Killian/Cillian

I am having a boy and have really fallen in love with the name [name]Killian[/name]/[name]Cillian[/name].
Does anyone think people won’t be able to get past the beer association?
Also, which spelling do we like better? Thanks for your opinions! (be honest!:slight_smile:

Can’t speak to the beer association. But, I’d prefer the [name]Killian[/name] spelling for pronunciation reasons. [name]Cillian[/name] could get pronounced “sill-ian.” There’s no room for mis-pronunication with [name]Killian[/name]. GL!

[name]Cillian[/name] is the authentic spelling, and I think it makes the name a lot softer. I like it. Check out this link, it’s all about [name]Cillian[/name]/[name]Killian[/name]:

http://appellationmountain.net/2009/02/04/name-of-the-day-cillian/

Wow…thanks! I didn’t realize that and really appreciate the website! Very interesting read! I still wonder if the general public will have pronunciation issues with the traditional spelling, though.

I think the general American would mispronounce [name]Cillian[/name] because most of our words derived of a latin (or greek? - I am no linguistics scholar, so take that with a grain of salt) rule where a C followed by an I (or an E) would make an S sound, where C followed by an A or O or U make a K sound, and it is mostly true of the hard G and the soft G (J sound) as well. It’s not always the rule, but most of our words adhere to it and the pattern is recognizable. That is why it was changed to a K! Sounds like a K.

Wow, that is really interesting about the C spelling. I never even thought about
people mispronouncing it. I mainly just wondered esthetically what thoughts were.
That is very helpful and gives me something to think about. I mostly am worried about the
beer association.

I love the name [name]Cillian[/name]. I do agree with those who think [name]Cillian[/name] would be mispronounced here in the US, but I think its more important to honor its original form. Here in [name]America[/name] we seem to change C names to K names, and for the most part I think it makes the name less classy and more trendy. Also, if [name]Cillian[/name] is used the name would no longer actually spell Kill within it, and is no longer spelled as the beer.

I can’t speak for everyone, but I don’t think of the beer mostly when I hear that name, but Kill.

As for brands of beer, there are many common brands (like Budweiser), and fairly common superior beers (like [name]Killian[/name]'s), but I first don’t think most people know all the good beers and drink crap, that doesn’t stop people from going ahead with a name like [name]Miller[/name] or [name]Sam[/name] or [name]Adam/name, but steering clear of Heineken and Amstel.

[name]Killian[/name] to me doesn’t mean beer, I know OF the beer, but I don’t think it’s established as most definitely beer. Of course, when you say, this is my son [name]Killian[/name], some people might be thinking “like the beer?” Few should point that out to you as if you didn’t know, it’s not polite, but it might happen. He might encounter this as well, as an adult. Most people think it’s an Irish name with a beer named after someone Irish. I think because the beer is [name]Killian[/name]'s, apostrophe S, it should be obvious to smart people that even though it is a beer, it belongs to someone named [name]Killian[/name].

Also, you could get some cool signage for his room; I’d not do so if there’s clearly a pint in the picture, but just the name and some innocuous graphic.

[name]Hi[/name] there. :slight_smile: I believe there was another [name]Killian[/name]/[name]Cillian[/name] thread not too long ago, which you may find interesting. ([name]Just[/name] enter [name]Killian[/name] into the message board search…)

Personally, I think of kill and murder when I see the name spelled as [name]Killian[/name], although I definitely think a [name]Cillian[/name] will get a lot of “sill-ee-an” mispronunciations.

Good luck! :slight_smile:

Thank you all for your input in helping us decide whether or now to use this name. My husband and I both love and I think we would regret not using it if we didn’t end up having any more boys (this is our first child). Since I am pretty sure this is the one we will go with, can anyone think of any nice nicknames? I KNOW I will end up not thinking and call him Kill or Killz. I don’t really want to use [name]Ian[/name]…my husband suggested “lian”…any suggestions? Thanks so much!!!

I’m using [name]Killian[/name] too if we’re having a boy, no ifs ands or buts, we absolutely love the name. We’re definately going with the K spelling because I don’t want [name]Cillian[/name] to get see lee an or whatever. DF loves the name in part because he comes from a big football family and he can’t wait to yell out “Kill 'em Killer!” from the side lines LOL :slight_smile: I haven’t been able to come up with a nickname that I like at all, and we’re big into nicknames so I’ll definately be following your thread for suggestions too!

Thanks [name]Winter[/name]. It’s just a cool name. I think I like the K spelling better too. My grandpa is a [name]Konrad[/name] with a K, and my name starts with a K, it just feels and sounds right to me.

[name]How[/name] about [name]Kellen[/name]?

You may not like this at all, but I like [name]Kelly[/name] as a nickname for [name]Killian[/name]. I’m one of the few people who loves [name]Kelly[/name]/[name]Kelley[/name] as a boys name, though!. I think it would come naturally, though, instead of [name]Killy[/name]. My husband just suggested [name]Lee[/name]. I think [name]Lian[/name] would be cute, too.

I fell in love with this many years ago when I knew an Irishman called [name]Cillian[/name]. I was told by all the guys I knew that outside [name]Ireland[/name] it would be considered too feminine, too much like [name]Karen[/name], so it went off my radar. But that was 10 years ago, when even [name]Oliver[/name] or [name]Walter[/name] were considered a little soft. I’d go for it, and use whichever spelling feels right. I also think [name]Lian[/name] is a great nickname!

[name]Killian[/name] is better than [name]Cillian[/name]…[name]Cillian[/name] feels like an obscure body part name when pronounced sill ee ahn.

I think that [name]Kelly[/name] is too girly for a nn for a boy…my friend is actually named [name]Kelly[/name], and he really hates it and acts really macho to make up for all the jokes he gets. [name]Even[/name] perfect strangers feel the need to comment to him about his name.

[name]Lian[/name] is a Chinese GIRL name, and [name]Liane[/name] is a French GIRL name.

[name]How[/name] about just…[name]Lee[/name] or [name]Kian[/name] or Kin? :slight_smile: My husband, the dork…has suggested “[name]Red[/name]”. He’s a big fan of [name]Killian[/name]'s though. (ignore him. >.>)

Sidenote: [name]Just[/name] say no to Illy for a nn! As a total nerdgirl World of Warcrafter, all I think of is the eyebeaming, fire spewing, dark cursing blind half-night elf BIG B.A. boss Illidan from the [name]Black[/name] [name]Temple[/name] in Burning Crusade! I can still hear my raid leader screaming “SOMEONE KILL ILLY OR ALL OF YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY FIRED FROM THIS GUILD, AND I MEAN IT!!” LOL. >.> The things you do when you’re kidless and bored on Fridays…

If you like [name]Lian[/name] and aren’t from an area where lots of people speak Chinese, I don’t think you need to worry about it being a girls’ name there.

I like it spelt Cilllian

My name is [name]Cillian[/name]. I’m from [name]Ireland[/name] and trust me you don’t want to use the anglicized version of the name. It flies in the face of the origins of the name. I would take mispronounciation over a mispelt anglicized name any day. As for the beer reference, I wouldn’t worry about it. But why would you want a nick name?! Whats the point of giving a name to a baby if you don’t intend on using?!!

[name]Cillian[/name] defiantley, school will be hard enough for any child, let alone for one with the word “kill” in his name