The first name Gladys
A girl’s name from Welsh meaning “country”.
Pronounced /ˈɡlædɪs/ 2 syllables Female
Meaning and origin
Welsh origin
Gladys means “country” in Welsh.
Anglicized from Welsh Gwladus, of uncertain origin, perhaps connected with gwlad (“country”).
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 4 girls were named Gladys, making it the 4,867th most popular girls’ name. It peaked in 2004, with 8 births (#2,278).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Gladys with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Gladys at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 49 girls born in the United States were named Gladys, the 3,224th most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 1920, when 8,819 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Nicknames and spellings
Nicknames for Gladys
- Glad
Other spellings and forms
- Gwladys
Famous people named Gladys
41 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Gladys WestAmerican mathematician (1930–2026)
- Gladys KnightAmerican singer (born 1944)
- Gladys CooperBritish actress (1888-1971)
- Gladys GeorgeAmerican actress (1904–1954)
- Gladys BentleyAmerican blues singer, 1907–1960
- Gladys BerejiklianAustralian politician, born 1970
- Gladys EganActress (1900-1985)
- Gladys BrockwellAmerican actress (1893-1929)
- Gladys PyleAmerican politician (1890-1989)
- Gladys DavisFencer (1893–1965)
- Gladys MarínChilean activist (1937-2005)
- Gladys EmersonAmerican historian, biochemist and nutritionist (1903–1984)
More Welsh girls’ names
Questions
- What does the name Gladys mean?
- Gladys means “country” in Welsh.
- What is the origin of the name Gladys?
- Anglicized from Welsh Gwladus, of uncertain origin, perhaps connected with gwlad (“country”).
- How popular is the name Gladys?
- In 2025, 4 girls born in England and Wales were named Gladys, ranking 4,867th. Its peak was 2004, with 8 births.
- What are nicknames for Gladys?
- Common nicknames for Gladys include Glad.
- Is Gladys a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a girl's name: 100% of the 267,741 US babies named Gladys since 1880 were girls.
- When was Gladys most popular?
- 1920 in the United States, when 8,819 babies were named Gladys, its highest rank at 22nd.
- How do you pronounce Gladys?
- Gladys is /ˈɡlædɪs/, 2 syllables.
- What are other spellings of Gladys?
- Gwladys.