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.

I would say silly ann.

It'd be hard for him in school.
Sorry

I know, because of my Irish connection. I wouldn't expect anyone English to have heard of it, or pronounce it correctly.
Hardly unexpected, surely??

Agree with Enko.

They are thick, obtuse, or just being difficult because it's an Irish name.

I know how to pronounce it, and I’m English. Cillian Murphy is well known.

Killi-an

It's rally not that hard, and Cillian Murphy is well known enough for a fair chunk of people to know it from that...

Honestly, if you've corrected them once, I'd play hard ball, because it sounds like they're making a shitty point - funny how common this is!

'Oh sorry, we'll give visting/Skypeing a miss for the moment, at least until you can manage his really difficult name - we wouldn't want him to get confused! Sure we'll see you soon...' :)

Why would it be hard for him in school? Surely he'll just have to tell the teacher his name once and that'll be that?
I'm Irish so would know the name well but am so surprised that so many in the UK wouldn't know it.

Jaysis there's lots of Irish names I thought might cause issues in the UK but I never thought Cillian would be one of them! Domhnaill? Yeah. Sadhbh? Of course. Caoimhe? To be expected. Bit not Cillian! You learn something new every day.

OP, I'm like you; it wouldn't have even occured to me that people would find it hard so I wouldn't have checked.

I think it's a lovely name btw.

I know how to pronounce it, and I’m English. Cillian Murphy is well known.
^ Me too.

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

The general rule in English is when a single c comes directly before the letters e, i or y we use the /s/ sound.

In other cases we use a /k/ sound.

If pronounce it like Jillian but with a K.

If English people can get used to Niamh and Siobhan, then Cillian shouldn’t be too tricky!

@Thisismytimetoshine - Hardly unexpected, surely??

Hardly unexpected that they wouldn't know how to pronounce it initially. However, completely unexpected that they would continue to mispronounce once corrected. None of the sounds in the name are difficult for an English speaker.

Admittedly I would have pronounced silly-an but I’ve never heard this name before. People will only need to be told the right pronunciation once, and I think it’s a lovely name!! I don’t think he will have trouble at school because people will soon learn how to pronounce? There’s names from all cultures that are possibly harder to pronounce and you wouldn’t say they’d have problems at school because of them.

Sorry but I'm Irish and I thought it was Sillian for a long time until someone corrected me one time!

I think it is a lovely name, would never think to pronounce it as Silly-an.

It's not a hard name. I'm not familiar with it, but surely you'd only need to be told once?

I knew it was pronounced Killian but that because I’m half Irish.

Why does your family keep pronouncing it wrongly? Passive aggressive imo

It's lovely, I would balls it up once but when you told me how to pronounce it properly I'd remember.

I’m from an Irish family, so knew it was
Kill-ee-an.

It’s a lovely name. Weird that your family aren’t getting it!

I would have said Killian because of Cillian Murphy. Without knowing him I would have mispronounced it but, once corrected, I would say it right. I have that kind of name - people always mispronounce it until I correct them (and sometimes they persist even after that), but it hasn't bothered me. I still like my name

I would pronounce it "silly an"

Domhnaill? Yeah. Sadhbh? Of course. Caoimhe?

Erm, excuse my ignorance, but how do you say the first two names?

I think Caoimhe is said like Keeva?

It is AMAZING the number of relatives who get really funny and passive aggressive about baby names if they're even a little bit unusual. It's like a mix of being unable to handle not having a say plus an air of don't get above yourselves with your fancy name, Sarah or Mark was good enough for us so what's with THIS? I can't even say it! Ridiculous! etc.

I have known more than one person deal with it swiftly and efficiently by being all smiles as they refuse to let twatty rellies see the baby 'Oh sorry, we don't want her confused. Let's just wait a few months before we let you visit, just to give you time to learn the name'

Sorted in no time

I am half Irish, so I know it is pronounced

Kill - i - an.

I would know that people struggle with Irish names abroad though