Gilles

The first name Gilles is a French short form of Ägilius, a phonetic variant of the name Ägidius, which has the meanings 'the shield bearer' or 'the shield holder'. The origin of the name lies in the ancient Greek term aigis, which originally means 'goat skin'. In Greek mythology, it also refers to the famous storm shield of Zeus, made from goat skin.

What does the name Gilles mean?

Gilles, a masculine first name, is a French short form of Ägilius, which is considered a phonetic variant of Ägidius and carries the meanings 'the shield bearer' or 'the shield holder'. The name has its roots in the ancient Greek word aigis, which stands for 'goat skin' and in Greek mythology also describes the storm shield of Zeus, made from goat skin. The English equivalent is Giles, while in Spanish and Portuguese the form Gil is used.

Where does the name Gilles come from?

The name Gilles has its origins in ancient Greek and means 'the shield bearer' or 'the shield holder'. The ancient Greek word aigis is composed of the terms for goat skin and the shield of Zeus. The language of the name is French.

How do you pronounce Gilles?

The pronunciation of Gilles is soft and elegant and can be described as one to two syllables. In German pronunciation, the name is usually pronounced as 'Schil' [ʒil] or French [ʒil], starting with a voiced fricative sound that gives it a fine timbre. The short vowel ensures clarity, while the dark ending gives the name stability. As a result, Gilles appears stylish, rich in tradition, and present - simple in structure and clear in sound.

When is the name day of Gilles?

The name day of Gilles is celebrated on September 1.

Popularity

In Germany, Gilles is a rather rare first name. Currently, it ranks 5,840th on the list of the most common male first names. Its highest placement was in 2005 when it reached 163rd place. In the last ten years, Gilles has been given as a first name less than 10 times, placing it 7,203rd in the ten-year statistics. Between 2010 and 2024, it ranks 5,098th.

Nicknames & pet names

Giletto / Giller / Gillerine / Gilli / Gillou / Gillu / Shill

Famous people

• Gilles Bettmer (Luxembourgish football player)
• Gilles Clement (American botanist)
• Gilles Colin (Belgian football player)
• Gilles Corrozet (French historian)
• Gilles de Corbeil (French physician)
• Gilles de Paris (French writer)
• Gilles Deleuze (French postmodern philosopher)
• Gilles Dewaele (Belgian football player)
• Gilles Dumas (French rugby player)
• Gilles Garcin (French painter)
• Gilles Gaston Granger (French philosopher)
• Gilles Gratton (Canadian ice hockey player)
• Gilles Mimouni (Japanese film director)
• Gilles Müller (tennis player from Luxembourg)
• Gilles Mussard (French artist)
• Gilles Naturel (jazz musician from France)
• Gilles Panizzi (French rally driver)
• Gilles Peycelon (French football player)
• Gilles Queneherve (French sprinter)
• Gilles Ruyssen (Belgian footballer)