Keane in Irish? Cian Is the Closest Irish Name
Keane comes from an Irish surname, a variant of Kane; Woulfe gives it as an English form of Ó Catháin and Mac Catháin, from the personal name Cathán. Woulfe also gives Keane as an English form of Ó Céin, “descendant of Cian,” which makes Cian the closest Irish first name. Here’s how to say Cian, where it comes from, and names that go well with it.
Updated November 2026
- Closest Irish name
- Cian
- Cian means
- Ancient, enduring
- Gender
- Boy
How do you say Cian?
The closest Irish name to Keane is Cian. Cian is pronounced KEY-in. It has two syllables, with the stress on the first.
What does Cian mean?
Cian means “ancient, enduring.” Keane comes from an Irish surname, a variant of Kane; Woulfe gives it as an English form of Ó Catháin and Mac Catháin, from the personal name Cathán.
Read more about Cian: its meaning, origin and stories
How popular is Keane in Ireland?
Keane wasn't in the 2025 tables, which list names given to at least three babies. It was last recorded in 2021, when 3 baby boys got the name. It was most popular in 1998, when 11 baby boys were named Keane, No. 193 that year. The most babies got the name in 2005: 15. It first appears in the records in 1994, with 4 baby boys.
See the numbers by year
| Year | Babies | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 3 | No. 755 |
| 2016 | 3 | No. 713 |
| 2013 | 3 | No. 711 |
| 2011 | 4 | No. 623 |
| 2010 | 6 | No. 491 |
| 2009 | 4 | No. 604 |
| 2008 | 9 | No. 386 |
| 2007 | 6 | No. 435 |
| 2006 | 12 | No. 271 |
| 2005 | 15 | No. 224 |
| 2004 | 7 | No. 322 |
| 2003 | 8 | No. 292 |
| 2002 | 8 | No. 267 |
| 2001 | 11 | No. 215 |
| 2000 | 4 | No. 347 |
| 1999 | 6 | No. 266 |
| 1998 | 11 | No. 193 |
| 1997 | 8 | No. 251 |
| 1996 | 6 | No. 276 |
| 1994 | 4 | No. 299 |
Cian in Ogham
Ogham is the oldest way of writing Irish. It was carved along the edges of standing stones, mostly between the 4th and 6th centuries, and read from the bottom up. In later tradition each letter was named after a tree or plant. Here’s Cian, letter by letter.
- CColl, hazel
- IIodhadh, yew
- AAilm, pine
- NNion, ash
Write any name in Ogham with our Ogham translator
Names that go with Keane
Questions about Keane
- What is the closest Irish name to Keane?
- Keane comes from an Irish surname, a variant of Kane; Woulfe gives it as an English form of Ó Catháin and Mac Catháin, from the personal name Cathán. Woulfe also gives Keane as an English form of Ó Céin, “descendant of Cian,” which makes Cian the closest Irish first name. Cian is pronounced KEY-in.
- How do you pronounce Cian?
- Cian is pronounced KEY-in, with two syllables and the stress on the first.
Sources: popularity from the Central Statistics Office, table VSA50 (CC BY 4.0). Meaning and origin from Woulfe, Irish Names and Surnames (1923), Behind the Name, Ó Dónaill's Irish dictionary (teanglann.ie), Wikipedia and CELT, University College Cork. How we research names: our sources. Spotted a mistake? support@babynamesofireland.com