Gillis
Every Gillis since 1900 — 712 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Gillis
Gillis 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 1900, 712 American babies have been named Gillis. Its peak came in 1923, when 20 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 Gillis stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Gillis 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 | #9,686 |
| 2000 | — | — |
| 1995 | — | — |
| 1990 | — | — |
| 1985 | 5 | #6,912 |
| 1980 | — | — |
| 1975 | — | — |
| 1970 | — | — |
| 1965 | 7 | #3,360 |
| 1960 | 8 | #3,177 |
| 1955 | 15 | #2,080 |
| 1950 | 14 | #2,063 |
| 1945 | 17 | #1,650 |
| 1940 | 9 | #2,557 |
| 1935 | 9 | #2,605 |
| 1930 | 13 | #2,225 |
| 1925 | 12 | #2,492 |
| 1920 | 15 | #2,171 |
| 1915 | 18 | #1,683 |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — |
| 1900 | 5 | #1,394 |
| 1895 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
Famous people named Gillis
- Gillis Grafström Skater · 1893–1938
- Gillis van Coninxloo Painter · 1544–1607
- Gillis Bildt Politician · 1820–1894
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
How popular is the name Gillis in 2025?
Gillis 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 Gillis?
712 babies have been named Gillis in the United States since 1900, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Gillis most popular?
Gillis peaked in 1923, when 20 newborns received the name.
Is Gillis a boy or girl name?
Gillis is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Gillis rising or falling?
Gillis has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Gillis?
Well-known people named Gillis include Gillis Grafström (skater), Gillis van Coninxloo (painter), Gillis Bildt (politician).