Holding steady.
Popularity of Gillis since 1900
Babies named Gillis per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1923, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Gillis's real moment was 1900.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1900s | 10 |
| 1910s | 98 |
| 1920s | 138 |
| 1930s | 117 |
| 1940s | 120 |
| 1950s | 127 |
| 1960s | 61 |
| 1970s | 25 |
| 1980s | 10 |
| 1990s | 0 |
| 2000s | 6 |
| 2010s | 0 |
| 2020s | 0 |
Meaning & origin
Gillis is a Scandinavian masculine name with deep historical roots, though its current usage in the United States is virtually nonexistent. According to Social Security data, Gillis last appeared on the male naming charts in 1900, when it ranked 571st and was given to an average of 20 babies annually. Its peak year was 1900, which is also its first recorded year in the SSA dataset. Since then, the name has remained off the charts, suggesting it is primarily used within families preserving Scandinavian heritage. Many other names of similar Nordic origin, such as Lars and Sven, have seen modest revivals, but Gillis has not experienced the same resurgence.
Derived from the Old Norse name Gilla, a short form of names beginning with gill, meaning 'servant'. The full form Gillis, also spelled Gilis, was common in medieval Scandinavia and was brought to the English-speaking world by Scandinavian immigrants. In some cases, it may also be a Dutch variant of Giles, from the Latin name Aegidius.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Gil
Variants: Gilis, Gilles
Sibling names for Gillis
Names that share Gillis's style, for a brother or sister.
