Giles

At a Glance: Name: Giles – Meaning: young goat – Origin: Greek, via Latin and Old French – Gender: primarily used for boys – Pronunciation: JYLES

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Giles comes from Greek, passed down through Latin and Old French, and its meaning is ‘young goat.’ You might come across the claim that Giles means ‘a great man,’ but that's not accurate — the name actually traces to Saint Giles and the Greek word for young goat, not to any word tied to greatness. If you want a name with a clear, verifiable backstory rather than a flattering guess, Giles has one.

Meaning & Origin of Giles

Meaning: Young goat.

Origin: Greek, via Latin and Old French.

A common claim: Giles means 'a great man' Actually: Not supported by the etymology — Giles actually traces to Greek for 'young goat,' via Saint Giles.

Source: Wiktionary, Wikipedia.

How to Pronounce Giles

Phonetic: JYLES   IPA: /dʒaɪlz/

Popularity of Giles

Giles hit its high point on the SSA list in 1881, ranking #367 with 21 babies given the name that year; by 2024 it had dropped to #5104, with just 19 babies named Giles.

Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 1880–2024.

Make Giles Name Art

Free printable nursery art for Giles, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.

Names With a Similar Story

Derived from shared style, era, and origin data (or, for names we have no style data for, a similar Social Security popularity trajectory) — not a hand-picked list.

• Nelle
• Celestino
• Alys
• Arda
• Ary
• Daisie

FAQ

What does the name Giles mean?

Young goat. (Source: Wiktionary, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Giles)

How do you pronounce Giles?

Giles is pronounced JYLES (IPA: /dʒaɪlz/).

Is Giles a popular name right now?

Giles peaked at #367 in 1881 and is ranked #5104 as of 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1880–2024.)

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