Total births
147
Unisex name · since 1914
Gilliam
147 babies named Gilliam in U.S. Social Security records since 1914, with the highest year being 1920. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- 147
- total births
- 1914–1988
- years on record
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 32%
- born in that decade
Gilliam is not among the current top-ranked boys names; 147 have been recorded since 1914.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Gilliam has been recorded 147 times among boys since 1914, though it is not among the currently most-used boys names, with its heaviest use in the 1920s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1914 to 1988.
- 147 total births
- 1914–1988 years on record
- 1920s peak decade
- 32% born in that decade
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
147 boys have been named Gilliam since 1914, peaking in the 1920s, last recorded in 1988.
- 147
- total births
- 1914–1988
- years on record
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 32%
- born in that decade
1920s
Peak decade
32% of everyone ever named Gilliam was born in this single decade.
1920
Single peak year
9 babies were named Gilliam in 1920 - its busiest year on record.
Gilliam's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Gilliam's full recorded timeline at 1932, 50% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 50% in the earlier half -- a fairly even split across the full record. Its quietest year on record was 1924, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1920 peak of 9 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Gilliam at a glance
Last recorded 1988Peak year
1920
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1914
Gilliam popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1914–1988
- Peak year (1920)
- 9
- Annual births at peak, across 75 years of records
Gilliam popularity over time - girls
10 total births recorded since 1982 (Gilliam as girls' name)
Gilliam by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1920s was Gilliam's strongest decade.
47 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 32% of all-time use.
Gilliam births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s
1910s
21 births
- 1920s
1920s
47 births
- 1930s
1930s
27 births
- 1940s 6
1940s
6 births
- 1950s
1950s
35 births
- 1970s 6
1970s
6 births
- 1980s 5
1980s
5 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 47 births (32% of all-time use).
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Gilliam? ▼
147 babies have been named Gilliam since 1914. It was last recorded in 1988. The peak year was 1920 with 9 births.
When was Gilliam most popular? ▼
Gilliam was most popular in the 1920s decade with 47 total births. The single peak year was 1920.
Is Gilliam a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Gilliam is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 147 births, and as a girl's name it has 10 births.
How long has the name Gilliam been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Gilliam since 1914 -- 75 years through the most recent 1988 data.
What names are similar to Gilliam? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Gilbert, Gilberto, Gil, Giles, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Gilliam's data
- Gilliam's decade-level peak was the 1920s (47 total births); usage has since declined to 5 in the 1980s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Gilliam
Nearby Names Like Gilliam
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Gilliam
Gilbert Boy
#1387 130,148 births
Gilberto Boy
#1433 28,642 births
Gil Boy
#3998 4,971 births
Giles Boy
#5069 4,732 births
Gilford Boy
1,225 births
Compare Gilliam side by side: Gilliam vs Gilbert Gilliam vs Gilberto Gilliam vs Gil
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1914–1988 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Gilliam: Baby Name Since 1914 - 147 Births, Peak 1920." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/gilliam. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Gilliam draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.