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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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TheWitchCirce · 21/04/2020 19:35

ci generally makes a soft c sound: city, circle, Cilla, cinder so I would have mispronounced it. However, once I was told, I wouldn't continue to make the same mistake. If people have just seen it on a birth announcement card/text they may well be saying it incorrectly.

ofwarren · 21/04/2020 19:35

Lovely name. I wouldn't be impressed that it's still being mispronounced though, after being corrected.

MinorArcana · 21/04/2020 19:34

Kill-ee-an

I’ve come across Cillian’s before, and I’ve only ever heard it used with the hard C sound.

I’d not be impressed with your family though. Fair enough to get a name wrong the first time, but to need correcting multiple times? Cillian isn’t a tricky one to remember. I’d be suspicious that they’re mispronouncing it on purpose to annoy you TBH.

Fimofriend · 21/04/2020 19:34

It is because English pronunciation rules say that C is pronounced as S except when it is before A, O and U. Obviously the Irish rules are not like that. It is a lovely name. Don't you mind them. They'll learn even if they are a bit slow Smile

Gingercakeandtea · 21/04/2020 19:32

Sea-e-lan is how I would pronounce

KipperTheFrog · 21/04/2020 19:31

I would pronounce it Kill-ee-an. It isn't a common name, but not exactly unheard of.

sleepyhead · 21/04/2020 19:30

I would pronounce it with a hard K.

I think you need to cut people a little slack with pronunciations (this coming from someone who has a name where the pronunciation isn't immediately obvious to English people), but they should only need to be told once.

I wouldn't consider this a "difficult" name and it's very lovely.

Mintjulia · 21/04/2020 19:30

I'd pronounce it Killian. But I know two Cillians in RL.

It's a good name, not unpopular, just slightly more unusual than others.

BaroleCaskin · 21/04/2020 19:30

Looks like I've been pronouncing Cillian Murphys name wrong for years then! My bad.

SirChable · 21/04/2020 19:29

Two points here, surely.

Yes, he’ll spend his life correcting people.

He should only have to do it once per person and your family is being incredibly rude.

JemimaPuddleCat · 21/04/2020 19:29

I think it's one of those names you either know, or you'll mis-pronounce.

My friend has a Ciaran - who was once referred to as 'Siren?' on the phone. 😂

Chiyo666 · 21/04/2020 19:28

Killian.

@BaroleCaskin that’s not how you pronounce I Cillian Murphy.

OchonAgusOchonO · 21/04/2020 19:28

@ Peppafrig - If it was Kill an wouldn't I start with a K.

No, because not all languages pronounce things the same way as English. There isn't even a K in the the Irish alphabet.

DottyDetective · 21/04/2020 19:28

I’m Irish so I know how to pronounce it. Your family can be forgiven once for getting it wrong, thereafter they should remember. My 2 children have much more difficult Irish names than this and we live in the southeast of England and somehow manage!

Alarae · 21/04/2020 19:28

I recently realised (because of MN!) that it is pronounced Kill-ee-anne.

When I first read it I thought it was pronounced Chill-ee-anne.

No links to Ireland nor have I ever heard the actors name said out loud, which is why I assumed that pronunciation.

Pixilicious · 21/04/2020 19:28

Shocked by how many people haven’t heard the name before and get it wrong. Is it that unusual??

ChicCroissant · 21/04/2020 19:27

I would have pronounced it wrongly if I'd seen it written down, but if someone told me the name I think I'd repeat it correctly! Hope your family get it right soon, OP.

SylvanianFrenemies · 21/04/2020 19:26

Lovely name. Surely your family are being obtuse. They should only need to be told once unless there's some issue you haven't mentioned.

BuffaloCauliflower · 21/04/2020 19:26

@CurtainWitcher is it really that hard for people to learn names from other languages?

BaroleCaskin · 21/04/2020 19:26

I read it as silly-an, like Cillian Murphy

cheesybeano · 21/04/2020 19:26

Ooh it seems I got it right. I'm Scottish and I asked my husband who is english and he said Ky-lan then Sillian when I looked confused by his first response

RumpoleoftheBaileys · 21/04/2020 19:26

Kill - ee - ann

TriangleBingoBongo · 21/04/2020 19:25

I read “Silly Ann” in my head.

Marcipex · 21/04/2020 19:24

I suppose I might have guessed Silli -an.
Of course they are being rude to deliberately mispronounce it. No one needs telling more than once.
I guess they are subtly trying to tell you what they think of your name choice.

sneeuw · 21/04/2020 19:24

I'm alone in thinking it was Chilli-an!! I know Killians spelled with a K so wouldn't have guessed that with a C.

I know now though!
If I was corrected I'd never say it wrong again though. If people are insisting on Silli-an after being corrected, they're being dicks.

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