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Gladys as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Gladys

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The baby name Gladys is a Female name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced IPA: /ˈɡlædɪs/; respelling: GLAD-iss.

Gladys is Welsh in Origin.

Gender: Female
Syllables: 2.0
Origin: Welsh
Pronunciation: IPA: /ˈɡlædɪs/; respelling: GLAD-iss

What is the meaning of the name Gladys ?

The baby name Gladys is a Female name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced IPA: /ˈɡlædɪs/; respelling: GLAD-iss.

Gladys is Welsh in Origin.

Gladys is the Anglicized form of Welsh Gwladys/Gwladus, from gwlad “country, land,” with the feminine suffix -ys; medieval usage sometimes applied it poetically to a noblewoman, yielding the common gloss “princess.” The name is linked to 5th–6th‑century Saint Gwladys of Newport, helping sustain use in Wales. Variants include Gwladys (standard Welsh), Gwladus (medieval), Gladis, and Gladyce; short forms include Glad, Gladdy, and Gladie.

Adopted into English during the 19th‑century Celtic revival, Gladys surged in Britain and the United States from the 1880s to the 1920s, later acquiring vintage charm. It also found durable popularity in Latin America and the Philippines via English and Spanish channels. Notable bearers range from missionary Gladys Aylward and actress Dame Gladys Cooper to singer Gladys Knight. Although English speakers often associate it with the word glad, that resemblance is coincidental rather than etymological.

Gladys has the following similar or variant Names

Famous people with the name Gladys

Gladys Knight Actor · Born 1944 · United States Gladys Knight is best known as the 'Empress of Soul' and gained fame with her group, Gladys Knight & the Pips. They are celebrated for hits like 'Midnight Train to Georgia' and 'Neither One of Us (Wants to Be the First to Say Goodbye)'. Born in 1944 in the United States, she has also appeared in films and television, showcasing her versatility beyond music. Gladys George Actor · Born 1900 · United States Gladys George was an American actress best known for her role in the classic film 'The Maltese Falcon' alongside Humphrey Bogart. She also starred in 'Valiant Is the Word for Carrie' and 'Madame X'. Her performances in these films showcased her talent and versatility as an actress in the early 20th century. Gladys Bentley Musician · Born 1907 · United States Gladys Bentley was a trailblazing American musician known for her powerful blues and jazz performances during the Harlem Renaissance. She gained fame for her deep voice and energetic piano playing, often performing in men's clothing and challenging gender norms of the time. Some of her well-known songs include 'Worried Blues' and 'Wild Geese Blues'.

Gladys – Popularity by country

Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.

