Killian
Say it: KIL-ee-an
BoyIrish7 letters3 syllables
#141
in Ireland (2025)
#140 with spellings combined
38
babies in 2025
#55
best rank (2001)
3,777
babies since 1964
Down 42
10-year rank change
Killian through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (boys) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 38 | #140 |
| 2024 | 37 | #136 |
| 2023 | 35 | #153 |
| 2022 | 36 | #157 |
| 2021 | 58 | #110 |
| 2020 | 52 | #120 |
| 2019 | 62 | #111 |
| 2018 | 64 | #103 |
| 2017 | 62 | #106 |
| 2016 | 83 | #87 |
| 2015 | 73 | #98 |
| 2014 | 99 | #80 |
| 2013 | 88 | #87 |
| 2012 | 104 | #76 |
| 2011 | 113 | #72 |
| 2010 | 127 | #62 |
| 2009 | 108 | #73 |
| 2008 | 132 | #65 |
| 2007 | 130 | #61 |
| 2006 | 127 | #59 |
| 2005 | 120 | #62 |
| 2004 | 96 | #70 |
| 2003 | 101 | #67 |
| 2002 | 100 | #65 |
| 2001 | 121 | #55 |
| 2000 | 105 | #61 |
| 1999 | 100 | #59 |
| 1998 | 94 | #58 |
| 1997 | 123 | #61 |
| 1996 | 95 | #73 |
| 1995 | 81 | #78 |
| 1994 | 77 | #78 |
| 1993 | 86 | #74 |
| 1992 | 95 | #71 |
| 1991 | 66 | #89 |
| 1990 | 61 | #93 |
| 1989 | 64 | #85 |
| 1988 | 53 | #98 |
| 1987 | 41 | #114 |
| 1986 | 53 | #102 |
| 1985 | 49 | #105 |
| 1984 | 29 | #128 |
| 1983 | 26 | #141 |
| 1982 | 41 | #119 |
| 1981 | 30 | #137 |
| 1980 | 23 | #146 |
| 1979 | 12 | #194 |
| 1978 | 36 | #121 |
| 1977 | 28 | #134 |
| 1976 | 17 | #174 |
| 1975 | 19 | #157 |
| 1974 | 19 | #159 |
| 1973 | 14 | #182 |
| 1972 | 18 | #154 |
| 1971 | 8 | #217 |
| 1970 | 15 | #163 |
| 1969 | 10 | #187 |
| 1968 | 4 | #243 |
| 1967 | 8 | #187 |
| 1966 | 3 | #256 |
| 1965 | 3 | #250 |
| 1964 | 5 | #204 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0.
★ What does Killian mean?
Uncertain, possibly "strife" or "church"
English spelling of Irish Cillian, a saint's name of uncertain origin.
Say it right
KILeean
The Irish spelling Cillian is said the same way, since the Irish C is always hard.
Not:KILL-yan
The story of Killian
Killian is an English spelling of the Irish name Cillian. Its origin is not certain. It may come from ceallach, meaning strife, or from ceall, a church or monastery, which would suit a name borne by so many churchmen.
Several early Irish saints were called Cillian. One was a missionary in Artois in northern France, and another wrote a life of Saint Brigid. The best known is Saint Kilian of Würzburg, who worked in Franconia in Germany and is still honoured there as a patron of the city.
Killian has been given in Ireland throughout the CSO records. It reached its best rank, number 55, in 2001, and had the most babies in 2008, with 132 boys. In 2025, 38 boys were named Killian. Cillian is the more common spelling today, and the CSO counts the two separately, along with Kilian. It has never been as widely used in Northern Ireland, where its best rank was 157th, in 2017.
Say it differently where you're from, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Sources
- Wiktionary: Killian (English proper noun)
- Wiktionary: Cillian (Irish proper noun)
- Wikipedia: Killian
- CSO VSA50, Boys Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Killian | 38 | 3,777 |
In Northern Ireland
#175 in 2025 with 12 babies. Best rank #157 (2017); 245 babies since 1997.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.