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Gillan

Boy name · 16 babies recorded · 1974–2025

Gillan: 16 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to boys, peaking at 6 births in 1980.

A fresh and melodic name, Gillan is a Scottish variant of Gillian, itself a feminine form of Julian, ultimately from the Roman family name Julius, meaning "youthful" or "downy-bearded." While its use in Scotland is modern, it shares roots with the more common Gillian, famously borne by actress Gillian Anderson, known for her role in *The X-Files*, and musician Gillian Welch, a celebrated folk singer-songwriter. The name also echoes the Irish/Gaelic surname Ó Giolláin, meaning "descendant of the servant." Perhaps the most famous bearer is Gillan, the lead singer of the rock band Deep Purple, whose stage name shortened his surname to become a first name. This gives Gillan a lively, artistic edge distinct from its more traditional counterparts.

Boy 3 of 52 years

Peak year
19806 babies
Latest (1982)
#2366 babies
Total births
16since 1980
5-year trend
≈ stablevs prior 5y
1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 1980 · 6
Births per year in Scotland. Missing years had a count of 2 or fewer (suppressed by NRS).