Cian
Say it: KEE-an/ˈciənˠ/
BoyIrishMythologyMeans ancient, enduring4 letters2 syllables
#33
in Ireland (2025)
#30 with spellings combined
166
babies in 2025
#6
best rank (2000)
14,185
babies since 1966
Down 16
10-year rank change
Cian through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (boys) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 166 | #30 |
| 2024 | 184 | #26 |
| 2023 | 194 | #27 |
| 2022 | 222 | #24 |
| 2021 | 232 | #23 |
| 2020 | 216 | #24 |
| 2019 | 218 | #28 |
| 2018 | 250 | #26 |
| 2017 | 291 | #19 |
| 2016 | 344 | #13 |
| 2015 | 358 | #14 |
| 2014 | 361 | #18 |
| 2013 | 368 | #17 |
| 2012 | 406 | #15 |
| 2011 | 461 | #13 |
| 2010 | 424 | #14 |
| 2009 | 469 | #12 |
| 2008 | 493 | #11 |
| 2007 | 527 | #9 |
| 2006 | 520 | #8 |
| 2005 | 561 | #7 |
| 2004 | 546 | #7 |
| 2003 | 501 | #8 |
| 2002 | 536 | #7 |
| 2001 | 557 | #6 |
| 2000 | 557 | #6 |
| 1999 | 420 | #12 |
| 1998 | 362 | #12 |
| 1997 | 402 | #18 |
| 1996 | 360 | #22 |
| 1995 | 264 | #31 |
| 1994 | 267 | #31 |
| 1993 | 246 | #34 |
| 1992 | 204 | #38 |
| 1991 | 228 | #37 |
| 1990 | 189 | #45 |
| 1989 | 144 | #51 |
| 1988 | 122 | #62 |
| 1987 | 115 | #65 |
| 1986 | 127 | #59 |
| 1985 | 99 | #73 |
| 1984 | 84 | #77 |
| 1983 | 63 | #92 |
| 1982 | 72 | #89 |
| 1981 | 71 | #89 |
| 1980 | 59 | #103 |
| 1979 | 58 | #103 |
| 1978 | 53 | #109 |
| 1977 | 45 | #112 |
| 1976 | 40 | #117 |
| 1975 | 25 | #137 |
| 1974 | 20 | #154 |
| 1973 | 21 | #152 |
| 1972 | 16 | #168 |
| 1971 | 13 | #179 |
| 1970 | 6 | #235 |
| 1969 | 9 | #196 |
| 1968 | 3 | #267 |
| 1967 | 8 | #187 |
| 1966 | 8 | #177 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0. Spellings with and without fadas are combined; the CSO only recorded fadas from 2018.
★ What does Cian mean?
Ancient, enduring
Irish, from Old Irish cían (long, distant, lasting).
Say it right
KEEan
The "C" is always hard, like K. Kian is an English spelling of the same name.
The story of Cian
Cian comes from the Old Irish cían, meaning “long”, “distant” or “lasting”, so it is usually explained as “ancient” or “enduring”. Kian is an English spelling of the same name.
In Irish legend Cian is one of the Tuatha Dé Danann, a son of the healer Dian Cecht. His union with the Fomorian princess Ethniu produced Lugh, one of the great heroes of the myths. In the tale The Fate of the Children of Tuireann, Cian is killed by three brothers, and Lugh sends them on a deadly quest for treasures as compensation.
Cian was a rare name in the 1960s, but it grew steadily and reached number 6 in 2000, its best rank. The most boys got the name in 2005, 561 of them. The CSO counts Cian and Cían separately: in 2025 Cian alone was number 33, while the two spellings together would be number 30. It is less common in Northern Ireland, where its best rank was 45th, in 2024.
Say it differently where you're from, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Sources
- Wiktionary: Cian (Irish proper noun)
- Wikipedia: Cian
- CSO VSA50, Boys Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
- NISRA, Baby Names in Northern Ireland, full name list 1997-2025
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Cian | 142 | 14,005 |
| Cían | 24 | 180 |
In Northern Ireland
#72 in 2025 with 33 babies. Best rank #45 (2024); 897 babies since 1998.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.