Jiles

Meaning & origin

Jiles is a rare, phonetic variant of Giles that saw modest use in the late 19th and early 20th centuries but has since become uncommon. It first appeared in U.S. records in 1892, and its peak came in 1905, reflecting a time when traditional saints' names were common yet open to spelling variation. After declining through much of the 20th century, the name has been slowly rising again since 2002, possibly as part of the revival of early-1900s names. Despite this recent uptick, Jiles remains very rare, with only about 1 in every 213,510 boys receiving the name in 2025. Its revival is centered on the 1900s decade, but it has not yet gained a foothold in any particular state. Parents today might choose Jiles for its vintage sound and connection to the more familiar Giles, offering a distinctive yet historically grounded choice.

Jiles is a variant of Giles, itself an English form of the French name Gilles. Gilles derives from the Latin Aegidius, which comes from the Greek Aigidios, meaning 'kid' or 'young goat'. The name was popularized in medieval Europe by the cult of Saint Giles, a 7th-century hermit. Jiles, with a 'J' initial, emerged as a phonetic spelling variant, especially in 19th- and early 20th-century America.