Aly vs Cillian
Aly 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.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Aly was ranked #3254 and Cillian #177 among boys in England and Wales.
Aly and Cillian over time
Aly and Cillian appear together in 1 published list, across 14 years of shared records. Cillian held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Aly in 0.
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.
Aly reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 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.
List by list
England and Wales · Boys14 shared years, 1998–2024
Aly held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Cillian in 13.
Highest recorded here: Aly #2074 in 1998, Cillian #177 in 2024.
The order changed in 2003: Cillian moved ahead. In 2002 they stood at #2074 and #2901; by 2003 that had become #3467 and #1962.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Aly #3254, Cillian #177.
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 | Aly | Cillian |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Probably from Old Irish 'cell' (church) combined with a diminutive suffix. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Irish |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, IE | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE |
| Most recent popularity observation | England and Wales · Boys #3254 (2024) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #9 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 60/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Cillian has a recorded origin (Irish); Aly does not have one recorded yet.
- Aly and Cillian both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Cillian; Aly doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, IE.
How each name got here
Aly
Popularity journey
First recorded1998
First recorded at #2074 among boys in England and Wales in 1998 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #3254 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Boys
Cillian
Popularity journey
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
Highest recorded1997–2024
Highest recorded position: #2 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2024 (recorded 1997–2024).
Northern Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #9 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys