I didn't think this name would be so unpopular

[spookybitches]

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.

@Fifilafrog

"Am I the only one that read it as being pronounced Keelan?"

Haha, you'll love this. The original version of Keelan is spelt Caolfhionn. I'm Irish and I even had to look it up the first time I saw it!

@neednewwellies I'm not surprised I worked with a Sinéad and you should have heard the way people pronounced it 🙄

I thought it was Kil-ian. That's how the two I've known pronounced it. Then again I have a name that can be pronounced two ways. I've just gotten used to correcting people or not bothering.

It is none of my business but why would you do that? The child will be called ''silly'' at school ( unless it will live in Ireland I suppose).

First guess Sillyann (rhyming with Gillian, starting like cilia, cinema, cinnamon etc). If told "No, it's Irish" I would then dither between Killyan and Chillyann. But family ought to be able to bloody learn it.

@pangur are you really Irish? Or just one of those wannabes? Pronouncing it keelan - wise up

Cillian - I have Irish relative but I think I'd have known from Cillian Murphy.

Stick with it, it's a lovely name. They sound like they're doing it on purpose but they'll get used to it.

One correction should suffice. Now try Sadhbh for pronunciation!!!

Silly an ?

My friend's dd is called Sadhbh. Her dd is called Sophie.
Being clever and Irish, people here can pronounce both names properly.

@vgtasd why would anyone be "wannabe Irish" ?

Its been said a million times now - its a reasonably common name where I am (in NI). I know 2 baby Cillians and 1 baby Killian.

It's one of my favourite names. It's so rude of your family to continue to mispronounce and they are only trying to make a point - ignore them. When your little one is old enough he will correct them himself!

I may be projecting but my MIL has pronounced my name wrong for almost fifteen years now. I've lost count of the times she has been corrected, she just wont be told. Drives me insane.

@Vgtasd it's a name that got anglicised into something like Keelan or Keeley isn't it? Hence me saying its an old version. No need to be rude.

I haven't a notion how to pronounce the original tbh. Kaol-in? The other name I have no idea how to pronounce is Conchubhair. (I know it eventually turned into Connor, but I presume that version isn't pronounced Connor!)

I'm from Ballymun btw.

@Vgtasd I have seen that attitude in Ireland and I hate it.

"You are not really Irish unless your parents, grandparents and great grandparents are Irish"

It is a bit nasty I think. The superiority over the degree of Irishness

@eggandonion Hang on, do you mean Sadhbh's DD is named Sophie? Or that they mispronounced Sadhbh as Sophie?

@Vgtasd what's wrong with @Pangur2's comment ? Caoilfhionn is the Irish version of Kealan :S

Pronounced Kill EE an

Huh? never heard that pronounciation in Ireland.

It is none of my business but why would you do that? The child will be called ''silly'' at school ( unless it will live in Ireland I suppose).
@tara66, no, children at school just accept that names are names. They’ll learn it’s pronounced as Kill-ee-an long before they register how it’s written so that won’t happen. Plus, there’s such a wide spectrum of names in most classes that they all just accept what each other is called without question.

@pallisers Cillian Murphy is Irish and he pronounces it like that

Now to re-dress the balance English people.

Featherstonhaugh.

What is that all about?

@Pangur2 Caoilfhionn is pronounced like kweel-unn but not really. No idea how to write it phonetically

@Pangur2 is that a name

I’d pronounce it Kill-ee-an too or maybe more like Kill-ay-an.

It is pronounced silly an....it's Irish , I have no idea how you're pronouncing it?

Sorry I read it as silly un too but I’ve never heard of it before.

I would pronounce it Killian - i really like it but then I'm from an Irish family!