Namewise

Atticus vs Cillian

Atticus 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, Atticus was ranked #305 and Cillian #2 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2024, Atticus was ranked #298 and Cillian #177 among boys in England and Wales.

Atticus and Cillian over time

Atticus and Cillian appear together in 1 published list, across 27 years of shared records. Cillian held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Atticus 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.

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.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Atticus #298 in 2024, Cillian #177 in 2024.

List by list

  • England and Wales · Boys27 shared years, 19982024

    Atticus held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Cillian in 22.

    Highest recorded here: Atticus #298 in 2024, Cillian #177 in 2024.

    The order changed in 2005: Cillian moved ahead. In 2004 they stood at #1498 and #3009; by 2005 that had become #1456 and #1190.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Atticus #298, 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

Side-by-side comparison of Atticus, Cillian
FieldAtticusCillian
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Editorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningNot yet recordedProbably from Old Irish 'cell' (church) combined with a diminutive suffix.
OriginNot yet recordedIrish
PronunciationNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Syllables32
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageGB-ENW, GB-NIRGB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE
Most recent popularity observationEngland and Wales · Boys #298 (2024)Republic of Ireland · Boys #9 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recordedNot yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)82/10082/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)60/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Cillian has a recorded origin (Irish); Atticus does not have one recorded yet.
  • Atticus has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Cillian.
  • A meaning is recorded for Cillian; Atticus doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR.

How each name got here

Atticus

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1998

    First recorded at #2419 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

  2. Highest recorded1998–2024

    Highest recorded position: #298 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024 (recorded 1998–2024).

    England and Wales · Boys

  3. Most recent2024

    Most recently recorded at #298 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.

    England and Wales · Boys

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 #9 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.

    Republic of Ireland · Boys