NameRealm
Cillian

Cillian: name meaning, origin & popularity

Meaning
“little church”
Origin
Irish
Say it
KIL-ee-un · 3 syllables
Used for
Boys

Usually derived from Irish Ceallach or from cille meaning 'church'; the saint's name Cillian is commonly explained as 'little church'. Anglicized pronunciation varies, often KIL-ee-an.

Irish namesNames meaning faithClassic namesInternational names

How popular is Cillian?

2024202 per million US babies
1880192019602000
Drag the line or the slider to read any year. Values are per million US births recorded by Social Security. Records before about 1937 undercount births, so early peaks can look taller than they were.

Babies named Cillian in 2024674

2024 rank#463 boys

Peak year2024

Total US babies since 18803,492

Cillian is rising: use over the last five years is 6.3× what it was a decade earlier.

Names like Cillian

Variants, related forms and names with the same roots.

  • Liamresolute protector · Irish
  • Aidenlittle fire · Irish
  • Nolandescendant of Nuallán · Irish
  • Ryanlittle king · Irish
  • Declanuncertain, possibly full of goodness · Irish
  • Connorlover of hounds · Irish
  • Kevinhandsome, gentle, kind · Irish
  • Braydendescendant of Bradán · Irish

Cillian questions

What does the name Cillian mean?

Cillian means "little church". It comes from Irish. Usually derived from Irish Ceallach or from cille meaning 'church'; the saint's name Cillian is commonly explained as 'little church'. Anglicized pronunciation varies, often KIL-ee-an.

Is Cillian a boy or girl name?

Cillian is mainly a boy's name in US records (100% of uses since 1880).

How popular is Cillian?

674 US babies were named Cillian in 2024. Its peak year was 2024.

How do you pronounce Cillian?

Cillian is usually pronounced KIL-ee-un.

Birth counts: US Social Security Administration national data, 1880–2024 (names given to 5+ babies of a sex in a year). How we write meanings.