Gilly
Below 5 births
Below 5 births
About Gilly
Gilly is a name that's popped up from time to time in different contexts: As a nickname for Gillian, for instance, and as the name of a town in Switzerland. But it's increasingly associated with Hannah Murray's character Gilly in HBO's Game of Thrones, whom Sam Tarly rescued from Craster's Keep.
Gilly for girls
Despite her rough Wildling origins, Gilly has become one of the more charming, approachable characters on the show, and her name is just familiar enough that we can see it finding mainstream popularity. Spelled Gili, it's a unisex Hebrew name meaning "joy."
Gilly for boys
Gilly is a masculine name that originated as a diminutive of Gilbert (meaning 'bright pledge' from Germanic origins) or Gillian/Julian (from Greek, meaning 'youthful' or 'downy-bearded'). Historically used more as a nickname, Gilly has occasionally been adopted as a standalone given name. The name carries a playful, friendly quality with its soft sounds and -y ending. In contemporary culture, the name gained some recognition through the character Samwell Tarly's love interest in 'Game of Thrones.' While uncommon as a formal name for boys, Gilly has a gentle, approachable quality that contrasts with more traditionally masculine names, offering a distinctive option with historical roots.
Pronounced GIL-ee.
As of October 2026, Gilly ranked #14420 in US births in 2018 SSA.
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Gilly on lists
Famous Gillys
- Gilly Louise Scarlett FlahertyGirl
English footballer
- Gilly Helen ComanGirl
English actress
- Gilly FlowerGirl
English actress
Gilly in pop culture
- Galadriel "Gilly" HopkinsGirl
main character in "The Great Gilly Hopkins" by Katherine Paterson
- Geillis "Gilly" RamseyGirl
character in "Thornyhold" by Mary Stewart
- GillyGirl
character in the "Game of Thrones" series
- GillyGirl
character on "Saturday Night Live" played by Kristen Wiig