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Home β€Ί Baby Names Directory β€Ί Gil

Gil

β™‚ Boy

Pronounced GIL /ˈɑΙͺl/High

Meaning: From Hebrew gil, 'joy, happiness', or a short form of Gilbert, 'bright pledge'; routes layeredMedium

In 30 seconds: Joy in one syllable: Gil is Hebrew for 'joy, happiness' β€” and a crisp short form of Gilbert, 'bright pledge'. Bright, warm, and classic.
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Origin MediumHebrew, German
MeaningFrom Hebrew gil, 'joy, happiness', or a short form of Gilbert, 'bright pledge'; routes layered
U.S. rank (2025)#4917 β†˜ Falling
2025 U.S. births20 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year1957
Total births (all-time)β‰ˆ 4,971

Popularity in the U.S. Β· SSA data

peak 195719142025

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Gil comes from Hebrew gil, 'joy, happiness', and serves as a short form of Gilbert β€” Germanic 'bright pledge' (routes layered, which we note). A crisp, friendly name across cultures.

It registers thinly in records. Rare, joy-or-bright-pledge at the root, and warm.

Did you know? Gil means 'joy' in Hebrew (the root of Gila and Gilad) β€” and also shortens Gilbert, 'bright pledge'; baseball's Gil Hodges made it a stateside favorite.
Overall data confidence 72%
Behind the Name β€” Gil β€” routes layered

Variations

GillGiladGilbert

Nicknames

β€”

Famous Bearers

  • β˜…Gil Scott-Heron (1949-2011)
    American soul and jazz poet and musician known as a pioneer of spoken word and hip-hop
  • β˜…Gil Evans (1912-1988)
    Canadian-American jazz musician and composer who collaborated extensively with Miles Davis
  • β˜…Gil Gerard (1943-)
    American actor best known for playing Buck Rogers in the TV series Buck Rogers in the 25th Century
  • β˜…Gil Hodges (1924-1972)
    American professional baseball player and manager, Baseball Hall of Fame inductee
  • β˜…Gil Kane (1926-2000)
    American comic book artist known for his work on Green Lantern and The Amazing Spider-Man

If you like Gil…

Gilbertβ€” the name it shortens
Gideonβ€” a companion Hebrew name
Kalβ€” echoes that soft -l sound
Calβ€” echoes that soft -l sound
Kolβ€” shares Gil's Hebrew roots

Explore names like Gil

By themeuncertainhebrewnickname-namegerman
By meaningLightJoy

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Gil mean?

Gil is Hebrew for 'joy', and a short form of Gilbert, 'bright pledge'; the routes are layered.

How do you pronounce Gil?

It's said GIL /ˈɑΙͺl/ β€” a single syllable.

Is Gil a boy or girl name?

Gil is a boy's name.

How popular is Gil?

Gil is a rare name in the U.S.

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