Declining since 2008, #3,757 for boys today.
Popularity of Tiernan since 1985
Babies named Tiernan per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls | Boys |
|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 5 | 15 |
| 1990s | 24 | 162 |
| 2000s | 119 | 660 |
| 2010s | 47 | 464 |
| 2020s | 0 | 180 |
Meaning & origin
Tiernan, an Irish name with deep roots, entered the U.S. naming scene relatively recently in 1985. It reached its highest rank of 2009, with approximately 1 in 58,899 boys receiving the name in 2025. Since 2008, its popularity has been declining, reflecting a broader trend away from this particular Gaelic name. It has notable usage primarily in states with larger Irish-American communities. Despite its fall, Tiernan remains a distinctive choice rooted in centuries of Irish history.
Tiernan is an Irish name anglicized from the Gaelic surname Ó Tíghearnáin, meaning 'descendant of Tíghearnán'. The personal name Tíghearnán is a diminutive of tighearna, meaning 'lord' or 'master'. Historically it was a common surname in County Galway and County Mayo. As a given name, Tiernan saw modern revival late in the 20th century, particularly in Ireland and among the Irish diaspora.
“Tiernan” around the world
Where Tiernan lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
Ireland
48
babies in 2025
Sources: CSO Ireland (Ireland).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Tier, T
Sibling names for Tiernan
Names that share Tiernan's style, for a brother or sister.
