Pronunciation
Kill-ee-an
Meaning
Traditionally associated with church
Related forms: Cillian (related irish form).
Alternate spellings
Cillian; Kilian
Fun fact
Killian is an Anglicised spelling of Cillian. Saint Kilian was an Irish missionary who travelled to what is now Germany. You'll find the name in several countries today, with Cillian remaining the familiar Irish spelling.
Popularity in Ireland
Figures for the spelling Killian, Republic of Ireland.
The CSO only publishes names given to three or more babies in a year. “Less than 3” means zero, one or two babies, and these years appear as gaps on the graph.
Number of babies registered each year
From 2018, spellings with and without fadas are counted separately. Earlier figures group these spellings together, so the graph has a break at 2018.
View yearly figures
| Year | Babies named | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 38 | #141 |
| 2024 | 37 | #139 |
| 2023 | 35 | #155 |
| 2022 | 36 | #157 |
| 2021 | 58 | #109 |
| 2020 | 52 | #118 |
| 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, tables VSA50 and VSA60. Latest year: 2025.
