Cillian vs Karson
Cillian and Karsoncompared 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 2023, Cillian was ranked #4 and Karson #395 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Cillian was ranked #9 and Karson #676 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Cillian was ranked #83 and Karson #352 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Cillian was ranked #177 and Karson #945 among boys in England and Wales.
Cillian and Karson over time
Cillian and Karson appear together in 2 published lists, across 34 years of shared records. Cillian held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Karson 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.
Karson reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 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.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Republic of Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Cillian #4 in 2024, Karson #436 in 2023.
List by list
England and Wales · Boys21 shared years, 2004–2024
Cillian held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Karson in 1.
Highest recorded here: Cillian #177 in 2024, Karson #610 in 2021.
The order changed in 2005: Cillian moved ahead. In 2004 they stood at #3009 and #2304; by 2005 that had become #1190 and #3208.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Cillian #177, Karson #945.
Republic of Ireland · Boys13 shared years, 2011–2025
Cillian held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Karson in 0.
Highest recorded here: Cillian #4 in 2024, Karson #436 in 2023.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Cillian #9, Karson #676.
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 | Cillian | Karson |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Probably from Old Irish 'cell' (church) combined with a diminutive suffix. | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Irish | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #9 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #676 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Cillian has a recorded origin (Irish); Karson does not have one recorded yet.
- Cillian and Karson both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Cillian; Karson doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.
How each name got here
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
Karson
Popularity journey
First recorded2004
First recorded at #2304 among boys in England and Wales in 2004 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
England and Wales · Boys
Highest recorded2015–2023
Highest recorded position: #304 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2020 (recorded 2015–2023).
Northern Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #676 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys