Killian or Kilian, as a
given name
A given name (also known as a forename or first name) is the part of a personal name quoted in that identifies a person, potentially with a middle name as well, and differentiates that person from the other members of a group (typically a f ...
, is an
Anglicized version of the
Irish name . The name was borne by several early Irish saints including missionaries to
Artois (France) and
Franconia
Franconia ( ; ; ) is a geographical region of Germany, characterised by its culture and East Franconian dialect (). Franconia is made up of the three (governmental districts) of Lower Franconia, Lower, Middle Franconia, Middle and Upper Franco ...
(Germany) and the author of the life of
St Brigid.
The name is said to derive from
Saint Kilian
Kilian, also spelled Cillian or Killian (or alternatively ; , original Gaelic form Ceallach), was an Ireland, Irish missionary bishop and the Apostle of Franconia (now the northern part of Bavaria), where he began his labours in the latter half ...
, an Irish missionary to Germany in the 7th century, who, according to the
Acta Sanctorum, was born in
Mullagh, County Cavan, Ireland c. 640. He departed for his mission to the continent with 12 apostles from Kilmacologue in the parish of
Tuosist, County Kerry, Ireland. In 689, he was martyred in
Würzburg
Würzburg (; Main-Franconian: ) is, after Nuremberg and Fürth, the Franconia#Towns and cities, third-largest city in Franconia located in the north of Bavaria. Würzburg is the administrative seat of the Regierungsbezirk Lower Franconia. It sp ...
, now in Bavaria, and subsequently became the city's patron saint.
The most likely meaning of the name is 'little church', a reference to someone prayerful or spiritual, meaning 'church' in the
Irish language
Irish (Standard Irish: ), also known as Irish Gaelic or simply Gaelic ( ), is a Celtic language of the Indo-European language family. It is a member of the Goidelic languages of the Insular Celtic sub branch of the family and is indigenous ...
, while the suffix is used affectionately to indicate a "pet" or diminutive status. Patrick Woulfe wrote that is a diminutive of which means 'war', 'strife', or 'bright-headed'.
Notable people named Cillian
*
Cillian Buckley (born 1992), an Irish hurler
*
Cillian Farrell (born 1977), an Irish hurling manager
*
Cillian McDaid (born 1997), an Irish Gaelic and Australian rules footballer
*
Cillian Morrison, an Irish Gaelic footballer
*
Cillian Murphy (born 1976), an Irish actor
*
Cillian O'Connor (born 1992), a Gaelic footballer for Mayo
*
Cillian Ryan, an economist and Pro Vice-Chancellor International, Nottingham Trent University
*
Cillian Sheridan (born 1987), an Irish professional footballer who plays for Kilmarnock
*
Cillian Twomey, a retired consultant physician in geriatric medicine at Cork University and St. Finbarr’s Hospital, Cork, Ireland
*
Cillian Vallely, an Irish musician
*
Cillian Willis (born 1985), a professional rugby union footballer employed by Leinster Rugby
Notable people named Killian
*
Killian Brady (born 1990), an Irish Gaelic footballer
*
Killian Brennan, an Irish footballer with the League of Ireland club St Patrick's Athletic
*
Killian Clarke (born 1993), an Irish Gaelic footballer
*
Killian Dain, ring name of Northern Irish professional wrestler Damian Mackle
*
Killian Donnelly, an Irish-born musical theatre performer
*
Aldrich Killian, supervillain and main antagonist of ''
Iron Man 3
''Iron Man 3'' is a 2013 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character Iron Man, produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. It is the sequel to ''Iron Man (2008 film), Iron Man'' (2008) an ...
''
*
Dan A. Killian, American college sports coach
*
Edwin Henry Killian (1876–1928), a Major League Baseball pitcher primarily of the Detroit Tigers
*
Eugene H. Killian (1873–1943), an American politician
*
George E. Killian, a sports administrator and the president of the International University Sports Federation
*
Gustav Killian (1860–1921), a German laryngologist for whom
Killian's dehiscence is named
*
James Rhyne Killian
James Rhyne Killian Jr. (July 24, 1904 – January 29, 1988) was the 10th president of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, from 1948 until 1959. He also held a number of government roles, such as Chair of the President's Intelligence A ...
(1904–1988), the 11th president of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
*
Jerry B. Killian, an officer in the Texas Air National Guard in the early 1970s, to whom Lieutenant George W. Bush was a subordinate
*
Richard Killian, an American businessman and politician
*
Robert K. Killian (1919–2005), an American politician from the state of Connecticut
*
Killian Scott, an Irish actor
*
Killian K. Van Rensselaer (1763–1845), member of the United States House of Representatives from New York
*
Killian Peier, Swiss ski jumper, 2019 World Championships medalist
*
Killian Tillie (born 1998), French basketball player
*
Killian Hayes (born 2001), American–French basketball player
Notable people named Kilian
*
Saint Kilian
Kilian, also spelled Cillian or Killian (or alternatively ; , original Gaelic form Ceallach), was an Ireland, Irish missionary bishop and the Apostle of Franconia (now the northern part of Bavaria), where he began his labours in the latter half ...
, Irish missionary bishop and the apostle of Franconia
*
Kilian Elkinson (born 1990), Bermudian footballer
*
Kílian Jornet Burgada, a Spanish ski mountaineer, long-distance runner, mountain biker and duathlete
*
Kilian Zierer (born 2000), German-born American football player
*
André Kilian, German-born footballer playing for North Queensland Fury
*
Caleb Kilian (born 1997), American baseball player
*
Crawford Kilian, Canadian novelist and a college professor
*
Hanns Kilian (1905–1981), German bobsledder who competed from the late 1920s to the late 1930
*
Inge Kilian (born 1935), German high jumper
*
John Kilian (1811–1884), Lutheran pastor and leader of the colony known as the Wends of Texas
*
Michael Kilian (1939–2005), author and journalist primarily for the Chicago Tribune in Washington, D.C
*
Victor Kilian (1891–1979), American actor blacklisted by the Hollywood movie studio in the 1950s
*
Wiesław Kilian, Polish politician
Notable people named Kylian
*
Kylian Hazard, Belgian footballer
*
Kylian Mash (born 1983), French DJ and record producer
*
Kylian Mbappé, French footballer
Notable people named Killion
*
John Joseph Killion (1859–1937), known as Jake Kilrain, famous bare knuckle fighter and glove boxer of the 1880s
*
Kyle Killion, American football linebacker
*
Redley A. Killion, Micronesian politician
*
Sean Killion, American swimmer
*
Tom Killion, American politician from Pennsylvania
References
{{given name
Irish masculine given names
Masculine given names