Killian
Boy name · #419 in 2025 · Distinctive
In 2025, 770 baby boys were named Killian, placing it at #419 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #349, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 2,338 boys born in 2025 was named Killian.
Babies named Killian per year. Source: SSA.
The 110-year story
Killian first appears in the Social Security records in 1915, when 5 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2017, when 1,506 boys were named Killian — good for #248 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Killian against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Killian in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Killian is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "distinctive". That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Killian is most common
Geography matters for names, and Killian is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Killian is most common in OK (1 per 1,000), OR (0.9 per 1,000), KY (0.9 per 1,000), CO (0.7 per 1,000), MI (0.7 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.5 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Killian is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Killian
Statistically, parents drawn to Killian tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Kian, Kilian, Lucian, Caspian, and Bastian.
KianKilianLucianCaspianBastianKarsonCillianKylan
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Killian | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 770 | #417 |
| 2024 | 885 | #370 |
| 2023 | 884 | #367 |
| 2022 | 903 | #364 |
| 2021 | 939 | #347 |
| 2020 | 899 | #352 |
| 2019 | 1,089 | #311 |
| 2018 | 1,229 | #287 |
| 2017 | 1,506 | #248 |
| 2016 | 1,382 | #264 |
| 2015 | 976 | #349 |
| 2014 | 545 | #511 |
| 2013 | 294 | #767 |
| 2012 | 270 | #818 |
| 2011 | 299 | #757 |
| 2010 | 293 | #764 |
| 2009 | 304 | #752 |
| 2008 | 274 | #799 |
| 2007 | 255 | #837 |
| 2006 | 176 | #1036 |
| 2005 | 162 | #1035 |
| 2004 | 151 | #1061 |
| 2003 | 117 | #1233 |
| 2002 | 117 | #1191 |
| 2001 | 129 | #1100 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Killian a popular boy name?
Killian ranked #419 among boys in 2025 with 770 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #349.
When was the name Killian most popular?
Killian peaked in 2017, when 1,506 American boys received the name (ranked #248 that year). Since 2017 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Killian?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 2,338 newborn American boys was named Killian. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.