While discussing names with DH last night I suggested [name]Cillian[/name] for a boy. He was ok with it for a boy but decided he really liked it for a girl. It intrigues me as a girl name.
I know berries aren’t big fans of the unisex names, however I am not opposed to them, but this one I never heard of going the other way and would like some thoughts.
I don’t think it’s a common enough boys name for it to not work as a girls name. If that makes sense. I can see it going both ways. I like [name]Cillian[/name]! It’s beautiful and personally, I see it as more of a girls name.
I know a girl names [name]Killian[/name] and I don’t think she’s had problems with it
What about using a girl’s name for a girl?
[name]Cillian[/name]/[name]Killian[/name] isn’t even a pleasant name. The first syllable is “kill.”
Use [name]Gillian[/name] instead, it’s a proper girl name. [name]Cillian[/name] is all boy.
If you pronounced it Sillian, maybe. But since it is pronounced [name]Killian[/name], I don’t know if I would like it for a girl. I am all for unisex names (have [name]Spencer[/name] on my girls list!) but I just don’t think this one goes. It’s on my list for boys, and I just feel it fits much more for a boy than a girl.
I don’t mind unisex names at all, but I much prefer [name]Cillian[/name] on a boy. I suspect that a female [name]Cillian[/name] would often be misread as [name]Gillian[/name]. It’s not the most ridiculous idea ever, but it just doesn’t click with me at all for some reason.
I first read it as [name]Cillian[/name] pronounced Sillian, and I liked it. It has a softer more feminine sound, and rhymes with such girl names as [name]Gillian[/name] and [name]Lillian[/name].
However, once I looked it up, my opinion changed. It’s pronounced [name]Killian[/name], which is a harsh first syllable, and it means war and strife. Since meaning is one of the most important aspects of a name to me, I would have to say no.
[name]Lilian[/name] [name]Jillian[/name] and [name]Killian[/name] all sound equally feminine but I prefer the first two, since a nm for [name]Killian[/name] may be [name]Killy[/name] or Kill.
If [name]Cillian[/name] was to be judged by sound alone, it would certainly work as a girl’s name, since it rhymes with [name]Lillian[/name] and [name]Gillian[/name]. But most names shouldn’t be judged by sound alone, since most names have long histories of usage as either a male name or a female name. Since [name]Cillian[/name]'s history is as an Irish male name meaning “war” or “strife,” I would not give it to a daughter.
Since it’s rare in the U.S., you could probably use it for a girl pretty easily, though [name]Christopher[/name] [name]Nolan[/name]'s “Batman” movies may have brought Irish male actor [name]Cillian[/name] [name]Murphy[/name] more to the public’s attention; but I would still prefer not to use it for a daughter.
Best wishes!
[name]Killian[/name] is a family name and while I’d prefer it on a boy, I think it works for either.
To me, [name]Cillian[/name] is a man’s name; if you like the sound there’s [name]Lilian[/name] or [name]Gillian[/name].
My sense is that it would work as a girl’s name without too much trouble if she stays in the US and most parts of [name]Canada[/name]. If she were to go to [name]Britain[/name] or [name]Ireland[/name], people would likely ask her if her parents knew it was a man’s name when they gave it to her (that’s the polite end of the experience of my female [name]North[/name] American friends with names that are unisex here, but masculine in Europe-- and even then, we’re not talking about 100% masculine names like [name]Cillian[/name]. People occasionally role their eyes in my friends’ faces and say disparaging things about ignorant Americans. Which isn’t really fair, and only serves to highlight the subtle cultural differences between Anglo cultures, but is nevertheless something to consider when choosing a name!).
I dislike [name]Cillian[/name] overall since it has the word “kill” in it, not very pleasant on anyone imo. There are lots of girls names with the same sounds:
[name]Jillian[/name]
[name]Gillian[/name]
[name]Lilian[/name]
[name]Even[/name] the boy’s name [name]Julian[/name] would be a better option since [name]Juli[/name] is a nicer nickname than Kill…
I don’t see it really being a problem, but to me it is not a unisex name.
It is all boy. I guess a girl could pull it off, but I prefer it on a boy.
If you like the name, I say use it. I don’t mind the “kill” sound in the beginning, and I love the name for a boy. I never really considered using it on a girl, but there’s a first time for everything (and I guarantee you’re not even the first, so…)
I don’t understand all of the unisex name hate, anyway. If names kept to their genders, we’d all be naming our sons [name]Morgan[/name] and [name]Meredith[/name].
I can see why one would think [name]Cillian[/name] sounded and looked feminine, but I can’t get it out of my head that it’s a boy’s name. I’d just as soon go with a different -illian name like [name]Lillian[/name] or [name]Gillian[/name]/[name]Jillian[/name].
kind of cute
I love it for both genders. I think it’s cute for a girl.
I don’t like it for a boy, and even less for a girl. I can’t see the attraction of a name that starts with the sound ‘kill’. I’d never use this over [name]Lillian[/name].
I’ve known a Killarney and a Killeen (nn [name]Killy[/name].) [name]Both[/name] girls. Like them both.