Cuán
Say it: KOO-an
BoyIrishMeans usually explained as "little hound"4 letters2 syllables
#141
in Ireland (2025)
#54 with spellings combined
101
babies in 2025
#54
best rank (2025)
752
babies since 1982
Up 226
10-year rank change
Cuán through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (boys) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 101 | #54 |
| 2024 | 85 | #72 |
| 2023 | 77 | #83 |
| 2022 | 78 | #82 |
| 2021 | 74 | #88 |
| 2020 | 42 | #140 |
| 2019 | 40 | #147 |
| 2018 | 30 | #186 |
| 2017 | 31 | #188 |
| 2016 | 9 | #389 |
| 2015 | 16 | #280 |
| 2014 | 18 | #267 |
| 2013 | 16 | #282 |
| 2012 | 11 | #354 |
| 2011 | 14 | #308 |
| 2010 | 20 | #257 |
| 2009 | 8 | #404 |
| 2008 | 12 | #328 |
| 2007 | 10 | #326 |
| 2006 | 10 | #296 |
| 2005 | 9 | #283 |
| 2004 | 13 | #226 |
| 2003 | 4 | #423 |
| 2002 | 6 | #313 |
| 2001 | 4 | #347 |
| 1998 | 4 | #324 |
| 1997 | 4 | #337 |
| 1988 | 3 | #319 |
| 1982 | 3 | #330 |
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 Cuán mean?
Usually explained as "little hound"
Irish, an old name usually taken as cú (hound) with the small ending -án; it also looks like the word cuan (harbour).
Say it right
KOOan
With a fada on the "a" the second syllable is longer, closer to KOO-awn. Some say it almost as one syllable, KOON.
Not:KWAN
The story of Cuán
Cuán is an old Irish name. It is usually explained as coming from cú, “hound”, with the small ending -án, so “little hound”. Many modern parents also hear in it the everyday word cuan, meaning a bay or harbour. The two words may simply sound alike, and which one lies behind the name is not certain.
The name first reached the CSO list in 1982, and stayed rare for years. Its rise since 2020 has been fast. In 2025, 101 boys were given it, putting it at number 54 when all spellings are counted together.
That combined figure hides a split. The CSO counts each spelling separately, and in 2025 there were 40 boys called Cúan, 38 Cuán, 18 Cuan and 5 Cúán. As a result the main spelling, Cuán, sits only at number 141 on the official list. Northern Ireland registered 26 that year, enough for 90th place.
Say it differently where you're from, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Sources
- Wiktionary: cuan (Irish noun)
- CSO VSA50, Boys Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Cúan | 40 | 157 |
| Cuán | 38 | 214 |
| Cuan | 18 | 360 |
| Cúán | 5 | 21 |
In Northern Ireland
#90 in 2025 with 26 babies. Best rank #90 (2025); 139 babies since 2004.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.