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Cillian

Boy name · 503 babies recorded · 1974–2025

Cillian: 503 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to boys, peaking at 62 births in 2024.

From the Irish Cillín, meaning "little church" or, in some interpretations, derived from the Old Irish word for "war" or "strife," Cillian has become a firm favourite well beyond its Gaelic roots. The most famous modern bearer is the mesmerising Irish actor Cillian Murphy, known for his haunting performance in *Peaky Blinders* and lead role in *Oppenheimer*. In earlier centuries, Saint Cillian was a seventh-century Irish missionary who spread Christianity in Franconia, now part of Germany – the town of Heilbronn traces its diocese foundation back to him. The name is also commonly anglicised as Killian, a spelling that gained a boost from the Killian family of American gymnastics fame. In Scotland, Cillian has quietly risen in use since the 2000s, loved for its melodic yet sturdy feel.#