Gil

Gil is a male first name that is commonly used as a short form of Giles in Spanish and Portuguese-speaking regions. The name originally derives from Ägidius and means "the shield bearer."

What does the name Gil mean?

The name Gil is a Spanish and Portuguese short form of Giles, which has its origin in Ägidius. Its meaning is "the shield bearer." The term has its roots in the ancient Greek word aigís ‎(αἰγῐ́ς), which means "goat skin" and in Greek mythology also refers to the storm shield of Zeus, made from goat skin. This shield was used by Zeus and Athena to create lightning and thunder as well as the night. Furthermore, Gil is also a short form of the name Gilbert, which means "the shining sprout." Additionally, Gil is an abbreviation of Frisian names that begin with "Gild-"; here the name means "the rewarding" or "the paid." In Hebrew, the name stands for "the joy." Gil is common in many countries as both a first name and a surname. The popularity of the name has risen due to Saint Ägidius, who lived as a hermit in the 7th and 8th centuries and later served as the abbot of St-Gilles in southern France, and is counted among the 14 Holy Helpers. Other forms of Ägidius include Ägid, Aegidius, Egid, and Egidius.

Where does the name Gil come from?

The name Gil has its roots in ancient Greek and means "the shield bearer." The ancient Greek

How do you pronounce Gil?

The pronunciation of Gil is monosyllabic and is clearly rendered as "Gil" [ɡɪl]. The bright, short i-sound is central and is framed by soft consonants. The final l provides a gentle closure to the name. This makes Gil minimalistic and friendly – simple, yet sonically balanced.

When is the name day of Gil?

The name day for Gil is celebrated on February 4, February 11, June 8, October 1, October 24, and November 27.

Popularity

In Germany, Gil is a common first name. In 2021, it ranked 3,549th on the list of the most common male first names. The highest ranking was achieved in 2008 with position 195. In the last ten years, Gil has been given as a first name about 30 times, placing it 4,394th in the ten-year statistics. Between 2010 and 2024, it ranks 3,978th.

Nicknames & pet names

Gili / Gillette / Gillii / Gilly / Gilskoftsi

Famous people

• Gil Adamson (British author)
• Gil Álvarez Carillo de Albornoz (c. 1295–1367, Spanish cardinal)
• Gil Askey (composer from America)
• Gil Baiano (Brazilian footballer)
• Gil Birmingham (actor)
• Gil Blumenshtein (* 1990, Israeli football player)
• Gil Bouley (American football player)
• Gil Cardinal (Canadian film director)
• Gil Coggins (jazz musician from the USA)
• Gil Courtemanche (1943–2011, Canadian journalist and author)
• Gil de Andrade (fencer from Poland)
• Gil de Hontanon (Spanish architect)
• Gil Dobie (American football player)
• Gil Dobrica (Romanian singer)
• Gil Eanes (15th century, Portuguese navigator and explorer)
• Gil Elvgren (artist from America)
• Gil Garrido (Panamanian baseball player)
• Gil Goldstein (American musician)
• Gil Hatfield (American baseball player)
• Gil Jae (philosopher from Canada)