Gil
A diminutive of the male given name Gilbert.
Every Gil since 1914 — 4,971 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Gil
Gil is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #4,917 in 2025 with 20 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1914, 4,971 American babies have been named Gil. Its peak came in 1957, when 124 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1950s.
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 Gil stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Gil year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 20 | #4,917 |
| 2024 | 27 | #4,016 |
| 2023 | 31 | #3,654 |
| 2022 | 22 | #4,606 |
| 2021 | 18 | #5,196 |
| 2020 | 23 | #4,318 |
| 2019 | 27 | #3,934 |
| 2018 | 29 | #3,737 |
| 2017 | 34 | #3,335 |
| 2016 | 32 | #3,468 |
| 2015 | 32 | #3,462 |
| 2014 | 32 | #3,403 |
| 2013 | 24 | #4,102 |
| 2012 | 37 | #3,074 |
| 2011 | 33 | #3,328 |
| 2010 | 40 | #2,924 |
| 2009 | 34 | #3,288 |
| 2008 | 51 | #2,485 |
| 2007 | 44 | #2,735 |
| 2006 | 67 | #1,996 |
| 2005 | 42 | #2,633 |
| 2004 | 56 | #2,113 |
| 2003 | 47 | #2,290 |
| 2002 | 41 | #2,441 |
| 2001 | 40 | #2,446 |
| 2000 | 47 | #2,150 |
| 1995 | 48 | #1,820 |
| 1990 | 51 | #1,622 |
| 1985 | 44 | #1,512 |
| 1980 | 61 | #1,167 |
| 1975 | 49 | #1,217 |
| 1970 | 55 | #1,106 |
| 1965 | 91 | #773 |
| 1960 | 99 | #768 |
| 1955 | 74 | #858 |
| 1950 | 52 | #962 |
| 1945 | 43 | #977 |
| 1940 | 27 | #1,296 |
| 1935 | 15 | #1,869 |
| 1930 | 12 | #2,354 |
| 1925 | 5 | #4,482 |
| 1920 | 10 | #2,851 |
| 1915 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
Famous people named Gil
- Gil Vicente Writer · 1465–1536
- Gil Eanes Explorer
- Gil Evans Musician · 1912–1988
- Gil Álvarez Carrillo de Albornoz Religious figure · 1310–1367
- Gil Amelio Computer scientist · b. 1943
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Gil mean?
A diminutive of the male given name Gilbert.
How popular is the name Gil in 2025?
Gil ranked #4,917 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 20 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Gil?
4,971 babies have been named Gil in the United States since 1914, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Gil most popular?
Gil peaked in 1957, when 124 newborns received the name.
Is Gil a boy or girl name?
Gil is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Gil rising or falling?
Gil has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Gil?
Well-known people named Gil include Gil Vicente (writer), Gil Eanes (explorer), Gil Evans (musician).