Cillian vs Lorcan
Cillian and Lorcancompared 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, Cillian was ranked #2 and Lorcan #54 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Cillian was ranked #9 and Lorcan #125 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Cillian was ranked #177 and Lorcan #691 among boys in England and Wales.
Cillian and Lorcan over time
Cillian and Lorcan appear together in 3 published lists, across 112 years of shared records. Cillian held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Lorcan in 0.
The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Lorcan 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.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2009, Cillian moved ahead of Lorcan in Northern Ireland · Boys — #98 and #97 the year before became #83 and #93.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Cillian and Lorcan changed places 5 times in England and Wales · Boys between 1996 and 2024, ending at #177 and #691.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 28 shared years in Northern Ireland · Boys, Cillian and Lorcan averaged 48.1 places apart, ending at #2 and #54.
- Longest-running competitions
Cillian and Lorcan were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 55 years, from 1970 to 2025, ending at #9 and #125.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Cillian #2 in 2024, Lorcan #31 in 2023.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys55 shared years, 1970–2025
Cillian held the stronger position in 40 of those years, Lorcan in 15.
Highest recorded here: Cillian #4 in 2024, Lorcan #87 in 2015.
The order changed in 1990: Cillian moved ahead. In 1989 they stood at #107 and #101; by 1990 that had become #100 and #111.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Cillian #9, Lorcan #125.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Cillian held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Lorcan in 14.
Highest recorded here: Cillian #177 in 2024, Lorcan #481 in 2002.
The order changed in 2014: Cillian moved ahead. In 2013 they stood at #730 and #730; by 2014 that had become #550 and #597.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Cillian #177, Lorcan #691.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Cillian held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Lorcan in 11.
Highest recorded here: Cillian #2 in 2024, Lorcan #31 in 2023.
The order changed in 2009: Cillian moved ahead. In 2008 they stood at #98 and #97; by 2009 that had become #83 and #93.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Cillian #2, Lorcan #54.
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 | Lorcan |
|---|---|---|
| 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, IE |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #9 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #125 (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); Lorcan does not have one recorded yet.
- Cillian and Lorcan both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Cillian; Lorcan doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, 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
Lorcan
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #147 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — 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: #31 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2023 (recorded 1997–2024).
Northern Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #125 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys