Entry № 0648 · Sanskrit origin

Kiran Kiran — Meaning, Origin & Baby Name Popularity

/ KIR-ahn /

Gender

Girl

Origin

Sanskrit

Meaning

"Ray of light"

Syllables

Rank · US 2025

№ 0

First recorded

Ancient (Sanskrit)

The meaning

A name that means "ray of light".

Kiran (किरण) is the Sanskrit word for "ray of light" or "sunbeam." Used as a unisex name across India.

Kiran Bedi (born 1949), the Indian social activist and first woman to join the Indian Police Service, is the most internationally known bearer.

Ray of light. The Sanskrit sunbeam.

In its original form

The name in its native script.

किरण

Transliteration: Kiraṇ
Pronunciation: / ˈkɪr.ən /
Root: —
Grammatical form: —

Popularity

Where Kiran stands.

Current rank · 2025

№ 0 in the U.S.

All-time peak

№ 0 in 0

Babies named Kiran · last year

142 in the U.S.

First entered SSA top-1000

Rank, 1995–2025 Lower = more popular

Namesakes

Kirans before her.

Real people

Kiran Bedi

First Indian female police officer.

born 1949

Kiran Desai

Indian novelist, Booker Prize 2006.

born 1971

In fiction

Kiran

Common in Indian films.

Names connected to Kiran.

Numerology

The number behind Kiran.

The Nurturer

Kiran reduces to six — the number of Sanskrit light ray.

Parents on Kiran

Why families chose this name.

"Ray of light in Sanskrit. Five letters. Kiran."

Priya · Mother of one · Delhi