Kilian

Kilian - A very unique male name

Kilian appeared on the charts for the first time in 1991 on position #3325. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Kilian and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Kilian? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Kilian. The baby boy name Kilian was given to 113 baby boys in 2025, ranking #1237 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 12,976 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Kilian peaked in popularity 3 years ago in 2023 on position 1029.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Kilian, 1-5?

Kilian is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Kilian is currently topping the baby name charts in Maryland at position #664 - and is the least popular in Florida at position #1,419.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Kilian is where you live.

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Kilian origin and meaning

Irish, via German use

Uncertain — Kilian is the continental form of Irish Cillian, whose own meaning is disputed, often linked to cill, church, or to a word for strife.

Kilian was an Irish missionary saint martyred in Würzburg in 689, which is why the name took root in Germany. American use is recent, from 1991, and rising. Because Cillian's own root is disputed, the meaning stays uncertain.

Origin uncertain

Kilian is a 6 letter name with 3 syllables.

To see famous people named Kilian, pop culture references for the name Kilian and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Kilian

We've found the following names that sound similar to Kilian, sorted by popularity.

Kellen / Killian / Kylan / Kellan / Kylen / Kylian / Kalen / Keelan / Kallen / Kalani /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Kilian

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Kilian a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Kilian?

3 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

KIL-ee-un · /ˈkɪliən/

Around the world

• Cillian (Irish) — The original Irish form of the saint's name.

Spellings and nicknames

• Killian — Double-l respelling, common in the U.S.
• Cillian — The Irish original, a separate established name.

Famous bearers

• Kilian Jornet — Spanish ski-mountaineer and ultra-distance runner (b. 1987) Contemporary

Style

International

Why parents choose it

Parents choose Kilian for its crisp, European-athletic feel — familiar in shape, rare in practice.

Worth knowing

• Kylian, as in Mbappé, is a different name and spelling, and the two will be confused.