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Gilman

♂ Boy

Pronounced GIL-muhn /ˈɡɪl.mən/High

Meaning: Gilman is an English surname turned given name, usually explained as 'servant of Gille' or 'servant of Saint Giles', from a medieval personal name plus man, 'servant'. As a first name it was a family-honoring surname passed down the generations.Low

In 30 seconds: Gilman is an English surname name, likely 'servant of Giles' (said 'GIL-muhn'). It was a rare boys' choice used to carry a family name forward.

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Origin LowEnglish

MeaningGilman is an English surname turned given name, usually explained as 'servant of Gille' or 'servant of Saint Giles', from a medieval personal name plus man, 'servant'. As a first name it was a family-honoring surname passed down the generations.

U.S. rank (1993)#7984 ↘ Falling

1993 U.S. births6 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year1918

Total births (all-time)≈ 935

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

Gilman arose as an English occupational or patronymic surname, most often read as 'servant of Gille' or of Saint Giles, joining a short personal name to man, 'servant'. Like many such surnames it drifted into first-name use among American families keeping an ancestral name alive.

It was never common as a given name — a scattered few dozen boys a year at its faint early-century peak — and it reads as solid, patrician and old-fashioned. It sits among the surname names that could plausibly revive but has not yet done so in real numbers.

Did you know? Gilman lends its name to prep schools and college halls across the American Northeast, a mark of its life as a distinguished family surname before it was ever a first name.

Overall data confidence 50%

References — Gilman — English surname; 'servant of Gille/Saint Giles'

Variations

GillmanGilmann

Nicknames

Gil

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Gilman…

Gilbert— shares the Gil- opening and vintage feel

Sherman— a fellow -man English surname given name

Harmon— another sturdy surname used as a first name

Chapman— a like occupational surname of the same style

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Gilman mean?

Gilman is an English surname name, likely meaning 'servant of Gille' or 'servant of Saint Giles'.

How do you pronounce Gilman?

It's said GIL-muhn /ˈɡɪl.mən/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Gilman a boy or girl name?

Gilman is used as a boy's name.

How popular is Gilman?

Gilman has always been rare in the U.S., a surname name most seen in the early twentieth century.