Total births
1,481
Unisex name · since 1985
Tiernan
Since 1985, U.S. Social Security records show 1,481 babies named Tiernan, peaking in 2007. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #4142
- among boys today
- 1,481
- born since 1985
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 71%
- more common than other boys
Yes -- Tiernan is the #4142 most popular unisex name in the U.S. today, with 1,481 recorded since 1985.
Social Security Administration records show Tiernan recorded 1,481 times among boys since 1985, holding rank #4142 nationally today, ahead of 71% of boys, peaking in the 2000s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1985 to 2025.
- #4142 among boys today
- 1,481 born since 1985
- 2000s peak decade
- 71% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Tiernan is currently the #4142 unisex name in America, more common than 71% of boys - 1,481 born since 1985, peaking in the 2000s.
- #4142
- among boys today
- 1,481
- born since 1985
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 71%
- more common than other boys
Tiernan vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#4142
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 71% of names given to boys today.
2000s
Peak decade
45% of everyone ever named Tiernan was born in this single decade.
2007
Single peak year
86 babies were named Tiernan in 2007 - its busiest year on record.
How Tiernan compares
1,481 Top 25% higher than 75% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Tiernan's all-time total is 4x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Tiernan | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 1,481 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 86 | 23 | 22,252 |
Tiernan's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Tiernan's SSA record in two at 2007 and the more recent half accounts for 60% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 40%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1985, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 2007 peak of 86, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Tiernan at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2007
Current rank
#4,142
Active since
1985
Tiernan popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1985–2025
- Peak year (2007)
- 86
- Annual births at peak, across 41 years of records
Tiernan popularity over time - girls
195 total births recorded since 1989 (Tiernan as girls' name)
Tiernan by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2000s was Tiernan's strongest decade.
660 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 45% of all-time use.
Tiernan births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1980s 15
1980s
15 births
- 1990s 162
1990s
162 births
- 2000s
2000s
660 births
- 2010s
2010s
464 births
- 2020s 180
2020s
180 births
What this shows Peak: 2000s at 660 births (45% of all-time use).
How Tiernan compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Tiernan's total volume
Tiernan vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Tiernan by state
Where Tiernan concentrates geographically, total births since 1985
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | New York | | 99 | 6.7% |
| #2 | California | | 79 | 5.3% |
| #3 | Pennsylvania | | 41 | 2.8% |
| #4 | Washington | | 13 | 0.9% |
| #5 | Colorado | | 11 | 0.7% |
| #6 | Massachusetts | | 11 | 0.7% |
| #7 | Virginia | | 11 | 0.7% |
| #8 | Connecticut | | 7 | 0.5% |
New York share of Tiernan's total US births 6.7%
Even split
99 of 1,481 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 12 reporting states.
Tiernan appears in 12 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Tiernan? ▼
Tiernan has been given to 1,481 babies in the U.S. since 1985, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #4142 as of the latest data. 86 babies were born in 2007, its single highest year.
When was Tiernan most popular? ▼
Tiernan was most popular in the 2000s decade with 660 total births. The single peak year was 2007.
Where is Tiernan most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Tiernan are New York (99 births), California (79 births), Pennsylvania (41 births).
Is Tiernan a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Tiernan is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 1,481 births, and as a girl's name it has 195 births.
How long has the name Tiernan been used? ▼
Tiernan has been recorded in Social Security data since 1985, spanning 41 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Tiernan? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Tien, Tierre, Tieler, Tiegan, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Tiernan's data
- Tiernan's decade-level peak was the 2000s (660 total births); usage has since declined to 180 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- New York records the most Tiernans (99 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. New York names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Tiernan
Nearby Names Like Tiernan
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Tiernan
Tien Boy
#10149 814 births
Tierre Boy
#12676 380 births
Tieler Boy
199 births
Tiegan Boy
88 births
Tierra Boy
70 births
Compare Tiernan side by side: Tiernan vs Tien Tiernan vs Tierre Tiernan vs Tieler
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Tiernan
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1985–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Tiernan: #4142 Unisex Name - 1,481 Births, Peak 2007." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/tiernan. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Tiernan draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.