Gid
Biblical name meaning "one who breaks through in battle".
Name Census estimates that about 15 living Americans carry the first name Gid. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Gid today is around 89 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Gid births was 1915 (12 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Gid. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Gid is about 89 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Gids were born before 1947.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Gid. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
15
~ 1 in 22,850,289 Americans
Peak year
1915
12 babies that year
Average age
89
years old
1949 SSA rank
#3,899
Tracked since 1884
Popularity
Gid: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Gid from the 1880s through to the 1940s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 34 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1920s peak, Gid remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Gid by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Gid during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Gid
The name Gid is believed to have originated from the Old English word "gid," meaning "slender" or "thin." It was a relatively common name among Anglo-Saxons during the early medieval period, typically given to boys with a slender or lanky build. The name is thought to have been derived from the Proto-Germanic root "*gaidaz," which carried a similar meaning of "lack" or "want."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Gid can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings and resources commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The book mentions a landowner named Gid in the county of Berkshire, suggesting that the name was in use among the English nobility during the Norman period.
In the 12th century, the name appeared in the writings of the renowned English chronicler and monk, William of Malmesbury. He mentioned a man named Gid who served as a priest in the abbey of Glastonbury, indicating that the name was also used within the clergy during the High Middle Ages.
One of the most notable historical figures bearing the name Gid was Gid the Bearded (c. 1120 - 1190), a renowned Welsh warrior and leader who played a significant role in the Welsh resistance against Norman incursions. He was celebrated for his valor and military prowess, and his exploits were chronicled in various medieval Welsh manuscripts and bardic poetry.
Another prominent individual with the name Gid was Gid de Courcy (c. 1145 - 1211), a Norman knight and crusader who participated in the Third Crusade. He was known for his bravery and military achievements, particularly his conquest of parts of Ireland in the late 12th century.
In the 16th century, Gid Farmer (c. 1530 - 1592) was a notable English yeoman and landowner in the county of Somerset. He was influential in local affairs and served as a magistrate, demonstrating the name's endurance among the English gentry during the Tudor period.
While the name Gid has diminished in popularity over the centuries, it has left an indelible mark on history, worn by warriors, clergymen, and local noblemen throughout the medieval and early modern eras, reflecting the diverse social strata in which the name was once prevalent.
People
Gid + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Gid as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with G
Other first names starting with G with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Gid: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Gid?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 15 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Gid going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 22,850,289 US residents.
Is Gid a common name?
We classify Gid as "Very Rare". It ranks above 35.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 117 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Gid most popular?
The single biggest year for Gid was 1915, when 12 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Gid is about 89 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Gid in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Gid a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Gid in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Gid still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Gid in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Gid can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people have Gid as a first name?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.