Gill
Gill: name meaning, origin and popularity
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈd͡ʒɪl/ · /ˈɡɪl/
Meaning and origin of Gill
Root meaning: “ravine, glen”
- A diminutive of the male given names Giles, Julian, and William, of medieval usage.
- A diminutive of the female given name Gillian, variant of Jill.
- A male given name transferred from the surname, of modern usage.
Etymology
As an English surname, converged from variants of Giles (sometimes through Dutch), Julian, and William. * As a northern English surname, from Middle English gil (“ravine, glen”), from Old Norse gil. The Old Norse is also a source of the Norwegian surname. * As an Irish and Scottish Gaelic surname, variant of McGill. * Also as an Irish surname, variant of Gall. * As a Jewish/Israeli given name, as well as surname, from Hebrew גיל (“joy”). * As a German surname, variant of Gilger. * As a Sikh Punjabi surname originating in India, from ਗਿੱਲ (gill, “moisture”).
How popular is Gill?
Since 1880, 56 girls and 1,218 boys in the U.S. have been named Gill (4% girls). Its highest rank for girls was #4451 in 1964. Its highest rank for boys was #1037 in 1884. Fewer than 5 babies per sex were given the name in 2025, so it does not appear in that year's SSA data.
Names similar to Gill
Names that start with the same letters, most popular first.
More Surname boy names
Sibling name ideas for Gill
Sister and brother names that share Gill's Surname roots and are still in the U.S. top 1,000.
Gill FAQ
What does the name Gill mean?
Gill traces back to a root meaning "ravine, glen". A diminutive of the male given names Giles, Julian, and William, of medieval usage. A diminutive of the female given name Gillian, variant of Jill. A male given name transferred from the surname, of modern usage. As an English surname, converged from variants of Giles (sometimes through Dutch), Julian, and William. * As a northern English surname, from Middle English gil (“ravine, glen”), from Old Norse gil. The Old Norse is also a source of the Norwegian surname. * As an Irish and Scottish Gaelic surname, variant of McGill. * Also as an Irish surname, variant of Gall. * As a Jewish/Israeli given name, as well as surname, from Hebrew גיל (“joy”). * As a German surname, variant of Gilger. * As a Sikh Punjabi surname originating in India, from ਗਿੱਲ (gill, “moisture”).
What is the origin of the name Gill?
Gill is listed as a name of Surname (transferred from a surname) origin.
How popular is the name Gill?
Since 1880, 56 girls and 1,218 boys in the U.S. have been named Gill (4% girls). Its highest rank for girls was #4451 in 1964. Its highest rank for boys was #1037 in 1884. Fewer than 5 babies per sex were given the name in 2025, so it does not appear in that year's SSA data.
Is Gill a boy or girl name?
Gill is mostly a boy name in the U.S.: 56 girls and 1,218 boys since 1880.
Popularity data: U.S. Social Security Administration baby name data, 1880–2025 (names given to 5+ babies per year). Origin and etymology text: Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.