Cillian?

[babydue2025]

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

No one has suggested the name Kill.

I assumed that would be the natural nickname.

Like William shortens to Will?

OP said she didn't like the Killian version though.

Honestly out of all the Cillian / Killians I have met, none of them have this nickname. A few have been shortened to Killy but not many.

Ouch @allmycats! I agree that it would be ignorant to continue to mispronounce a name once corrected. I think it’s a bit harsh, though, to call people stupid if they don’t know the correct pronunciation of every new (to them) word or name on sight!

Emotional support crews are on standby.

Forty years ago having an Irish name probably would have led to unreasonable racist comments, don't think you would get much now and I like the name.

William also shortens to Willy which is slang for male genitals and everyone manages to survive with it being the name for the future king? No one calling for him to be renamed at all!

I know lots of Cillians, never heard of one called Cill tbh.

Sorry OP any name for me that starts with Kill or is pronounced Kill even if spelt with a c is a no from me.

William also shortens to Willy which is slang for male genitals and everyone manages to survive

I'd want my child to do better than 'survive'!!

Read the message properly please - I didn’t say someone called William would survive, I said the English as a nation manage to survive their future king having a name that could be considered rude, despite you being quite faint at the idea of an Irish name. You deliberately ignored that part to make what you thought was a snappy comeback - it wasn’t btw. Hopefully your children will do more than survive - hopefully they’ll be become intelligent, open-minded, tolerant members of society.

I thought it was Silly-ann! I'll join you under the rock 🤣
Mind you, I also thought it was Welsh!

Well you assumed wrong then.

If Cillian becomes as popular or well known in the rest of the UK the way it has in Ireland for boys, then of course no- one here will care about the “Kill” sound. But despite the actor I don’t hear the name that often where I am in Wales, maybe it’s on the rise elsewhere?

William (Willy), Diane (Die), Helen (Hell) are slightly different simply because of their extreme popularity at certain times which means most people don’t tend to notice the sound of the first syllable so much imo (I mean about a fifth of men/boys seemed to be called William (or John) at one point in history so it would be a bit daft to tease all the William’s with “Willy”! )

This, I've never undetstood its popularity for this reason

Just looked it up - it’s shot up in the last decade (since Mr Murphy’s fame) and is now just outside the Top 200 in the E and W data. I can’t see it ever getting as popular as timeless William (or as Diane or Helen did in the 60’s/70’s) but if it continues at this rate and the actor stays famous, Cillian could eventually reach the Top 100. Shouldn’t be any pronunciation issues or “Kill” teasing if/when that happens. I do still think there are nicer Irish boys names, but that’s just personal taste.

If Cillian becomes as popular or well known in the rest of the UK the way it has in Ireland for boys, then of course no- one here will care about the “Kill” sound.

Just to point out that Ireland isn’t actually in the UK…

Yep, am very aware - I should have said N. Ireland and Rep. of Ireland as as far as I know Cillian is well known/used in both (my Irish relatives use “Ireland” as short for both the Republic and North and unfortunately I have gotten into that habit too- but I’m aware that could be seen as upsetting to many, so I apologise).

I think the issue is you said "the rest of the UK" implying Ireland is part of the UK which it isn't.

Oh okay, I didn’t mean to imply that at all. I meant if Cillian gets as popular/well known in the rest of the UK as it is in N. Ireland -but that it’s also equally popular/well known in Rep of Ireland too. I was trying to type quickly and used the same shorthand my relatives do (some are from Dublin, but others live in N. Ireland) - but I shouldn’t have as I didn’t mean to offend.

No worries at all, thanks for that @IamnotwhouthinkIam. Hate to say this but to clarify - Ireland isn’t shorthand for ROI. Ireland is the actual name of the state, a republic is the descriptor and thus ROI is sometimes used instead - but Ireland is the official name.
Bit confusing that the island as a whole has the same name of course!

Yowza, the pearl clutching and preciousness on this thread is something else.

No not really. It’s a personal opinion and I have always thought that even from a young age but thanks for the judgement.

Thanks for your judgement on the name Cillian 🤣

Cillian is a gorgeous name.

If people can’t pronounce it that’s on them, it’s easy to correct someone.

Are you for real? The OP has asked for opinions about the name specifically and I have given one. It’s an opinion not a judgement. There is a difference.

I stand by my OPINION.