Cillian?

[babydue2025]

What do you think? We're both English living in England for context, but with Irish heritage and an Irish surname.

I have one. You'll get people saying Sillian sometimes, and you may get it shortened to Cils (although we've never had Cil). He gets Cilly too from his brothers which I think is cute.
Honestly, I love it. It's unusual, people often ask about it in an interested way. He's 4 and all his older brothers friends think he has the coolest name ever due to Kylian Mbappe, so he's very happy with it!

I’m surprised that people don’t know this one- think that’s unusual. I prefer the Cillian spelling and I think most people know the name.

I just hear ‘Kill Ian’ so it wouldn’t be for me. I do particularly hate the name Ian though so maybe that is part of why I don’t like it!

Killian = kill Ian
Cillian = silly 'un

I do like the name though.

I think it would only work if you lived in Ireland.

It’s getting quite popular up here in Scotland I know a couple little Cillians and the last tiny baby I held was Kylian (I’m assuming like Mbappe) never heard anyone pronounce it with a soft c

It’s popular in Ireland I know a few.

i have cousins, Kiernan, Cieran and Cillian maybe because my extended family is Irish but I’ve never come across any issues with pronunciation once pronunciation is explained.

But neither of these are correct

The correct pronunciation - for either spelling - is KIL-ee-un. No 'Ian' whatsoever, and certainly no soft C.

I think it's a lovely name, OP. Know lots of them here in Ireland.

Sounds like Kill Ian to me.

My nephew is Cillian. It's hardly ever mispronounced and my sis gets lots of compliments on how lovely his name is.

We're from Liverpool and scousers have a tendency to shorten every name, so he gets Killi and Kai which I also love!

Gorgeous name IMO!

People really can’t be expected to choose names so that the ignorant can’t mispronounce them.

Killi i can understand I know one but how do you get Kai from Cillian?

@OkPedro the same way you get Dickie from Richard. Kate from Catherine. Tosh from Tony.

It's a cute nickname!

Not a fan of anyone's name which starts with Kill! 😕

Brilliant name, I love it

At last a name I like!

That's only if you pronounce it wrong.

It's a hard C.

The emphasis is on the first syllable. It rhymes with Gillian (JILL-ee-un).

Steer clear of Kildare, Killarney, Kilkenny, Killiney, Kilkeel, Killybegs, Kilkee, Killaloe, Kilrush, and thousands of other places in NI and Ireland then.

The root 'Kill' is an anglicisation of 'cill' meaning church, and 'coill' meaning wood.

I prefer Colin. I like the sound Col more than Kill.

It's a popular enough name in Ireland and I don't know anyone who got shortened to Kill

I like it OP. And I prefer the Cillian spelling.

I don't like the 'Kill' sound either - kids tend to shorten names and I wouldn't like a shortened version of Kill.
Do you like Kian?

I know a Cillian and a Killian under 10 near me, we're nowhere near Ireland, it works fine and no one mispronounces their names or calls them Kill.

I really hate this name! Who would want to name a child something that sounds so like killing? - why, just why!?