 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2000 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #372 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Keelan
Popularity journey
First recorded1980
First recorded at #321 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1980 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1997–2023
Highest recorded position: #111 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2001 (recorded 1997–2023).
Northern Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #211 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys