Piran

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Boy · Cornish

Piran

Say it: PIRR-an

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Meaning

Uncertain; sometimes identified with Irish Ciarán, which is debated.

Uncertainseveral explanations, none settled.

Its wave through time

No birth counts are recorded for this name in the records loaded here: it has been given to fewer than five babies a year, or not at all, since records began.

Through the ages

Used by

Cornish

Famous bearers

Saint Piran, patron saint of Cornwall and of tinners

Names worth a look

PetrocBoyUncertain; possibly a Brittonic diminutive of Latin Petrus 'rock'.Early Medieval · forgotten

GwenoléBoyUncertain; gwenn 'white, fair, blessed' plus a second element of disputed meaning.Early Medieval · forgotten

GeraintBoyFrom Latin Gerontius, from Greek gerōn 'old man'.Early Medieval

ArthurBoyUncertain. Often linked to Welsh arth 'bear' or the Roman family name Artorius; neither is proven.Early Medieval · peak 1881

PrinceBoyThe English word prince, from Latin princeps 'first, chief'.Colonial · peak 2019

ParnellGirlThe medieval English vernacular form of Petronilla, from the Roman family name Petronius.Middle Ages · peak 1917 · forgotten

PerrineGirlFrench feminine diminutive of Pierre, from Greek petros 'stone'.Middle Ages · forgotten

PrincessGirlPopular nowpeak 2017

Where this comes from

Lives of the saints and early Christian martyrologies

Meanings and histories are compiled from the study of names and their languages and checked by a second review.

Meanings and histories are drawn from the study of names and their languages, each with a confidence rating; popularity figures come from official birth records. Name histories are a living field: if you know of a correction, we would be glad to hear it.