The name Kierney is of Irish origin, derived from the Irish surname 'Ó Ciardhubháin'. It means 'descendant of Ciardubhán', a personal name believed to mean 'dark brown-haired'. The name Kierney was brought to Scotland during the 17th century by Irish immigrants and has since been adopted as a given name. It is pronounced /KER-nee/. According to some sources, it may also have Norse origins, possibly derived from the Old Norse name 'Karlin', which means 'freeholder'.
"The name Kierney experienced a slight increase in popularity between 1994 and 2003, with the highest number of births occurring in that period being nine in 2003. However, there was a noticeable decline afterwards, with only five births recorded in 2007. Overall, there have been thirty-five babies named Kierney since 1994."