Namewise

Cillian vs Ruaidhri

Cillian and Ruaidhricompared 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 Ruaidhri #339 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2017, Cillian was ranked #16 and Ruaidhri #547 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2005, Cillian was ranked #1190 and Ruaidhri #3849 among boys in England and Wales.

Cillian and Ruaidhri over time

Cillian and Ruaidhri appear together in 2 published lists, across 53 years of shared records. Cillian held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Ruaidhri 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.

Ruaidhri 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 44 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Cillian rose about as far as Ruaidhri fell — from #207 and #254 in 1972 to #16 and #547 in 2017.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Cillian and Ruaidhri were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 44 years, from 1972 to 2017, ending at #16 and #547.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys44 shared years, 1972–2017

    Cillian held the stronger position in 42 of those years, Ruaidhri in 1.

    Highest recorded here: Cillian #16 in 2017, Ruaidhri #157 in 1978.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2017: Cillian #16, Ruaidhri #547.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys9 shared years, 2002–2024

    Cillian held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Ruaidhri in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Cillian #2 in 2024, Ruaidhri #192 in 2022.

    The order changed in 2007: Cillian moved ahead. In 2006 they stood at #243 and #243; by 2007 that had become #79 and #357.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Cillian #2, Ruaidhri #339.

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.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Cillian

Pairs where Cillian shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Cillian, Ruaidhri
FieldCillianRuaidhri
Record typeEditorially researched profileOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningProbably from Old Irish 'cell' (church) combined with a diminutive suffix.Not yet recorded
OriginIrishNot yet recorded
PronunciationNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageGB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IEGB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #9 (2025)Northern Ireland · Boys #339 (2024)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recordedNot yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)82/10076/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Cillian has a recorded origin (Irish); Ruaidhri does not have one recorded yet.
  • Cillian and Ruaidhri both have 2 syllables.
  • A meaning is recorded for Cillian; Ruaidhri 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

  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 #217 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys

Ruaidhri

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1971

    First recorded at #257 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1971 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1971–2017

    Highest recorded position: #157 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1978 (recorded 1971–2017).

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

  3. Most recent2024

    Most recently recorded at #339 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2024.

    Northern Ireland · Boys