Boy · #447 in 2026

Cillian

Killian or Kilian, as a given name, is an Anglicized version of the Irish name Cillian. The name Cillian was borne by several early Irish saints including missionaries to Artois (France) and Franconia (Germany) and the author of the life of St Brigid.

  • Irish
Current Rank
#447
Peak Rank
#447 (2026)
Total Babies
5K
5-Yr Trend
+156%
2024
First Year
2024
Last Year
2024
Peak Year
#13427
Peak Rank
6
Total Count
1
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Cillian

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Killian or Kilian, as a given name, is an Anglicized version of the Irish name Cillian. The name Cillian was borne by several early Irish saints including missionaries to Artois (France) and Franconia (Germany) and the author of the life of St Brigid.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)

  • Irish

The Story of Cillian

American parents first put Cillian on the record books as a baby boy name in 1995, with 5 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 2026, when 710 Cillians were born — ranking #447 that year. The 2020s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 71% of all recorded Cillians. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #447 among baby boy names with 710 births, rising sharply (+156% over the past five years). In total, more than 5K Cillians have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1990s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
FL
Top 10
11-50
51-100
101-500
500+
No data

Variants & Related Forms of Cillian

Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Cillian. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Names that sound like Cillian

Phonetically similar names — useful when Cillian is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Cillian

What does the name Cillian mean?
Killian or Kilian, as a given name, is an Anglicized version of the Irish name Cillian. The name Cillian was borne by several early Irish saints including missionaries to Artois (France) and Franconia (Germany) and the author of the life of St Brigid.
What is the origin of the name Cillian?
Cillian has roots in the following cultural and linguistic traditions: Irish.
How popular is Cillian in 2026?
In 2026, Cillian ranks #447 among boys' names in the U.S., with 710 babies given the name that year.
When was Cillian most popular?
Cillian reached its peak popularity in 2026, ranking #447 that year with 710 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Cillian most popular?
Cillian has historically been most popular in Alaska, Massachusetts, Rhode Island. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Cillian.
Is Cillian a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Cillian is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.
What names go well with Cillian?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Cillian include Theron, Benedict, Kay. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.
What are nicknames or variants of Cillian?
Common variants and related forms of Cillian include Cillín, Kilian, Killian. These cover foreign-language equivalents, alternate spellings, and short forms.

About the name Cillian

Cillian is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1995 and has accumulated 5K births in the dataset. Cillian's peak popularity came in 2026 when it ranked #447. Use the chart and map above to compare Cillian's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

  • Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
  • Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
  • Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
  • Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
  • Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.