Killien
A Gaelic name derived from the elements "cail" meaning "keeper" or "guardian."
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Killien. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Killien today is around 10 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Killien births was 2016 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Killien. 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 Killien. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
2016
5 babies that year
Average age
10
years old
2016 SSA rank
#13,319
Tracked since 2016
Popularity
Killien: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Killien 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 Killien 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 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Killien
The given name Killien has its origins in the ancient Celtic languages spoken in the British Isles and parts of continental Europe. The name is derived from the Old Irish word "cillín," which means "little church" or "small monastic settlement." This suggests that the name may have been initially used to refer to individuals who lived or worked in these early Christian communities.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Killien can be traced back to the 8th century CE, where it appears in various Irish annals and manuscripts. One notable example is the Annals of Ulster, which mention a figure named Killien mac Conchobair, who was a minor king in the region of Connaught in the late 8th century.
During the Middle Ages, the name Killien was relatively uncommon but could be found among the Irish and Scottish nobility. One prominent bearer of the name was Killien Ó Briain, a 12th-century Irish king of Thomond (present-day County Clare) who is mentioned in the Annals of Inisfallen and other historical records.
As the centuries passed, the name Killien continued to be used sporadically throughout Ireland and Scotland. In the 16th century, a Scottish poet and historian named Killien Innes (born around 1530) gained some renown for his works, including a chronicle of the Clan Innes.
Another notable figure was Killien O'Shaughnessy (c. 1690-1767), an Irish Jacobite soldier and writer who served in the armies of France and Spain during the 18th century. He is best known for his memoirs, which provide valuable insights into the lives of Irish soldiers in exile during that period.
In more recent times, the name Killien has been relatively rare, but a few individuals have carried it forward. One example is Killien Bunreacht (1920-2003), an Irish artist and sculptor who was active in the latter half of the 20th century and known for his abstract works.
While the name Killien has ancient roots and a rich history, it has remained relatively obscure compared to other Celtic names. Nevertheless, its connection to early Christian settlements and its scattered appearances throughout the centuries offer a glimpse into the cultural heritage of the British Isles and the enduring legacy of its linguistic traditions.
People
Killien + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Killien 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
Killien: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Killien?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Killien 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 68,550,868 US residents.
Is Killien a common name?
We classify Killien as "Very Rare". It ranks above 18.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Killien most popular?
The single biggest year for Killien was 2016, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Killien is about 10 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 Killien in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Killien a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Killien 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 Killien still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Killien 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 Killien 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 have Killien as a first name?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.