Namewise

Alex vs Cillian

Alex and Cilliancompared on official birth-registration statistics and Namewise's recorded data. This page states what each name's record shows — it never picks a winner or scores one name against the other.

Head to head

Ranks are only compared within one published list and one year. Two ranks from different years, from a boys' and a girls' list, or from different registrars are not comparable, so they are not placed side by side.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2024, Alex was ranked #108 and Cillian #2 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Alex was ranked #37 and Cillian #9 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Alex was ranked #135 and Cillian #83 among boys in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, Alex was ranked #207 and Cillian #217 among boys in England and Wales.

Alex and Cillian over time

Alex and Cillian appear together in 3 published lists, across 111 years of shared records. Alex held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Cillian in 1.

The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Alex reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Cillian in none. Each position is a place inside its own list, so this compares when they peaked and never how high.

Counted list by list. Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale in the same year, so those comparisons are real — but positions from different lists are not, so nothing here is combined into an overall standing.

How this pair is related

The relationship kinds these two qualify for, each under its own stated rule. Every one is drawn from a list they both appear in.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys53 shared years, 1972–2025

    Alex held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Cillian in 30.

    Highest recorded here: Alex #8 in 2009, Cillian #4 in 2024.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Alex #37, Cillian #9.

  • England and Wales · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Alex held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Cillian in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Alex #42 in 2002, Cillian #177 in 2024.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Alex #207, Cillian #217.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024

    Alex held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Cillian in 10.

    Highest recorded here: Alex #31 in 2009, Cillian #2 in 2024.

    The order changed in 2015: Cillian moved ahead. In 2014 they stood at #42 and #48; by 2015 that had become #51 and #25.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Alex #108, Cillian #2.

Two names moving past each other in a ranking is a fact about the ranking. Namewise does not claim one name displaced the other, that families chose between them, or that either influenced the other — none of that is in this data.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Alex

Pairs where Alex shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving Cillian

Pairs where Cillian shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — one took the other's place near the top.

All one took the other's place near the top→

Other pairs from Northern Ireland lists

Pairs measured inside Northern Ireland's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

Northern Ireland overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Alex, Cillian
FieldAlexCillian
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningA short form of Alexander, Alexandra and other names beginning with 'Alex' — from Greek elements meaning 'defender' and 'man/people'.Probably from Old Irish 'cell' (church) combined with a diminutive suffix.
OriginGreek, short formIrish
Pronunciation/ˈæl.ɪks/Not yet recorded
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZGB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #37 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Boys #9 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/100Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10082/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Alex is recorded with a Greek, short form origin, while Cillian is recorded with a Irish origin.
  • Alex and Cillian both have 2 syllables.
  • Alex's recorded meaning differs from Cillian's — see the table above for each.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.

How each name got here

Alex

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1954

    First recorded at #346 among boys in Norway in 1954 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1972–2025

    Highest recorded position: #8 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2009 (recorded 1972–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #2605 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Cillian

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1970

    First recorded at #305 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1970 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1997–2024

    Highest recorded position: #2 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2024 (recorded 1997–2024).

    Northern Ireland · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #217 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys