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Gillian as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Gillian

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The baby name Gillian is a Female name , 3 syllables long and is pronounced /ˈdʒɪliən/ (JIL-ee-ən); also /ˈdʒɪljən/ (JIL-yən).

Gillian is English in Origin.

Gender: Female
Syllables: 3.0
Origin: English
Pronunciation: /ˈdʒɪliən/ (JIL-ee-ən); also /ˈdʒɪljən/ (JIL-yən)

What is the meaning of the name Gillian ?

The baby name Gillian is a Female name , 3 syllables long and is pronounced /ˈdʒɪliən/ (JIL-ee-ən); also /ˈdʒɪljən/ (JIL-yən).

Gillian is English in Origin.

Gillian is the medieval English feminine form of Julian, from Latin Iulianus (belonging to the Julian clan), ultimately related to Julius. The name is widely glossed as “youthful” or “downy-bearded,” reflecting the Latin root iulus for soft, first growth. Spelled with a soft G under Norman French influence, Gillian has long been pronounced the same as Jillian.

Used across medieval England as the standard female counterpart to Julian/Juliana, it later coexisted with the J-spelling as English orthography stabilized. The clipped pet form Jill became common, and the name enjoyed a 20th‑century revival in Britain and other English‑speaking countries. Notable bearers include Gillian Anderson and Gillian Flynn. Variants and diminutives include Jillian, Jill, Gill, and Gilly; cognates include Juliana, Juliane, and Giuliana. Occasionally confused with the Scottish Gaelic Gillean, it is etymologically unrelated.

Gillian has the following similar or variant Names

Famous people with the name Gillian

Gillian Jacobs Actor · Born 1982 · United States Gillian Jacobs is an American actor best known for her role as Britta Perry on the TV show Community. She has also appeared in the Netflix series Love and the horror film Fear Street Part One: 1994. Gillian Chung Actor · Born 1981 · People's Republic of China Gillian Chung is a well-known actor and singer from Hong Kong, part of the People's Republic of China. She gained fame as a member of the Cantopop duo Twins, alongside Charlene Choi. Some of her notable films include 'Beyond Our Ken' and 'The Twins Effect'. Gillian Vigman Actor · Born 1972 · United States Gillian Vigman is best known as an actress and comedian, especially for her work on MADtv and in Jack in the Box commercials as Jack Box's wife. She's also a screenwriter with a career spanning sketch comedy and television.
Gillian Gilbert Musician · Born 1961 · United Kingdom Gillian Gilbert is a musician from the United Kingdom, best known as a member of the band New Order. She contributed to hits like 'Blue Monday' and 'Bizarre Love Triangle'. Born in 1961, she played a key role in shaping the band's electronic sound. Gillian Lynne Actor · Born 1926 · United Kingdom Gillian Lynne was a British dancer and choreographer best known for her work on the musical 'Cats' and 'The Phantom of the Opera'. Her innovative choreography helped redefine modern musical theater. Born in 1926, she had a significant impact on the performing arts in the United Kingdom and beyond.

Celebrity babies named Gillian

Name Last Name(s) Mother Mother famous for Fame Level Father Father famous for Fame Level
Gillian Glover Roger Glover record producer

Gillian – Popularity by country

Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.

