Total births
16,219
Boys' name · since 1915
Killian
Since 1915, U.S. Social Security records show 16,219 babies named Killian, peaking in 2017. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #371
- among boys today
- 16,219
- born since 1915
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 97%
- more common than other boys
16,219 babies have been named Killian since 1915, making it today's #371 boys' name.
Killian has 16,219 recorded births among boys since 1915, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #371 as of the latest data, more common than 97% of boys, busiest in the 2010s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1915 to 2025.
- #371 among boys today
- 16,219 born since 1915
- 2010s peak decade
- 97% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Killian is currently the #371 boys' name in America, more common than 97% of boys - 16,219 born since 1915, peaking in the 2010s.
- #371
- among boys today
- 16,219
- born since 1915
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 97%
- more common than other boys
Killian vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#371
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 97% of names given to boys today.
2010s
Peak decade
49% of everyone ever named Killian was born in this single decade.
2017
Single peak year
1,506 babies were named Killian in 2017 - its busiest year on record.
How Killian compares
16,219 Top 6% higher than 94% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Killian's all-time total is 44x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Killian | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 16,219 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 1,506 | 23 | 22,252 |
Killian's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Killian's SSA record in two at 2003 and the more recent half accounts for 90% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 10%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1915, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 2017 peak of 1,506, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Killian at a glance
Top 1,000 boys' namePeak year
2017
Current rank
#371
Active since
1915
Killian popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1915–2025
- Peak year (2017)
- 1,506
- Annual births at peak, across 111 years of records
Killian popularity over time - girls
615 total births recorded since 1986 (Killian as girls' name)
Killian by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2010s was Killian's strongest decade.
7,883 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 49% of all-time use.
Killian births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s 5
1910s
5 births
- 1920s 5
1920s
5 births
- 1980s 132
1980s
132 births
- 1990s 1,090
1990s
1,090 births
- 2000s 1,824
2000s
1,824 births
- 2010s
2010s
7,883 births
- 2020s
2020s
5,280 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 7,883 births (49% of all-time use).
How Killian compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Killian's total volume
Killian vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Killian by state
Where Killian concentrates geographically, total births since 1915
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 1,260 | 7.8% |
| #2 | Texas | | 1,053 | 6.5% |
| #3 | Florida | | 956 | 5.9% |
| #4 | New York | | 792 | 4.9% |
| #5 | Pennsylvania | | 769 | 4.7% |
| #6 | Ohio | | 728 | 4.5% |
| #7 | Washington | | 504 | 3.1% |
| #8 | North Carolina | | 499 | 3.1% |
California share of Killian's total US births 7.8%
Even split
1,260 of 16,219 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 50 reporting states.
Killian appears in 50 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Killian? ▼
16,219 babies have been named Killian since 1915. It currently ranks #371 among boys. The peak year was 2017 with 1,506 births.
When was Killian most popular? ▼
Killian was most popular in the 2010s decade with 7,883 total births. The single peak year was 2017.
Where is Killian most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Killian are California (1,260 births), Texas (1,053 births), Florida (956 births).
How long has the name Killian been used? ▼
Killian has been recorded in Social Security data since 1915, spanning 111 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Killian? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Kilian, Kiley, Kile, Kilan, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Killian's data
- Killian's usage has stayed within range of its 2010s decade-level peak (7,883 total births) through the 2020s (5,280) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- California records the most Killians (1,260 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Killian
Nearby Names Like Killian
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Killian
Kilian Boy
#1053 2,690 births
Kiley Boy
1,097 births
Kile Boy
1,065 births
Kilan Boy
#9390 138 births
Killua Boy
#5650 118 births
Compare Killian side by side: Killian vs Kilian Killian vs Kiley Killian vs Kile
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Killian
Sterling #370
37,474 births · Peak 2025
Grady #372
52,474 births · Peak 2008
Rylan #369
34,532 births · Peak 2011
Ricardo #373
146,456 births · Peak 1998
Desmond #368
40,031 births · Peak 1992
Stephen #374
864,739 births · Peak 1952
Russell #367
359,780 births · Peak 1960
Zander #375
28,750 births · Peak 2013
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1915–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Killian: #371 Boys' Name - 16,219 Births, Peak 2017." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/killian. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Killian draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.