Gladys
Gladys is a female given name from the Welsh name Gwladus or Gwladys, which is of uncertain meaning. It was the name of Gwladys, a Welsh queen who lived in the late 5th century and early 6th century and became a Christian saint. The name was also used for other Welsh noblewomen, but declined in use in Wales after 1500.
- Welsh
- English
- French
- Spanish
Meaning & Origin of Gladys
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Gladys is a female given name from the Welsh name Gwladus or Gwladys, which is of uncertain meaning. It was the name of Gwladys, a Welsh queen who lived in the late 5th century and early 6th century and became a Christian saint. The name was also used for other Welsh noblewomen, but declined in use in Wales after 1500.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- Welsh
- English
- French
- Spanish
The Story of Gladys
Gladys first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1880, with 20 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 1920: 8,819 births, good for #22 nationwide. The 1920s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 27% of all recorded Gladyss. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #3,632 among baby girl names with 42 births, falling sharply (-20%). In total, more than 267K Gladyss have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Gladys
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Gladys. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Notable people named Gladys
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Berniece Inez Gladys Baker Miracle (1919–2014), American writer and half-sister of actress Marilyn Monroe
- Gladys Adda (1921–1995), Tunisian communist and activist
- Gladys Afamado (1925–2024), Uruguayan visual artist, engraver, and poet
- Gladys Aller (1915–1970), American painter
- Gladys Ambrose (1930–1998), English actress
- Gladys Anderson , New Zealand artist
- Gladys Anoma (1930–2006), Ivorian scientist and politician
- Gladys Anslow (1892–1969), American physicist
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Gladys
Phonetically similar names — useful when Gladys is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Gladys
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About the name Gladys
Gladys is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 267K births in the dataset. Gladys's peak popularity came in 1920 when it ranked #11. Use the chart and map above to compare Gladys's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1920 →
- Names of the 1920s →
- Names starting with "G" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.