The name Kier is of Scottish origin and means "dark-haired." It is a variant spelling of the name Kieran, which is derived from the Irish name Ciarán. In Irish mythology, Ciarán was a fifth-century saint who founded the monastery at Clonmacnoise. The name Kier is often associated with this saint and his legacy.
The name Kier has gained popularity in recent years as a unisex name, although it is still more commonly used for boys. It is considered to be a strong and distinctive name that can be pronounced easily in many languages.
In literature, the name Kier has been used by several authors, including American novelist Cormac McCarthy in his book "The Road" and Irish poet Seamus Heaney in his collection "North." These examples illustrate how the name Kier can have a powerful and evocative quality.
Based on the statistics provided, the name Kier has seen a varied trend in popularity over the past six decades in the United States.
The name first appeared with 5 births in 1963, and it maintained a relatively low frequency throughout the 1960s and 1970s. The highest number of births recorded during this period was 14 in 1971.
In the 1980s and early 1990s, the popularity of the name Kier fluctuated between 5 and 15 births per year. However, there was a significant spike in 1995 with 22 births recorded, indicating a brief surge in its popularity.
Throughout the late 1990s to early 2000s, the number of Kier births ranged from 5 to 14 annually, with no clear upward or downward trend. The name's popularity remained relatively stable during this period.
From 2006 onwards, the frequency of Kier births has generally been between 5 and 10 per year, except for notable spikes in 2013 (13 births) and 2019 (15 births). Interestingly, there was another spike in recent years with 16 births recorded in 2021.
Overall, the total number of Kier births over this 59-year period is 477. While the name's popularity has ebbed and flowed over time, it has consistently maintained a presence among newborns in the United States.