Alex vs Cillin
Alex and Cillincompared 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.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2014, Alex was ranked #12 and Cillin #715 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2017, Alex was ranked #58 and Cillin #415 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Alex and Cillin over time
Alex and Cillin appear together in 1 published list, across 10 years of shared records. Alex held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Cillin in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Cillin reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Alex 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.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys10 shared years, 1987–2014
Alex held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Cillin in 0.
Highest recorded here: Alex #8 in 2009, Cillin #235 in 1993.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2014: Alex #12, Cillin #715.
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.
Side by side
| Field | Alex | Cillin |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | A short form of Alexander, Alexandra and other names beginning with 'Alex' — from Greek elements meaning 'defender' and 'man/people'. | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Greek, short form | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | /ˈæl.ɪks/ | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | GB-NIR, IE |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #37 (2025) | Northern Ireland · Boys #415 (2017) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 60/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Alex has a recorded origin (Greek, short form); Cillin does not have one recorded yet.
- Alex and Cillin both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Alex; Cillin doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-NIR, IE.
How each name got here
Alex
Popularity journey
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
Highest recorded1972–2025
Highest recorded position: #8 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2009 (recorded 1972–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #259 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys
Cillin
Popularity journey
First recorded1987
First recorded at #272 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1987 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1987–2014
Highest recorded position: #235 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1993 (recorded 1987–2014).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2014
Most recently recorded at #715 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2014.
Republic of Ireland · Boys