Gillian
Girl name · #3308 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Gillian? In official American birth records, Gillian has been tracked continuously since 1922, giving it 103 years of documented American history.
Gillian ranks #3308 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 47 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #1743, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 38,298 girls born in 2025 was named Gillian.
The 103-year story
Gillian first appears in the Social Security records in 1922, when 5 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1999, when 1,022 girls were named Gillian — good for #303 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Gillian per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Gillian against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Gillian in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Gillian is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Gillian will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Gillian is most common
State-level data for Gillian is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Gillian
Statistically, parents drawn to Gillian tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Kameron, Regan, Simran, Caitlyn, and Kaitlynn.
KameronReganSimranCaitlynKaitlynnCamerynJillianChristian
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Gillian | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 47 | #3296 |
| 2024 | 52 | #3081 |
| 2023 | 51 | #3181 |
| 2022 | 52 | #3123 |
| 2021 | 51 | #3157 |
| 2020 | 52 | #3061 |
| 2019 | 59 | #2814 |
| 2018 | 88 | #2145 |
| 2017 | 81 | #2283 |
| 2016 | 105 | #1908 |
| 2015 | 120 | #1743 |
| 2014 | 125 | #1684 |
| 2013 | 120 | #1725 |
| 2012 | 166 | #1392 |
| 2011 | 188 | #1266 |
| 2010 | 211 | #1153 |
| 2009 | 251 | #1037 |
| 2008 | 339 | #834 |
| 2007 | 366 | #790 |
| 2006 | 362 | #758 |
| 2005 | 420 | #659 |
| 2004 | 513 | #556 |
| 2003 | 638 | #467 |
| 2002 | 761 | #388 |
| 2001 | 863 | #348 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Gillian?
In official American birth records, the name Gillian first appeared in 1922 (over 103 years ago), when 5 newborn girls received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 103 years.
Is Gillian a popular girl name?
Gillian ranked #3308 among girls in 2025 with 47 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1743.
When was the name Gillian most popular?
Gillian peaked in 1999, when 1,022 American girls received the name (ranked #303 that year). Since 1999 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Gillian?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 38,298 newborn American girls was named Gillian. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.