gillian
n. countable C2 Proficiency US //ˈdʒɪɫiən// gillian
n. an old-fashioned name for a girl or a sweetheart. It was common hundreds of years ago but is rarely used this way today.
n. a female sweetheart or girl. Historically used as a generic female counterpart to 'Jack'.
The old song tells of every Jack and his Gillian.
In medieval ballads, the name Gillian often appeared to represent any young woman of the common people.
The nursery rhyme 'Jack and Jill' is actually a later variation of the older pairing of Jack and Gillian, which served as a linguistic shorthand for an ordinary couple.
Usage
Often shortened to 'Jill' in modern contexts; the full form is now almost exclusively a proper name.