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Gillies

Boy name · 6 babies recorded · 1974–2025

Gillies: 6 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to boys, peaking at 3 births in 1996.

Though often seen as a surname, Gillies has a strong history as a given name in Scotland. It derives from the Scottish Gaelic *Gille* *Íosa*, meaning “servant of Jesus,” reflecting a common medieval practice of forming devotional names. The most famous bearer was the celebrated Scottish painter Sir John Gillies, a 19th-century watercolourist known for his Highland landscapes. Geographically, the name is woven into Scotland’s place-names, such as the village of Gillies in Argyll and Bute, though this may also echo the Gaelic *gille* for “servant” or “lad.” A close variant is Gilles, more common in France, but Gillies remains distinctly Scottish, with a warm, clan-like feel that connects to the Highlands’ deep Christian roots.