Killean
A masculine given name of Irish origin meaning "bright-headed" or "bright-headed warrior".
Name Census estimates that about 9 living Americans carry the first name Killean. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Killean today is around 9 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Killean births was 2017 (9 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Killean. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Killean. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
9
~ 1 in 38,083,815 Americans
Peak year
2017
9 babies that year
Average age
9
years old
2017 SSA rank
#8,523
Tracked since 2017
Popularity
Killean: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Killean by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Killean during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 9 | 0 | 9 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Killean
The name Killean is derived from the Irish Gaelic language and has its origins in the early medieval period. It is a variant spelling of the name Cillian, which is believed to be derived from the Irish word "cill," meaning "church" or "monastic cell." This suggests that the name may have been given to those who lived or worked in religious communities or were connected to the church in some way.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Killean can be found in the Annals of Ulster, an ancient chronicle of medieval Irish history. The Annals mention a man named Killean Ua Ruairc, who was a prominent chieftain and warrior in the 12th century. He played a significant role in the political and military affairs of the time, and his name is associated with several battles and conflicts recorded in the Annals.
In the 13th century, a notable figure named Killean Ó Maolchonaire was an Irish poet and scholar. He is recognized for his contributions to the preservation and promotion of Irish language and literature during a time when the cultural traditions of Ireland were under threat from external influences.
One of the most famous historical figures with the name Killean was Saint Killean, also known as St. Fillan or Faelan. He was an Irish missionary and monastic founder who lived in the 7th century. According to legend, St. Killean established several monasteries in Scotland and was renowned for his healing abilities and miracles. He is venerated as the patron saint of various Scottish regions, and his name is associated with several place names and religious sites.
In the 15th century, a Scottish clergyman and scholar named Killean Erskine gained recognition for his work in translating and compiling religious texts. He was a prominent figure in the Church of Scotland and played a role in the intellectual and spiritual life of his time.
In more recent centuries, the name Killean has been less common but has been carried by notable individuals such as Killean MacDougall, a 19th-century Scottish author and historian, and Killean Lyne, a 20th-century Irish politician and member of the Dáil Éireann (the lower house of the Irish parliament).
Overall, the name Killean has a rich historical legacy rooted in the Irish and Scottish cultural traditions, with connections to religious and monastic life, as well as literary and scholarly pursuits. While not as widely used today, it remains a testament to the enduring influence of ancient Celtic naming practices and traditions.
People
Killean + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Killean as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with K
Other first names starting with K with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Killean: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Killean?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 9 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Killean going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 38,083,815 US residents.
Is Killean a common name?
We classify Killean as "Very Rare". It ranks above 25.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 9 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Killean most popular?
The single biggest year for Killean was 2017, when 9 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Killean is about 9 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Killean in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Killean a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Killean in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Killean still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Killean in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Killean can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people are called Killean?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.