Country Gender Year Rank Born of
Ireland Girls 2023 #1 897
KR Girls 0 #15 1 572
MT 0 #42 2 1,767
MO 0 #52 1 2,706
CM 0 #55 2 2,592
LU 0 #66 1 2,830
CN 0 #83 4 3,857
JM 0 #87 7 3,714
TW 0 #101 3 4,523
SD 0 #102 1 2,130
PH 0 #105 6 5,607
QA 0 #105 2 7,011
BN Girls 0 #110 5 5,459
OM 0 #120 2 6,215
EC 0 #121 1 2,502
CY Girls 0 #122 4 3,755
MT Girls 0 #127 25 3,773
GR 0 #134 2 3,911
MU 0 #135 3 3,613
BW Girls 0 #138 11 4,216
PA 0 #138 1 3,797
BW Boys 0 #153 2 4,685
CR 0 #163 3 5,526
MT Boys 0 #179 1 4,064
AE 0 #180 8 10,220
JM Girls 0 #183 79 7,507
LU Girls 0 #189 2 4,850
DK 0 #204 3 5,198
NA Girls 0 #211 14 7,146
Belgium Boys 2002 #216 19 422
LU Boys 0 #220 1 4,970
HU Girls 0 #225 1 3,308
PS 0 #226 1 5,692
SG 0 #227 43 11,010
BG Girls 0 #231 1 3,559
GR Girls 0 #232 11 6,293
MO Girls 0 #241 11 7,056
GH 0 #247 2 5,396
JP Girls 0 #248 4 6,592
NA Boys 0 #251 3 6,830
TW Girls 0 #256 21 8,139
ZA 0 #259 192 14,421
NG 0 #270 3 5,926
Canada Girls 2024 #279 7 2,795
IL 0 #280 3 6,291
JM Boys 0 #293 1 6,876
HR Girls 0 #294 1 3,687
MY 0 #302 29 12,352
QA Girls 0 #307 10 15,378
SA 0 #310 3 10,560
CN Girls 0 #313 37 8,829
GH Girls 0 #315 10 6,973
DK Girls 0 #323 7 7,429
HK 0 #329 20 8,483
PE 0 #329 1 6,350
CN Boys 0 #331 1 9,639
MU Boys 0 #348 10 8,477
MU Girls 0 #358 5 8,539
SD Girls 0 #358 1 7,678
GH Boys 0 #361 1 8,138
PH Girls 0 #363 28 13,098
SG Girls 0 #371 223 18,916
NL 0 #372 20 2,481
OM Girls 0 #384 13 15,987
PH Boys 0 #402 7 11,440
France Boys 2016 #405 4 2,872
France Girls 2015 #411 3 3,223
EG 0 #412 1 6,387
UY Boys 0 #413 1 5,922
ZA Girls 0 #416 1,302 25,928
CL 0 #428 7 6,867
PT Girls 0 #440 12 7,952
Spain 0 #443 10 2,326
MX 0 #444 2 8,339
CM Girls 0 #457 84 11,671
PA Girls 0 #464 18 9,861
HK Girls 0 #495 121 16,104
AE Girls 0 #507 47 20,968
CO 0 #507 4 7,768
PS Girls 0 #513 11 10,981
RU Girls 0 #521 3 11,913
CR Girls 0 #523 10 11,342
IQ Girls 0 #524 2 11,303
RU Boys 0 #526 1 12,621
UY Girls 0 #534 3 6,731
IR Girls 0 #545 1 8,334
HK Boys 0 #554 4 12,905
KW Girls 0 #554 8 19,177
CM Boys 0 #571 5 12,054
BH 0 #583 5 17,937
IL Girls 0 #601 17 11,648
AR Girls 0 #630 1 8,289
BO Girls 0 #644 8 9,488
LB 0 #688 3 13,263
IT 0 #703 12 4,183
Finland Girls 2026 #728 11 3,895
NG Girls 0 #728 59 15,093
SG Boys 0 #735 5 17,960
BR Boys 0 #738 14 12,213
Germany Girls 0 #792 47 4,949
CL Girls 0 #794 58 14,098
MY Girls 0 #837 158 24,821
NL Girls 0 #862 94 5,933
NL Boys 0 #864 88 5,873
United States Girls 2024 #866 51 8,487
Spain Girls 0 #882 102 5,561
United States Boys 2016 #892 6 7,365
SA Girls 0 #917 19 25,931
PE Girls 0 #926 18 14,861
BR Girls 0 #930 12 12,708
CO Boys 0 #974 8 15,656
NG Boys 0 #999 3 16,906
EG Girls 0 #1,004 6 14,742
MX Boys 0 #1,033 1 16,355
CO Girls 0 #1,039 40 16,140
ZA Boys 0 #1,135 44 25,619
MX Girls 0 #1,162 22 17,781
MY Boys 0 #1,178 5 25,439
TR 0 #1,196 16 19,440
IT Girls 0 #1,360 87 9,415
SA Boys 0 #1,688 4 28,008

Gillian is popular in 62 countries — most recent births per country:

Ireland
France
Scotland, United Kingdom
Canada
United States

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People also ask about Gillian

Gillian is predominantly a girl's name.
Gillian is a 3 syllable name, pronounced /ˈdʒɪliən/ (JIL-ee-ən); also /ˈdʒɪljən/ (JIL-yən).
Common nicknames and spelling variations include Jillian, Jilian, Jill, Jilly, Gilly and Gill.
Yes, very popular — Gillian ranked #1 in Ireland in 2023, and appears in official birth registries across 7 countries.
Gillian ranks highest in Ireland (#1 in 2023).
Gillian's popularity is holding steady. It moved from #1 in 2015 to #1 in 2023 in Ireland.
Yes — 5 notable people named Gillian are in our database, including Gillian Jacobs (Actor), Gillian Chung (Actor), Gillian Vigman (Actor).
Yes — at least 1 celebrity couple has chosen Gillian for their child, including Roger Glover.