What is Killian in Irish?

The Irish form of Killian is Cillian, pronounced KIL-e-an. Cillian means “associated with the church.”

How do you pronounce Cillian?

Cillian is pronounced KIL-e-an. Three syllables, stress on the first. There's a short video above where you can hear it said.

Killian in Irish: Cillian

The Irish form of Killian is Cillian, a boy's name meaning “associated with the church.” Here’s how to say it, where it comes from, and names that go well with it.

Updated September 2026

How to say Cillian

KIL-e-anThree syllables, stress on the first

Irish form: Cillian
Meaning: Associated with the church
Gender: Boy
Popularity in Ireland: No. 141 for boys (2025)

How do you say Killian in Irish?

Killian in Irish is Cillian, pronounced KIL-e-an. It has three syllables, with the stress on the first.

Hear Cillian said aloud, with its meaning (61 seconds, Baby Names of Ireland on YouTube).

What does Cillian mean?

Cillian means “associated with the church.” Killian is one of the English forms of the name.

How popular is Killian in Ireland?

In 2025, 38 baby boys in Ireland were named Killian, which made it No. 141 that year. That's down from No. 98 ten years earlier. It was most popular in 2001, when 121 baby boys were named Killian, No. 55 that year. The most babies got the name in 2008: 132. The records go back to 1964, when 5 baby boys were given the name.

Baby boys named Killian each year. Source: Central Statistics Office, Irish Babies’ Names 2025 (data: table VSA50, boys' names, CC BY 4.0).

See the numbers by year

Year	Babies	Rank
2025	38	No. 141
2024	37	No. 139
2023	35	No. 155
2022	36	No. 157
2021	58	No. 109
2020	52	No. 118
2019	62	No. 111
2018	64	No. 103
2017	62	No. 106
2016	83	No. 87
2015	73	No. 98
2014	99	No. 80
2013	88	No. 87
2012	104	No. 76
2011	113	No. 72
2010	127	No. 62
2009	108	No. 73
2008	132	No. 65
2007	130	No. 61
2006	127	No. 59
2005	120	No. 62
2004	96	No. 70
2003	101	No. 67
2002	100	No. 65
2001	121	No. 55
2000	105	No. 61
1999	100	No. 59
1998	94	No. 58
1997	123	No. 61
1996	95	No. 73
1995	81	No. 78
1994	77	No. 78
1993	86	No. 74
1992	95	No. 71
1991	66	No. 89
1990	61	No. 93
1989	64	No. 85
1988	53	No. 98
1987	41	No. 114
1986	53	No. 102
1985	49	No. 105
1984	29	No. 128
1983	26	No. 141
1982	41	No. 119
1981	30	No. 137
1980	23	No. 146
1979	12	No. 194
1978	36	No. 121
1977	28	No. 134
1976	17	No. 174
1975	19	No. 157
1974	19	No. 159
1973	14	No. 182
1972	18	No. 154
1971	8	No. 217
1970	15	No. 163
1969	10	No. 187
1968	4	No. 243
1967	8	No. 187
1966	3	No. 256
1965	3	No. 250
1964	5	No. 204

Cillian in Ogham

Ogham is the oldest way of writing Irish. It was carved along the edges of standing stones, mostly between the 4th and 6th centuries, and read from the bottom up. In later tradition each letter was named after a tree or plant. Here’s Cillian, letter by letter.

᚛ᚉᚔᚂᚂᚔᚐᚅ᚜

CColl, hazel
IIodhadh, yew
LLuis, rowan
LLuis, rowan
IIodhadh, yew
AAilm, pine
NNion, ash

Write any name in Ogham with our Ogham translator

Names that go with Killian

Sister names

Saoirse Maebh Blathnaid Nuala Granuaile Oonagh

Brother names

Lorcan Jarlath Gearoid Tadhg Eamon Deaglan

Similar names

Kevin

Questions about Killian

What is Killian in Irish?: The Irish form of Killian is Cillian, pronounced KIL-e-an. Cillian means “associated with the church.”
How do you pronounce Cillian?: Cillian is pronounced KIL-e-an. Three syllables, stress on the first. There's a short video above where you can hear it said.
Is Killian a girl's name or a boy's name?: Killian is a boy's name.
How popular is Killian in Ireland?: In 2025, Killian was No. 141 for boys in Ireland, with 38 babies, according to the Central Statistics Office. It was most popular in 2001, at No. 55.