PIRAN.  A British form of Irish Kieran (q.v.), meaning "little black one."  Latinized Piranus.  This is the name of a British saint who became the patron of miners in Cornwall.  Also spelled Pirin and Perran. (History of Christian Names, Yonge, 1884)

    Piran or Piranus, Saint (fl. 550), is commonly identified with Saint Ciaran (fl. 500-560) [q.v.] of Saigir.  The names Piran and Ciarán or Kieran are identical—p in Britain being the equivalent of the Irish k.  The history of the two saints is in the main features the same, though the Irish lives of St. Ciaran do not record his migration to Cornwall... (The Dictionary of National Biography, v.15, 1909)