Gillian
Girl name · #3308 in 2025 · Uniqueness 77/100
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, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Gillian against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Gillian in class?
Gillian scores 77 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "rare" band. 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
Geography matters for names, and Gillian is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Gillians were CA (7), OH (6), TX (6). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
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
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. It scores 77/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.