I love this name, but I'm worried about the possible nicknames 'Kill' or 'Killer'. Should I be deterred from a name I love by a potentially violent nickname? My searches tell me this name originally meant either 'Strife', 'Fierce', or 'Church.'
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I think it's kind of a no-win situation...in elementary school, he almost certain will be nn "Killer" or at least "kill-yuns." And when he's older, there will be a strong association with a certain red beer (if they're still making it).
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You can't let potential nicknames stop you. They may not even end up being his nickname. So, if you love the name use it.
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Well, my automatic name association would be the beer...but then again, I do have a nephew named Jameson whose name I love and obviously that's an Irish alcohol as well. But I feel like having James in there makes it sound more like, well, a name. And Killian doesn't have that going for it since having the word Kill in it doesn't help its case.
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I don't like it, it reminds me of the beer. Also, I know too many dogs with this name
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People will call him whatever yoy call him, at least until school. And then the nicknames they come up might not even be name based. If you love the name, go for it.
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I don't love it. I think people will shorten it to "Kill" even if you try to avoid it, and that would be enough to take it off the list for me.
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DH loved that name and I really like it but I vetoed it because if the nickname issues.
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I dont love the name, I cant get past the Kill part let alone the beer. Sorry
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The beer part doesn't bother me- I know brothers named Porter and Jameson! But I couldn't get past the kill thing.
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I kindof like it but I also don't like that it starts with "kill"
so I wouldn't use it. Perhaps you would like Kieran, Cian, Kiernan, Kellan, Julian, Keenan, Elliott, Keegan or even spelled Cillian? Though people would probably try to pronounce it Sillian 
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Maybe go with Kellen. Same sound without the association.
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I don't think the nicknames are an issue but it definitely reminds me of the beer.
I kind of like it as a middle name, though.
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I love the name Killian. I've been watching Witches of East End and there's a hottie on that show with that name.
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@mrs. Jacks great suggestion.
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@Adira: I totally almost brought up Killian from Witches of East End
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@TheReelDeal: haha, glad I'm not the only one!
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Thanks everyone! The beer association doesn't bother me at all, if anything it makes me feel better about the nicknames because at least most people will have heard it before. We already have a daughter we're not allowing nicknames for (she has nicknames just not variations of her name. It's a double name and we're just correcting anyone who tries to shorten it to just the first name.)
I really like the name though, we'll see how much the nicknames keep nagging at me. They don't bother DH at all.
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Have you thought about spelling it Cillian? It's still pronounced the same way but at least in writing it alleviates some of the other connotations to me. I know a 14-month old Cillian and I never would have thought of the beer or the killer-type nicknames!
ETA: sorry I missed that Dreamocracy included this in her suggestions above!
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It reminds me of the beer.
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@JCCovi: I really like it! I don't know if you're religious at all, but there's a St Killian. That's what I thought of first!
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I like it! Nicknames don't bother me. Kids are pretty creative and they probably won't even go for the obvious. I think that's the name of Hook from Once Upon a Time.
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I love it! If people called him "Kill" I would hear it as "Kil" with only 1 L. And that's enough of a difference to me. The nickname "killer" is a REAL stretch, IMHO.
Go for it! :}
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I like it. I have a friend whose last name is Killoran which is similar.
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I like it, particularly spelled Cillian. I understand your hesitation but I actually think the nickname "Killer" (if it occurred) would be used mostly in jest and not that detrimental.
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I personally don't like the nickname and/or beer association.
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I like the name, know one in real life, cant imagine killer catching on as a nickname and had never heard of the beer!
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@Fronkinzankinsbride: yes I agree- killer wouldn't bother me as people clearly wouldn't be calling him an actual murderer. . Like lady killer. We have a Killian in the extended family and they call him Killy, Kil and other non-name nicknames.
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I like Killian and "Killer Kil" is actually a cool nickname. There's a rapper with a similar moniker and it means he has skills, which is positive.
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I usually prefer traditional names, but I'm really digging Killian!
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Yes and I like the back nicknames too! I think they are badass!
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I actually just mentioned the name Killian to my DH last night. It makes me think of the beer but I wouldn't worry about the nicknames. I am not a fan of the alternate spelling though, Cillian doesn't look right to me and I think people would mispronounce it all the time.
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I am neutral on the name-- if you like it, of for it!
Side note: I would not spell is Cillian, though.... When I see that I read it as "Sillian", and I think most people could.
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Not a fan of the name due to what kids can do with it (meanies), but I like Mrs. Jack's suggestion!
so I wouldn't use it. Perhaps you would like Kieran, Cian, Kiernan, Kellan, Julian, Keenan, Elliott, Keegan or even spelled Cillian? Though people would probably try to pronounce it Sillian 
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33 comments