Killis
A masculine Greek name derived from the word "kilios" meaning "yellow" or "pale".
Name Census estimates that about 0 living Americans carry the first name Killis. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Killis today is around 0 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Killis births was 1905 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Killis. 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 Killis. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
0
~ - Americans
Peak year
1905
5 babies that year
Average age
-
1905 SSA rank
#1,336
Tracked since 1905
Popularity
Killis: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Killis 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 Killis during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1900s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Killis
The name Killis is believed to have originated from the ancient Greek word "killos," which means "crooked" or "bent." This suggests that the name may have been initially used to describe someone with a physical characteristic or deformity.
The earliest recorded use of the name Killis dates back to the 5th century BC in ancient Greece. It was not a widely popular name, but it was occasionally given to children born with physical disabilities or deformities, as a way to acknowledge their unique qualities.
One of the earliest known individuals with the name Killis was a Greek philosopher who lived in the 4th century BC. Not much is known about his life or teachings, but he is mentioned briefly in some historical texts from that time period.
In the 2nd century AD, there was a Roman soldier named Killis who served in the Legio XX Valeria Victrix. He is recorded in several military records and inscriptions from that era, indicating that he may have been a notable figure in the Roman army.
During the Byzantine Empire, which lasted from the 4th to the 15th century AD, the name Killis was occasionally used among Greek-speaking populations. One notable bearer of the name was Killis the Deacon, a scholar and religious figure who lived in the 9th century AD. He is known for his contributions to the preservation of ancient Greek texts and his work in the field of theology.
In the 12th century AD, there was a famous Byzantine architect named Killis Kyriotes, who is credited with designing and overseeing the construction of several notable churches and buildings in Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul).
Another individual worth mentioning is Killis Mavroudis, a Greek merchant and explorer who lived in the 16th century AD. He is known for his travels to various parts of the Mediterranean and his detailed accounts of the cultures and customs he encountered.
While the name Killis has its roots in ancient Greece, it has been used sporadically throughout history in various parts of the world where Greek culture and language had an influence. However, it has never been a particularly common or widespread name, likely due to its unusual origins and associations with physical deformities.
People
Killis + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Killis 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
Killis: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Killis?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 0 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Killis 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 - US residents.
Is Killis a common name?
We classify Killis as "Very Rare". It ranks above 2.9% 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 Killis most popular?
The single biggest year for Killis was 1905, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Killis is about 0 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 Killis in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Killis a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Killis 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 Killis still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Killis 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 Killis 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 Americans are named Killis?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.