Total births
935
Boys' name · since 1887
Gilman
Gilman has 935 recorded births since 1887 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1918 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- 935
- total births
- 1887–1993
- years on record
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 22%
- born in that decade
Gilman sits outside today's top ranks for boys, with 935 recorded since 1887.
Gilman has 935 recorded births among boys since 1887, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, though it falls outside today's most-used boys names, busiest in the 1920s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1887 to 1993.
- 935 total births
- 1887–1993 years on record
- 1920s peak decade
- 22% born in that decade
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
935 boys have been named Gilman since 1887, peaking in the 1920s, last recorded in 1993.
- 935
- total births
- 1887–1993
- years on record
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 22%
- born in that decade
1920s
Peak decade
22% of everyone ever named Gilman was born in this single decade.
1918
Single peak year
34 babies were named Gilman in 1918 - its busiest year on record.
Gilman's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Gilman's full recorded timeline at 1937, 41% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 59% in the earlier half -- a fairly even split across the full record. Its quietest year on record was 1903, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1918 peak of 34 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Gilman at a glance
Last recorded 1993Peak year
1918
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1887
Gilman popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1887–1993
- Peak year (1918)
- 34
- Annual births at peak, across 107 years of records
Gilman by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1920s was Gilman's strongest decade.
206 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 22% of all-time use.
Gilman births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 6
1880s
6 births
- 1900s 12
1900s
12 births
- 1910s
1910s
188 births
- 1920s
1920s
206 births
- 1930s
1930s
182 births
- 1940s
1940s
183 births
- 1950s
1950s
92 births
- 1960s 55
1960s
55 births
- 1980s 5
1980s
5 births
- 1990s 6
1990s
6 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 206 births (22% of all-time use).
How Gilman compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Gilman's total volume
Gilman vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Gilman by state
Where Gilman concentrates geographically, total births since 1887
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Maine | | 168 | 18.0% |
| #2 | Minnesota | | 18 | 1.9% |
| #3 | North Dakota | | 5 | 0.5% |
| #4 | Wisconsin | | 5 | 0.5% |
Maine share of Gilman's total US births 18.0%
Even split
168 of 935 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 4 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Gilman? ▼
Since 1887, Social Security records show 935 babies named Gilman. The most recent recorded year was 1993. Its busiest year on record was 1918, with 34 births.
When was Gilman most popular? ▼
Gilman was most popular in the 1920s decade with 206 total births. The single peak year was 1918.
Where is Gilman most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Gilman are Maine (168 births), Minnesota (18 births), North Dakota (5 births).
How long has the name Gilman been used? ▼
Records for Gilman go back to 1887, giving 107 years of history through 1993.
What names are similar to Gilman? ▼
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 Gilman's data
- Gilman's decade-level peak was the 1920s (206 total births); usage has since declined to 6 in the 1990s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Maine records the most Gilmans (168 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Maine names
- 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 Gilman
Nearby Names Like Gilman
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Gilman
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 Gilman side by side: Gilman vs Gilbert Gilman vs Gilberto Gilman 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, 1887–1993 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Gilman: Baby Name Since 1887 - 935 Births, Peak 1918." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/gilman. 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 Gilman 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.