Mumsnet Talk

I came across this name and really love it, especially with the Gillie for short (in Scottish means 'keeper of rivers' or something like that) My husband is Scottish and we have an Archie, and a Harry, our surname also starts with a G and would flow really well. What does anyone else think?

good call

Thanks, it has so many shortenings, in fact probably would not end up being Gilbert mostly, it can also be Bert or Bertie I realised.

If you particularly like 'Gillie', then Ghillie is actually a Scottish first name for boys and I know a few. It's lovely.

If you are writing it down I would use Gil rather than Gill because Gill is short for Gillian.

I knew a boy called Gillie when I was at primary school many many moons ago. His family were Italian and his full name was Gilberto.

It was a cool name for a cool boy. I still remember him and I'm sure it's because of his name.

Thanks for that, Ghillie is lovely. Yes I didn't think about the Gill/Jill sound of the girls name association, Gil it is

I don't like it at all.Gilbert is a very unattractive name imho. There is something nice about Ghillie though.

Ghillie reminds me of ghilie-suits (special army camouflage clothes), but unless a lot of people watch CSI or in the military it probably doesn't matter

and you might get some (older) generation start going on about Gilbert and Sullivan

but yes, I like it!

Gilbert is great

A child in dd1's swimming class has a brother called Gilbert, they call him Gil. I saw a class list one day and realised their surname is Blythe!

Lke it. I prefer Gil to Ghillie or Gillie though.

Traditional nickname for Gilbert is Gibbie.

I like it, but I can see that others might have Issues...

Oh I automatically thought of Anne of green gables too. at Gilbert Blythe!

Lovely name.

Gibbie! Like wing commander Guy "Gibbie" Gibson in the damnbusters?! Very cool.

I will always love Gilbert Blythe

Oh, and I'd definitely spell the shortened version Gil. Or he'll get called Jill.

I used to work for a Gilbert, very successful but a foul temper. He was known as Gil (but we used to call him Bertie Bag On behind his back).

Love the name Gil & Gilbert though.

Have to be honest I'm not keen on Elliot, it's a bit weak.

Love it, it's cool.

Gilbert is great

Like Gil but not Gilbert (but can't think of anything else for Gil!). Don't like Gillie.

I love Gil
It's top of my boys list.
Can also be short for Gilon but think I would just go Gil.
Reminds me of To Kill A Mocking Bird. Also Gil Scott Herron

Gilbert is lovely.

My ds1's middle name is Gilbert, as is my baby cousin's. Both named for my grandfather who was an amazing man who sadly died for too soon.

I toyed with it as a first name but it wasn't quite right for him. I love it though.

My first thought was Blythe, too.

Don't like Gilbert but I like Gil. If ghillie is an actual name then I'd go for that. I thought it was a type of gamekeeper.