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Baby names

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Original poster

I didn't think this name would be so unpopular

716 replies

spookybitches · 21/04/2020 19:06

So all throughout my pregnancy, my husband and I kept our baby name choices to ourselves. My baby is now 2 months old, and nearly everyone we have met or spoken to, have mispronounced it. Granted, we haven't seen many people over the last few weeks, so now I'm starting to wonder if it's just my family or if it's really so unheard of?
My baby boy is called Cillian (DH Irish). My whole family pronounce it silly-an even when I've corrected them numerous times.
Can I ask if you would know how to pronounce Cillian? I'm worried I've set him up for a lifetime correcting people.

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MadamBatty · 21/04/2020 20:03

do people in the UK have a problem with the name Conor, do they pronounce it Son or?

when my father first went to work in England from Ireland he found people couldn’t pronounce his name....Kevin. Another ancient Irish name.

ScrimpshawTheSecond · 21/04/2020 20:01

I have a good friend called Cillian, so yes, I'd know. It's a lovely name. Smile

springiscoming12 · 21/04/2020 20:01

Killian
Lovely name OP, your family are stupid and rude (sorry!)

MommyKnowsBest1 · 21/04/2020 20:01

I mean at this point just throw the whole child away. Or when he gets old enough, let him out into the woods to find out what his true name is, ha ha !

vampirethriller · 21/04/2020 20:00

Kill-i-an.

Zaphodsotherhead · 21/04/2020 20:00

Has literally nobody in your family ever heard of Cillian Murphy? Do they never leave the house or something?

GetTheSprinkles · 21/04/2020 20:00

I'm Irish so think of it as a normal (and lovely!) name and am really surprised to see how many people so far have said they would mispronounce it. My nephew is called Kilian and he lives in Spain and no one has issues with pronouncing it.

Whenwillthisbeover · 21/04/2020 20:00

Sill-ee-ann for me. If you’re in England, Scotland or Wales why are you surprised. Never heard of it.

Janaih · 21/04/2020 19:59

It's not an unpopular name, just that the anglicised k for c sound is more popular in uk. It's a nice name and your family will get used to it.

I do sometimes think people panic if there isnt an immediately obvious shortened nickname as well.

BilboBercow · 21/04/2020 19:59

It's Killeean. I know because of Cillian Murphy. It's a great name op, keep correcting people and they'll get it

circusintown · 21/04/2020 19:57

Silly Ann

Spied · 21/04/2020 19:57

It would have been silly ann to me.
Sorry.

OchonAgusOchonO · 21/04/2020 19:57

@oakleaffy - Just checked Wikipedia. The alphabets are the same except the fadas (accents) point the opposite direction.

agteacht · 21/04/2020 19:56

I think it's a lovely name (caveat, I'm Irish)

My 4mo daughter has an Irish name nobody can pronounce at first. I just tell them how 😉

Nomorepies · 21/04/2020 19:56

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ on the poster's request.

IdblowJonSnow · 21/04/2020 19:56

With a hard C is correct but if I didnt know that I'd pronounce it with an S sound.
Just keep telling people, they'll get it in the end!

perniciousdot · 21/04/2020 19:55

I know someone through an old parenting site who has a Cillian and for about 10 years I read 'silly - an' it wasn't until someone new asked how it was pronounced and she said 'killy - an' that I knew how to say it properly. Thankfully I didn't meet up with her Blush

Megjobethamy · 21/04/2020 19:55

I think it’s a lovely name, I’m Irish so I know it..

WitchQueenofDarkness · 21/04/2020 19:55

Kill - ee - ann but also Welsh so used to the hard C

fluffy71 · 21/04/2020 19:55

It’s killi un to me. A lovely name, my friends little boy called it. Can’t see why they would pronounce it Sillyun

YakkityYakYakYak · 21/04/2020 19:55

To add - Cillian is a lovely name and I do know how to pronounce it

TheLightGetsIn · 21/04/2020 19:54

I would have known, but I'm half Irish.

The UK is a multicultural country, and people are entirely capable of learning how to pronounce names not immediately familiar to them. Don't worry about it. It's a really nice name, and very appropriate for a baby who is half Irish. Your family will just have to adjust.

Chiropterarex · 21/04/2020 19:54

Kill-e-an

Cillian Murphy, the actor.

www.babynamesofireland.com/cillian

OchonAgusOchonO · 21/04/2020 19:54

@oakleaffy - I didn't know that blush....And our Grandfather only spoke Gaelic -from Scottish Highlands..He'd be ashamed of me smile

I don’t know the Scottish alphabet but as the language is very similar to Irish, it’s possible there’s no K in Scots Gaelic too.

StudentHelp · 21/04/2020 19:53

I’d say Kill e ann

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