Guilian
An Italian feminine name derived from the Biblical name Giulio.
Name Census estimates that about 7 living Americans carry the first name Guilian. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Guilian today is around 16 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Guilian births was 2010 (7 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Guilian. 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
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Guilian. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
7
~ 1 in 48,964,905 Americans
Peak year
2010
7 babies that year
Average age
16
years old
2010 SSA rank
#10,032
Tracked since 2010
Popularity
Guilian: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Guilian 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 Guilian during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 7 | 0 | 7 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Guilian
The given name Guilian has its roots in ancient Chinese culture, originating from the Mandarin Chinese language. The name traces its origins back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD), a golden age of Chinese civilization. Guilian is believed to be derived from the Chinese words "gui" meaning "precious" and "lian" meaning "lotus flower," symbolizing beauty, purity, and grace.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Guilian can be found in a collection of poems from the Tang Dynasty, where a poet used the name to describe a beautiful and talented courtly lady. This reference highlights the name's association with elegance and refinement during that era.
In ancient Chinese mythology, the lotus flower held significant symbolic meaning, often representing spiritual enlightenment and rebirth. The name Guilian may have been bestowed upon individuals to invoke these auspicious associations and bestow blessings upon the bearer.
Throughout Chinese history, several notable figures have borne the name Guilian. One such individual was Guilian, a celebrated poet and calligrapher who lived during the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127 AD). Her works were highly regarded for their emotional depth and artistic mastery.
Another prominent Guilian was a Buddhist nun who lived during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD). She was renowned for her wisdom, compassion, and dedication to the spiritual path, earning her the reverence of both scholars and commoners alike.
In the realm of literature, Guilian was the name of a fictional character in the classic Chinese novel "Dream of the Red Chamber," written in the 18th century. This Guilian was portrayed as a beautiful and talented young woman, embodying the virtues associated with the name.
During the Tang Dynasty, a skilled court painter named Guilian gained fame for her exquisite depictions of landscapes and botanical scenes. Her works were highly prized by the imperial court and are still celebrated as masterpieces of Chinese art.
While the name Guilian has its roots in ancient Chinese culture, it has transcended borders and found appreciation in other parts of the world, particularly among those who appreciate its connection to beauty, elegance, and spiritual symbolism.
People
Guilian + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Guilian 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
Guilian: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Guilian?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 7 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Guilian 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 48,964,905 US residents.
Is Guilian a common name?
We classify Guilian as "Very Rare". It ranks above 23.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 7 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Guilian most popular?
The single biggest year for Guilian was 2010, when 7 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Guilian is about 16 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 Guilian in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Guilian a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Guilian 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 Guilian still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Guilian 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 Guilian 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 the name Guilian?
See how many people have the name Guilian on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.