boy's name
Killion
KIL-ee-un (English)
- Origin Irish
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 3
- Letters 7
- Popularity Rare
- Births on record 51
Killion is a rare boy's name from an Irish surname, Ó Cillín, and a variant of Killian. It's connected with Irish cill, "church," and with the old personal name Ceallach, and it was first found in County Mayo. As a first name it's a recent American choice.
- Killion is a name of Irish origin.
- Peaked in 2017, when 9 babies were given the name.
- It has been rising over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 552,792 babies in the United States is given this name.
- First appears in US birth records in 2009.
- 3 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Killion Over Time
Births per decade in the United States, 2000s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, which so far covers 2020 to 2025.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 2000s | 6 |
| 2010s | 33 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 12 |
What Killion Means
Killion is usually explained as little church or church-goer, by way of Irish cill. It shares that sense with Killian, though Killian is also read as bright-headed or strife, so the meaning remains open.
Where Killion Comes From
Irish cill, from Latin cella, a monk's cell, gave the word for a church, and it appears in countless Irish place names beginning Kil-. House of Names records the surname as Ó Cillín, first found in County Mayo. It's treated as a variant of Killian, the Irish saint's name that gave rise to Kilian in Germany, where Saint Kilian of Würzburg is honored. MomJunction gives church as the meaning, and Nameberry confirms the Irish Gaelic roots. In the United States, it's chosen largely for its sound.
Killion in Use
Killion's first syllable makes it a bolder form of Killian, which has become popular with American parents. Cillian is the Irish spelling, best known from actor Cillian Murphy.
How Popular Is Killion?
In 2025, Killion was given to 6 babies in the United States. It is a rare choice.
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
Names That Peaked Alongside Killion
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents Who Like Killion Also Like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Killion over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
How to Say Killion
- English KIL-ee-un
Killion in Other Languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
- Other forms
- Forms we hold no single language for — some are used across several, some are simply spelled differently.
- Killian
Sibling Names for Killion
Names from the same era that do not rhyme or share an initial with Killion — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common Questions About Killion
What does the name Killion mean?
It's usually read as church, from Irish cill.
Is Killion the same as Killian?
Yes. It's a variant spelling of that Irish surname and first name.
How do you pronounce Killion?
KIL-ee-un.
How popular is the name Killion?
In 2025, Killion was given to 6 babies in the United States. It is a rare choice.
Is Killion a girl's or a boy's name?
Killion is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Killion?
Killion has 3 syllables.
When was Killion most popular?
Killion peaked in 2017, when 9 babies were given the name. It has been rising over the past decade.
Is Killion a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Killion currently ranks #10,883 in the United States. It has been rising over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.