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Gillis
How to Pronounce Gillis
Pronounced GIL-is /ˈɡɪl.ɪs/Medium
Meaning: Gillis is a Scandinavian and Scottish form of Giles, from the Latin Aegidius and Greek aigidion, a young goat, also linked to the aegis or protective shield; it serves as both a surname and a given name and reached America with Swedish and Scottish families.Low
Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data
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
Gillis entered American records with Swedish and Scottish settlement, touching a modest high around 1923. Outside those families it stayed rare, both a surname and a given name.
It was never common, given to only a couple dozen boys a year even at its peak, and it stayed closest to immigrant communities. The name keeps its heritage plainly, its roots reaching back through Giles to the Greek.
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Frequently Asked
What does the name Gillis mean?
It is a Scandinavian and Scottish form of Giles, from a Greek word for a young goat, also linked to the protective aegis or shield.
How do you pronounce Gillis?
It is said GIL-is /ˈɡɪl.ɪs/, two syllables stressed on the first.
Is Gillis a boy or girl name?
Gillis is used as a boy's name.
How popular is Gillis?
It has always been rare, given to only a couple dozen boys a year at its peak in the early twentieth century.