Gladys
Girl nameGladys has been given to 267,741 babies in the U.S. since 1880. It peaked in 1921.
Meaning & origin /ˈɡlædɪs/
Anglicized from Welsh Gwladus, of uncertain origin, perhaps connected with gwlad (“country”).
Origin: Welsh
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Popularity over time births per year, 1880–2025
Total babies
267,741
Peak year
1921 (8,837 babies)
Rank in 2025
Below top 1000
First recorded
1880
10-year trend
▼ -41%
Gender split
100% girls / 0% boys
Rank through the decades
Gladys's rank among U.S. girl names at 25-year milestones.
| Year | Girls rank | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1900 | #21 | #636 |
| 1925 | #33 | — |
| 1950 | #182 | — |
| 1975 | #551 | — |
— means outside the top 1000 that year.
Famous people named Gladys
Mary Pickford
Canadian actress and producer (1892–1979)
Jean Arthur
American actress
Gladys West
American mathematician (1930–2026)
Gladys Cooper
British actress (1888-1971)
Notability data from Wikidata (CC0).
Names with a similar vibe
Same primary gender, peaked around the same years, and roughly as common as Gladys.
FAQ
How popular is the name Gladys?
Gladys has been given to 267,741 babies in the U.S. since 1880. It ranked below the top 1000 in 2025.
When did the name Gladys peak?
Gladys peaked in 1921, when 8,837 babies were given the name.
Is Gladys a girl or boy name?
Gladys is primarily a girl name (100% of babies named Gladys are girls).
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