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Cullan
How to Pronounce Cullan
Pronounced KUL-uhn /ˈkʌlən/Medium
Meaning: Cullan is a spelling of Cullen, an Irish surname from O Cuilinn, meaning descendant of Cuilinn, a name tied to the holly tree. As a first name it carries that green, evergreen sense from the parent surname.Low
Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data
U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.
SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.
History & Origin
Cullan is a variant spelling of Cullen, an Irish surname from O Cuilinn, meaning descendant of Cuilinn, a personal name linked to cuileann, the holly tree. Like many Irish surnames it moved into first-name use as parents embraced surname names. It appears in United States records from the early 1980s and reached a quiet high in the mid-1990s, given to only a couple dozen boys a year.
A Cullan from that mid-1990s high is now around thirty. The standard Cullen drew a boost from popular fiction, and this spelling rides along as an uncommon variant with the same crisp, Irish-rooted sound.
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Frequently Asked
What does the name Cullan mean?
It is a variant of Cullen, an Irish surname from O Cuilinn, tied to the holly tree.
How do you pronounce Cullan?
It's said KUL-uhn /ˈkʌlən/, two syllables.
Is Cullan a boy or girl name?
Cullan is used as a boy's name.
How popular is Cullan?
It has always been rare, a Cullen variant given to only a couple dozen boys a year at its peak in the mid-nineties.