The first name Killian
A boy’s name from Irish.
2 syllables Male Also a surname
Meaning and origin
Irish origin
An anglicized spelling of Irish Cillian.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 59 boys were named Killian, making it the 627th most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 2022, with 79 births (#492).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Killian with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Killian at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 770 boys born in the United States were named Killian, the 418th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 2017, when 1,506 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Nicknames and spellings
Other spellings and forms
Famous people named Killian
3 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Killian HayesFrench-American basketball player (born 2001)
- Killian OvermeireBelgian footballer, born 1985
- Killian TillieFrench basketball player (born 1998)
More Irish boys’ names
Questions
- What does the name Killian mean?
- An anglicized spelling of Irish Cillian.
- What is the origin of the name Killian?
- An anglicized spelling of Irish Cillian.
- How popular is the name Killian?
- In 2025, 59 boys born in England and Wales were named Killian, ranking 627th. Its peak was 2022, with 79 births.
- Is Killian a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 96% of the 16,834 US babies named Killian since 1880 were boys.
- When was Killian most popular?
- 2017 in the United States, when 1,506 babies were named Killian, its highest rank at 248th.
- What are other spellings of Killian?
- Kilian.
- Is Killian also a surname?
- Yes. Killian is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.