boy's name
Gilles
ZHEEL
- Origin French
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 1
- Letters 6
- Popularity Rare
- Births on record 176,246
Gilles is a French boy's name from a Greek word for a young goat — by way of the aegis, the goatskin shield of Athena. It ranks in France alone, at 6039th, well down from a 1959 peak.
- Gilles is a name of French origin.
- Peaked in France in 1959, when 7,525 babies were given the name.
- It has been falling over the past decade in France.
- Today about 1 in 117,911 babies in France is given this name.
- First appears in birth records in 1900.
- 1 syllable, with the stress on syllable 1.
Gilles over time
Births per decade in France, 1900s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1900s | 305 |
| 1910s | 420 |
| 1920s | 1,700 |
| 1930s | 5,010 |
| 1940s | 16,710 |
| 1950s | 56,605 |
| 1960s | 61,930 |
| 1970s | 22,705 |
| 1980s | 7,825 |
| 1990s | 1,830 |
| 2000s | 465 |
| 2010s | 160 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 40 |
What Gilles means
Gilles means a young goat, or a kid. The Greek word passed through the shield made of goatskin, so the name reaches protection by way of the animal it was cut from.
Where Gilles comes from
Gilles descends from Aegidius, from the Greek aigidion, a kid — a diminutive of aix, a goat. The aegis was a goatskin shield or breastplate carried by Zeus and Athena, which is why the English phrase under the aegis of means under someone's protection. Saint Giles was a hermit of Provence who was said to have been wounded by a hunter's arrow meant for the hind that fed him, and he became the patron of the disabled; churches named for him stand outside city walls because they served those who could not enter. The English Giles is the same name.
Gilles in use
Gilles peaked in France in 1959, when 7,525 babies were registered, and is falling in our data. It charts in exactly one of the six markets we track, at 6039th in France on 5 births, across 176,246 lifetime births. Nine of the twenty-two names in this group are French, and Gilles has fallen further from its peak than any of them.
How popular is Gilles?
In 2025, Gilles was given to 5 babies in France. It is a rare choice.
Where Gilles is used
French counts are rounded to the nearest five and nothing below five is published, so these figures show the shape of the name's use rather than an exact tally. Data & sources.
Names that peaked alongside Gilles
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Gilles also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Gilles over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
1 nickname for Gilles
Each one is a name in its own right — the figure underneath is how it is doing today, so you can see which short forms are rising and which have faded.
Gilles in other languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling names for Gilles
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Gilles — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Gilles
What does the name Gilles mean?
A young goat — the Greek aigidion, by way of the goatskin aegis.
Is Gilles the same as Giles?
Yes, the French and English forms of Aegidius.
What is the aegis?
The goatskin shield of Zeus and Athena, which is why under the aegis of means under protection.
How is Gilles pronounced?
ZHEEL — one syllable, with the s silent.
How popular is the name Gilles?
In 2025, Gilles was given to 5 babies in France. It is a rare choice.
Is Gilles a girl's or a boy's name?
Gilles is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Gilles?
Gilles has 1 syllable.
When was Gilles most popular?
Gilles peaked in 1959, when 7,525 babies were given the name. It has been falling over the past decade.
What are the nicknames for Gilles?
Gilles is usually shortened to Gil.
Is Gilles a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Gilles currently ranks #6,039 in France. It has been falling over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.