Cillian vs Ruadhan
Cillian and Ruadhancompared 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 Ruadhan #81 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Cillian was ranked #9 and Ruadhan #676 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Cillian was ranked #83 and Ruadhan #535 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2025, Cillian was ranked #217 and Ruadhan #2664 among boys in England and Wales.
Cillian and Ruadhan over time
Cillian and Ruadhan appear together in 3 published lists, across 56 years of shared records. Cillian held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Ruadhan in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Ruadhan 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.
- Mirrored each other
Over 30 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Cillian rose about as far as Ruadhan fell — from #290 and #320 in 1973 to #9 and #676 in 2025.
- Longest-running competitions
Cillian and Ruadhan were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 30 years, from 1973 to 2025, ending at #9 and #676.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Cillian #2 in 2024, Ruadhan #81 in 2024.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys30 shared years, 1973–2025
Cillian held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Ruadhan in 0.
Highest recorded here: Cillian #9 in 2025, Ruadhan #169 in 2017.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Cillian #9, Ruadhan #676.
Northern Ireland · Boys16 shared years, 2004–2024
Cillian held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Ruadhan in 0.
Highest recorded here: Cillian #2 in 2024, Ruadhan #81 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Cillian #2, Ruadhan #81.
England and Wales · Boys10 shared years, 2005–2025
Cillian held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Ruadhan in 0.
Highest recorded here: Cillian #177 in 2024, Ruadhan #2512 in 2017.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Cillian #217, Ruadhan #2664.
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 | Ruadhan |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Cillian has a recorded origin (Irish); Ruadhan does not have one recorded yet.
- Cillian and Ruadhan both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Cillian; Ruadhan 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 #217 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Boys
Ruadhan
Popularity journey
First recorded1973
First recorded at #320 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1973 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded2004–2024
Highest recorded position: #81 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2024 (recorded 2004–2024).
Northern Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #2664 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Boys