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© 2026 Namesake · namesake.baby

Data: Social Security Administration, US births 1880–2024

Cillian — Meaning, Origin & Popularity | Namesake
All names
Cilicia|Cimani
Irish◈ Unisex · 60% boy · 40% girl↑↑ Surging

◈= unisex (gender-neutral)

Cillian

◈

KIL-ee-uhn · 3 syllables

Share Cillian:
Compare with another name
Boy
#463
↑↑ Surging
Boy
#463
Popularity score: 38
↑↑ Surging
Peak
#463 in 2024
5yr
+131 ranks
Velocity
+131
Birth frequency
1.9 per 10,000 births
Girl
#13797
Popularity score: 4
→ Stable
Peak
#13797 in 2024
5yr
—
Velocity
—
Birth frequency
1.7 per 1,000,000 births

Popularity Over Time

↑ Higher on this chart = more popular · ↓ Lower = less popular

Average0255075100Popularity score (0–100)20202024

Rank #463 · Rising since 2020

How Popular Is This Name?

Bars show the range of popularity for each group. The dot shows where this name sits. Further right = more popular.

All US boy names
Top 200 boy names
Irish boy names
Cillian

Popularity score: 38  ·  SSA Rank: #463

Rare  ·  Distinctive  ·  Familiar  ·  Common  ·  Very Common

Popularity score: 0 = least popular, 100 = most popular. Based on SSA rank.

Namesake Score
78
Higher than 78% of names
Combines uniqueness, trend, meaning, feasibility, and search interest.
Trend
↑↑ Surging
+131 ranks
Based on SSA rank velocity
Feasibility
Unknown
— · — · —
Low friction, available
Uniqueness
85
1 per 10,000 births
Won't be common in class

Cillian scores well on meaning depth but there are tradeoffs — domain availability is limited.

Meaning Depth37% of score
87
Name Trend28% of score
77
Uniqueness20% of score
85
Feasibility15% of score
50

Scores are percentile-ranked across 43,000+ names.

Name DNA
IrishCelticGaelicUnisex3-syllableStrongWarrior heritage
Character
warrior spiritresilient determination
People with this name

Qualities shared by notable Cillians

versatiletalenteddedicatedprofessionalintense
STRONG
High confidence

Cillian is an Irish unisex name with upward momentum in SSA rankings. It ranked #463 in the US in 2024.

Trend:↑↑ Surging · +131 ranks
Feasibility:— · — · —
Popularity:#463 · niche
Cillian at a Glance
Meaning:Derived from the Old Irish name Cillín, a diminutive form of Ceallach, meaning 'war' or 'strife.' The name carries connotations of conflict and resilience.
Language root:Old Irish · Gaelic
Peak rank:#463 in 2024
5yr change:+131 ranks
Sex usage:Boy #463 · Girl #13797
Notable bearers
Cillian Murphy
Actor
Similar Sound
Killian◈KilianLiamRowan◈Keegan◈Declan◈
Similar Style
Soren◈Finn◈Stellan◈Beckett◈Ronan◈Caspian◈
Works well with
SiobhanBrigidFionaLiamDeclan◈MaeveAidan◈Rowan◈
You Might Also Like
Soren◈
Scandinavian · #571
→ Stable
Finn◈
Irish · #198
→ Stable
Stellan◈
Scandinavian · #1441
↑ Rising
Beckett◈
English · #166
→ Stable
Ronan◈
Irish · #257
↑ Rising
Caspian◈
Persian · #578
↑ Rising
Source: Social Security Administration baby names data. Popularity data reflects US births. Feasibility data updated monthly.
Cillian illustration
Name Intelligence
Cillian · Overview
Summary

Cillian is an Irish unisex name with upward momentum in SSA rankings. It ranked #463 in the US in 2024.

Search interest: 5/100 → Stable

Strengths
Strong fundamentals
Cillian scores 78/100 on the Namesake scale — meaning, origin, and trend all contribute positively.
Surging fast
Rank has moved 131 positions in the last year. Exceptional momentum.
Works for any sex
60% boy · 40% girl. A genuinely unisex name is rare at this level of distinctiveness.
Strong character
Cillian carries a cool, grounded quality that makes it distinctive without being invented.
Considerations
Rising very fast
Cillian is surging. If the trend continues, it may become significantly more common within 2-3 years.
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Data source:Social Security Administration
Coverage:US births 1879–2024
Updated:January 2025
ISR:Refreshes monthly
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