Gil
Gil is a masculine given name. In English it is often a diminutive form (hypocorism) of Gilbert. Another version of this name is Gill. In Spanish, Gil is the equivalent of English Giles, and as such a common baptismal name honouring Saint Giles.
Meaning & Origin of Gil
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Gil is a masculine given name. In English it is often a diminutive form (hypocorism) of Gilbert. Another version of this name is Gill. In Spanish, Gil is the equivalent of English Giles, and as such a common baptismal name honouring Saint Giles.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Gil
Gil first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1914, with 12 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1957, when 124 Gils were born — ranking #685 that year. As of 2026, Gil ranks #3,731 for baby boys with 30 births, gradually rising (+6%). In total, more than 5K Gils have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1910s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Notable people named Gil
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Gil Amelio (born 1943), technology executive and former CEO of Apple Inc.
- Gil Baiano (born 1966), Brazilian retired footballer
- Gil Bellows (born 1967), Canadian actor
- Gil Birmingham (born 1953), American actor
- Gil Brandt (1932–2023), American football executive
- Gil Brother (1957 – 2023), Brazilian actor, humorist, dancer and YouTuber
- Gil Cohen (disambiguation) , several people
- Gil de Ferran (1967 – 2023), French-born Brazilian racing driver and team owner
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Gil
Phonetically similar names — useful when Gil is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Gil
What does the name Gil mean?
How popular is Gil in 2026?
When was Gil most popular?
In which U.S. states is Gil most popular?
Is Gil a unisex name?
What names go well with Gil?
About the name Gil
Gil is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1914 and has accumulated 5K births in the dataset. Gil's peak popularity came in 1957 when it ranked #685. Use the chart and map above to compare Gil's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1957 →
- Names of the 1950s →
- Names starting with "G" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.