Giles
Fact sheet
- Name
- Giles
- Gender
- Boy name
- Syllables
- 2
The first name Giles is the English short form of Ägilius, a phonetic variant of Ägidius, which means 'the shield bearer' or 'the shield holder.' The origin of the name lies in the ancient Greek term aigis, which originally means 'goat skin' and in Greek mythology also refers to the storm shield of Zeus, which was made from goat skin.
What does the name Giles mean?
Giles is the English short form of Ägilius, a phonetic variant of Ägidius, and carries the meaning 'the shield bearer' or 'the shield holder.' The name's roots can be traced back to the ancient Greek word aigis, which means 'goat skin'; in Greek mythology, it also refers to the storm shield of Zeus, made from goat skin. The French equivalent is Gilles, while the Spanish and Portuguese variants are Gil.
Where does the name Giles come from?
The name Giles has ancient Greek origins and means 'the shield bearer' or 'the shield holder.'
How do you pronounce Giles?
The sound and pronunciation of Giles: The name is short and concise, usually pronounced in the German approximation as 'Dschails' [dʒaɪlz]. The diphthong gives the name a lively sound. The '-les' provides a slightly swinging yet clear ending, making Giles modern and striking - short, noticeable, and strongly English in character.
When is the name day of Giles?
The name day of Giles is celebrated on September 1.
Popularity
In Germany, Giles is a rather rare first name. It has not appeared in the German name popularity charts to date. Its best ranking was in 1975, reaching 267th place in the Irish name charts. In the last ten years, it has been given as a first name about 10 times there, resulting in a 1,158th place in the ten-year statistics. From 1964 to 2024, the name ranks 830th in Ireland.
Nicknames & pet names
Giggy / Gili / Gilli / Göll
Famous people
- Andrea Giles Rich (film director from the USA)
- Giles Barrington (fictional character from the Harry Clifton series)
- Giles Blunt (writer from Canada)
- Giles Carl (British illustrator)
- Giles Deacon (English designer)
- Giles Ecclestone (cricketer from Great Britain)
- Giles H. Miller (basketball player from America)
- Giles Haywood (English cricketer)
- Giles Kristian (English writer)
- Giles Lewin (violinist from Great Britain)
- Giles Lytton (fictional character)
- Giles MacDonogh (historian from Great Britain)
- Giles Matthey (actor from Australia)
- Giles Milton (British writer)
- Giles Reaves (musician from America)
- Giles Scott-Smith (historian from England)
- Giles Terera (English actor)
- Giles Tod (writer from America)
- Giles Toogood (Italian cricketer)
- Giles Tschudi (Swiss actor)
Frequently asked questions about the name Giles
What is the origin of the name Giles?
Giles has ancient Greek roots and is a short form of Ägidius. The name means 'the shield bearer' or 'the shield holder.'
What does the name Giles mean?
The name carries the meaning 'the shield bearer' or 'the shield holder.' It is derived from the ancient Greek word aigis, which is associated with 'goat skin' and the shield of Zeus.
How popular is the name Giles?
The popularity of the name Giles varies by region but is less common in many English-speaking countries compared to other variants like Giles or Gilles in France.