Baby Names US
boys' name ★ peaked 1928

Gilles

Meaning A male given name from French Gender Boy Rank 2025 Below top lists

A male given name from French.

Rank 2025
–
among boys
Babies in 2025
<5
named Gilles
How common
–
boys born in 2025
Peak year
1928
13 babies
All-time total
359
#9,615 all-time among boys
First recorded
1923
in Social Security records

Gilles popularity over time

359 babies have been named Gilles since 1923, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
00.010.010.0218801900192019401960198020002020Peak 1928Boys

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Boys Per year Change Best rank
1880s – – – –
1890s – – – –
1900s – – – –
1910s – – – –
1920s 35 4 – #2,316
1930s 60 6 +71% #2,442
1940s 75 8 +25% #2,072
1950s 82 8 +9% #2,422
1960s 58 6 -29% #2,604
1970s 33 3 -43% #4,603
1980s 10 1 -70% #6,911
1990s – – – –
2000s 6 1 – #9,685
2010s – – – –
2020s (to 2025) – – – –

The story of Gilles

Gilles is not currently in use for newborns in the United States: fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.

Since 1923, 359 American babies have been named Gilles. Its peak came in 1928, when 13 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1920s.

The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Gilles stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Gilles?

The median living Gilles is about 67 years old; half are between 58 and 75. An estimated 200 people named Gilles are alive in the United States today.

median 67 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Gilles year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year Boys Boys rank
2025 – –
2024 – –
2023 – –
2022 – –
2021 – –
2020 – –
2019 – –
2018 – –
2017 – –
2016 – –
2015 – –
2014 – –
2013 – –
2012 – –
2011 – –
2010 – –
2009 – –
2008 – –
2007 – –
2006 – –
2005 – –
2004 – –
2003 – –
2002 – –
2001 6 #9,685
2000 – –
1995 – –
1990 – –
1985 5 #6,911
1980 – –
1975 6 #5,028
1970 5 #4,991
1965 – –
1960 5 #4,258
1955 10 #2,650
1950 5 #3,883
1945 7 #2,847
1940 5 #3,649
1935 10 #2,442
1930 – –
1925 – –
1920 – –
1915 – –
1910 – –
1905 – –
1900 – –
1895 – –
1890 – –
1885 – –
1880 – –

Famous people named Gilles

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

  1. 1 Gilles de Rais Gilles de Rais Medieval French nobleman and convicted serial killer 1405–1440 · Medieval
  2. 2 Gilles Villeneuve Gilles Villeneuve Canadian racing driver (1950–1982) Contemporary
  3. 3 Gilles Deleuze Gilles Deleuze French philosopher (1925–1995) Contemporary
  4. 4 Gilles Lellouche Gilles Lellouche French actor (born 1972) Contemporary
  5. 5 Gilles Simon Gilles Simon French tennis player (born 1984) Contemporary
  6. 6 Gilles Grimandi Gilles Grimandi French footballer (born 1970) Contemporary
  7. 7 Gilles Duceppe Gilles Duceppe Canadian politician (born 1947) Contemporary
  8. 8 Gilles Kepel Gilles Kepel French political scientist and Arabist (born 1955) Contemporary
  9. 9 Gilles Müller Gilles Müller Luxembourgish tennis player b. 1983 · Contemporary
  10. 10 Gilles Binchois Gilles Binchois Franco-Flemish Renaissance composer (c. 1400–1460) Medieval
  11. 11 Gilles De Bilde Gilles De Bilde Belgian footballer b. 1971 · Contemporary
  12. 12 Gilles Sunu Gilles Sunu Togolese-French footballer (born 1991) Contemporary
  13. 13 Gilles Yapi Yapo Gilles Yapi Yapo Ivorian footballer (born 1982) Contemporary
  14. 14 Gilles Andriamahazo Gilles Andriamahazo Malagasy politician, brief head of state of Madagascar in 1975 1919–1989 · Contemporary
  15. 15 Gilles de Roberval Gilles de Roberval French mathematician (1602–1675) 17th century
  16. 16 Gilles Grangier French film director (1911–1996) Contemporary
  17. 17 Gilles Leroy Gilles Leroy French writer (born 1958) Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Gilles, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Gilles?

The median living Gilles is about 67 years old. Half of all living Gilless are between 58 and 75 years old.

How many people named Gilles are alive today?

An estimated 200 people named Gilles are alive in the United States, based on 359 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Gilles mean?

A male given name from French.

How popular is the name Gilles in 2025?

Gilles did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.

How many people are named Gilles?

359 babies have been named Gilles in the United States since 1923, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Gilles most popular?

Gilles peaked in 1928, when 13 newborns received the name.

Is Gilles a boy or girl name?

Gilles is overwhelmingly a boy's name: 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Gilles rising or falling?

Gilles has been roughly stable over the past decade.

Who are famous people named Gilles?

Well-known people named Gilles include Gilles de Rais (extremist), Gilles Villeneuve (racing driver), Gilles Deleuze (philosopher).

Names like Gilles

Names that sound and feel close to Gilles: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Gilles with similar names → More names starting with G →