Gillian

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A feminine given name often used in English-speaking countries, typically referring to a person; a proper noun designating an individual female; a personal name commonly found in literature and everyday use
2. A female first name originating from English traditions, used primarily as an identifier for women; a proper noun assigned to females; a common choice for naming girls in various regions
3. A woman’s name derived from traditional English naming customs, applied as a personal identifier; a proper noun used to distinguish female individuals; a popular female given name in many English-speaking areas

Etymology: Gillian is a given name, and its story runs through a Latin name that was reshaped on the way into English. The name descends from the Latin "Juliana," a feminine form of "Julianus," which belonged to the Roman family name Julius. Through Old French, the name took the form "Jouliane" and then spread across Europe, where its forms multiplied: Juliana, Giuliana, Juliette and Julia are all relatives. In English the name settled into "Gillian," with the soft "j" sound of "Julian" turned into the "g" spelling and the sound of its first syllable preserved in the vowel. The "g" spelling reflects the Old French and Middle English habit of writing that sound with "g" before certain vowels. The name became popular in England and Scotland, where "Gill" and "Jill" emerged as short forms, and the latter is now often treated as a separate name.