Tiernan
From Irish Tiarnán, from Tiarna (“lord”).
Every Tiernan since 1985 — 1,676 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Tiernan
Tiernan is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #3,840 in 2025 with 29 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1985, 1,676 American babies have been named Tiernan — about 88% boys and 12% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 2009, when 95 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2000s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Tiernan stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Tiernan year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — | 29 | #3,840 |
| 2024 | — | — | 26 | #4,185 |
| 2023 | — | — | 35 | #3,408 |
| 2022 | — | — | 38 | #3,207 |
| 2021 | — | — | 32 | #3,573 |
| 2020 | — | — | 20 | #4,843 |
| 2019 | — | — | 24 | #4,320 |
| 2018 | 5 | #17,922 | 28 | #3,876 |
| 2017 | 5 | #18,223 | 26 | #4,096 |
| 2016 | 5 | #18,645 | 36 | #3,220 |
| 2015 | 5 | #18,881 | 46 | #2,678 |
| 2014 | 5 | #18,989 | 49 | #2,540 |
| 2013 | 5 | #19,063 | 53 | #2,397 |
| 2012 | 5 | #19,312 | 56 | #2,320 |
| 2011 | 7 | #14,724 | 73 | #1,923 |
| 2010 | 5 | #19,606 | 73 | #1,937 |
| 2009 | 10 | #11,396 | 85 | #1,787 |
| 2008 | 12 | #10,032 | 78 | #1,872 |
| 2007 | 5 | #20,327 | 86 | #1,738 |
| 2006 | 11 | #10,559 | 67 | #2,008 |
| 2005 | 10 | #10,863 | 69 | #1,866 |
| 2004 | 11 | #9,845 | 68 | #1,832 |
| 2003 | 13 | #8,456 | 62 | #1,904 |
| 2002 | 19 | #6,114 | 55 | #2,016 |
| 2001 | 17 | #6,597 | 49 | #2,145 |
| 2000 | 11 | #9,127 | 41 | #2,371 |
| 1995 | 5 | #15,585 | 16 | #4,033 |
| 1990 | — | — | — | — |
| 1985 | — | — | 5 | #7,497 |
| 1980 | — | — | — | — |
| 1975 | — | — | — | — |
| 1970 | — | — | — | — |
| 1965 | — | — | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — | — | — |
| 1955 | — | — | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — | — | — |
| 1945 | — | — | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Tiernan mean?
From Irish Tiarnán, from Tiarna (“lord”).
How popular is the name Tiernan in 2025?
Tiernan ranked #3,840 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 29 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Tiernan?
1,676 babies have been named Tiernan in the United States since 1985, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Tiernan most popular?
Tiernan peaked in 2009, when 95 newborns received the name.
Is Tiernan a boy or girl name?
Tiernan is used for both: about 12% of babies named Tiernan have been girls and 88% boys.
Is the name Tiernan rising or falling?
Tiernan is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.