Gladys
Anglicized from Welsh Gwladus, of uncertain origin, perhaps connected with gwlad (“country”).
Every Gladys since 1880 — 267,741 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Gladys
Gladys is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #3,224 in 2025 with 49 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 267,741 American babies have been named Gladys. Its peak came in 1921, when 8,837 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1920s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Gladys stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Gladys year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 49 | #3,224 | — | — |
| 2024 | 45 | #3,473 | — | — |
| 2023 | 61 | #2,796 | — | — |
| 2022 | 64 | #2,709 | — | — |
| 2021 | 62 | #2,760 | — | — |
| 2020 | 78 | #2,293 | — | — |
| 2019 | 64 | #2,693 | — | — |
| 2018 | 45 | #3,454 | — | — |
| 2017 | 73 | #2,472 | — | — |
| 2016 | 72 | #2,508 | — | — |
| 2015 | 83 | #2,265 | — | — |
| 2014 | 74 | #2,453 | — | — |
| 2013 | 69 | #2,578 | — | — |
| 2012 | 81 | #2,322 | — | — |
| 2011 | 81 | #2,306 | — | — |
| 2010 | 103 | #1,950 | — | — |
| 2009 | 120 | #1,797 | — | — |
| 2008 | 135 | #1,659 | — | — |
| 2007 | 160 | #1,462 | — | — |
| 2006 | 207 | #1,175 | — | — |
| 2005 | 203 | #1,145 | — | — |
| 2004 | 186 | #1,203 | — | — |
| 2003 | 190 | #1,141 | — | — |
| 2002 | 198 | #1,074 | — | — |
| 2001 | 184 | #1,136 | — | — |
| 2000 | 184 | #1,108 | — | — |
| 1995 | 282 | #726 | — | — |
| 1990 | 448 | #529 | — | — |
| 1985 | 256 | #692 | — | — |
| 1980 | 290 | #629 | — | — |
| 1975 | 310 | #551 | — | — |
| 1970 | 366 | #523 | 5 | #4,993 |
| 1965 | 581 | #378 | — | — |
| 1960 | 860 | #320 | — | — |
| 1955 | 1,226 | #231 | 6 | #3,654 |
| 1950 | 1,526 | #182 | — | — |
| 1945 | 1,708 | #141 | — | — |
| 1940 | 2,246 | #116 | 11 | #2,231 |
| 1935 | 3,147 | #78 | 16 | #1,783 |
| 1930 | 5,066 | #48 | 25 | #1,476 |
| 1925 | 7,231 | #33 | 29 | #1,369 |
| 1920 | 8,819 | #22 | 13 | #2,377 |
| 1915 | 7,857 | #21 | 29 | #1,225 |
| 1910 | 3,842 | #15 | 20 | #663 |
| 1905 | 2,996 | #14 | 17 | #578 |
| 1900 | 2,733 | #21 | 16 | #636 |
| 1895 | 1,464 | #41 | 6 | #1,019 |
| 1890 | 525 | #82 | — | — |
| 1885 | 91 | #197 | — | — |
| 1880 | 20 | #370 | — | — |
Famous people named Gladys
- Gladys Knight Singer · b. 1944
- Gladys Cooper Actor · 1888–1971
- Gladys George Actor · 1904–1954
- Gladys West Mathematician · b. 1930
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Gladys mean?
Anglicized from Welsh Gwladus, of uncertain origin, perhaps connected with gwlad (“country”).
How popular is the name Gladys in 2025?
Gladys ranked #3,224 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 49 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Gladys?
267,741 babies have been named Gladys in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Gladys most popular?
Gladys peaked in 1921, when 8,837 newborns received the name.
Is Gladys a boy or girl name?
Gladys is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Gladys rising or falling?
Gladys is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Gladys?
Well-known people named Gladys include Gladys Knight (singer), Gladys Cooper (actor), Gladys George (actor).