Country Gender Year Rank Born of
Ireland Girls 2008 #1 — 959
SV 0 #11 1 283
BI 0 #12 1 425
PR Girls 0 #15 303 3,171
PE Girls 0 #17 13,083 14,861
BW 0 #19 1 960
HT Girls 0 #20 4 950
NA 0 #31 3 2,537
BI Girls 0 #32 2 726
EC Girls 0 #32 447 3,650
PA Girls 0 #32 1,487 9,861
BW Girls 0 #33 141 4,216
GH Girls 0 #35 1,397 6,973
HN Girls 0 #36 3 884
BO Girls 0 #37 3,614 9,488
PR 0 #38 18 1,497
CM 0 #45 11 2,592
AR Girls 0 #48 3,700 8,289
MO 0 #51 2 2,706
UY Girls 0 #51 2,883 6,731
CL Girls 0 #52 9,839 14,098
CO Girls 0 #56 18,905 16,140
LU 0 #66 1 2,830
GH 0 #71 252 5,396
GT Girls 0 #71 1,189 7,500
EC 0 #74 42 2,502
JP 0 #75 3 4,057
PH 0 #76 21 5,607
AO 0 #77 1 2,729
CN 0 #84 3 3,857
PE 0 #86 317 6,350
QA 0 #89 12 7,011
PA 0 #91 40 3,797
NG Girls 0 #92 3,655 15,093
ID Girls 0 #98 5 3,319
TW 0 #100 4 4,523
ZA Girls 0 #101 4,973 25,928
BN Girls 0 #106 9 5,459
OM 0 #117 5 6,215
KW 0 #120 2 5,216
CY Girls 0 #123 3 3,755
CM Girls 0 #127 907 11,671
UY 0 #129 49 2,477
AR 0 #133 54 2,915
GR 0 #135 1 3,911
MU 0 #136 2 3,613
CR Girls 0 #137 770 11,342
MT Girls 0 #138 14 3,773
BO 0 #141 314 6,868
CR 0 #144 15 5,526
CO 0 #146 663 7,768
AE 0 #162 16 10,220
HU Boys 0 #174 1 3,954
SG 0 #174 97 11,010
PR Boys 0 #175 4 2,508
Sweden Girls 2014 #180 2 1,576
CL 0 #181 308 6,867
PH Girls 0 #181 238 13,098
LU Girls 0 #186 5 4,850
GT 0 #190 127 5,948
NA Girls 0 #194 31 7,146
NG 0 #194 72 5,926
Belgium Girls 1999 #196 24 426
DK 0 #204 3 5,198
JP Girls 0 #208 38 6,592
AO Girls 0 #210 8 4,575
MO Girls 0 #219 33 7,056
SG Girls 0 #221 496 18,916
PS 0 #225 2 5,692
BD 0 #241 1 5,992
EC Boys 0 #242 5 3,322
QA Girls 0 #244 73 15,378
GR Girls 0 #246 4 6,293
JM Girls 0 #246 14 7,507
PT 0 #248 3 4,161
AO Boys 0 #249 1 5,568
TW Girls 0 #249 28 8,139
HK 0 #255 96 8,483
TW Boys 0 #256 1 7,111
MX 0 #264 156 8,339
Spain Girls 0 #269 1,774 5,561
SA 0 #274 22 10,560
HK Girls 0 #278 440 16,104
IL 0 #278 5 6,291
Canada Girls 2021 #282 9 2,910
JM Boys 0 #293 1 6,876
MY 0 #297 34 12,352
DK Girls 0 #298 19 7,429
OM Girls 0 #298 99 15,987
MX Girls 0 #304 2,770 17,781
JO Girls 0 #307 19 7,570
GH Boys 0 #319 27 8,138
CN Girls 0 #322 28 8,829
MU Girls 0 #323 29 8,539
PL Boys 0 #340 1 6,459
CZ Girls 0 #351 1 5,378
ZA 0 #354 94 14,421
SD Girls 0 #355 4 7,678
Spain 0 #357 96 2,326
BR 0 #358 3 5,969
UY Boys 0 #375 25 5,922
NL 0 #379 13 2,481
France Girls 2021 #382 24 3,185
AE Girls 0 #385 169 20,968
KW Girls 0 #387 129 19,177
YE 0 #397 2 8,639
BD Girls 0 #406 1 8,413
PH Boys 0 #408 1 11,440
EG 0 #412 1 6,387
Germany 0 #427 11 2,542
PT Girls 0 #432 20 7,952
AR Boys 0 #438 30 7,628
PA Boys 0 #465 17 9,305
CR Boys 0 #478 10 10,188
GT Boys 0 #494 6 7,625
LB 0 #499 161 13,263
PS Girls 0 #499 25 10,981
BH 0 #505 49 17,937
CM Boys 0 #510 41 12,054
RU Girls 0 #519 5 11,913
IQ Girls 0 #520 6 11,303
LY 0 #526 10 12,703
IR Girls 0 #545 1 8,334
BO Boys 0 #555 38 9,244
HK Boys 0 #556 2 12,905
IT Girls 0 #579 1,427 9,415
IL Girls 0 #592 26 11,648
CL Boys 0 #615 51 13,390
SA Girls 0 #617 328 25,931
IT 0 #629 86 4,183
IN Girls 0 #651 4 13,121
Finland Girls 2026 #710 29 3,895
MY Girls 0 #718 282 24,821
NL Girls 0 #732 225 5,933
SG Boys 0 #738 2 17,960
PE Boys 0 #753 126 14,506
CO Boys 0 #761 161 15,656
SY 0 #764 4 11,684
Germany Girls 0 #772 67 4,949
BR Boys 0 #782 4 12,213
KW Boys 0 #801 6 18,755
BR Girls 0 #839 103 12,708
TN 0 #858 8 13,765
United States Girls 2024 #872 45 8,487
NG Boys 0 #912 40 16,906
OM Boys 0 #914 5 17,948
Spain Boys 0 #917 14 5,610
EG Girls 0 #931 29 14,742
MX Boys 0 #953 30 16,355
ZA Boys 0 #1,062 117 25,619
MA 0 #1,119 10 20,986
AE Boys 0 #1,141 3 22,615
MY Boys 0 #1,181 2 25,439
DZ 0 #1,233 2 20,130
TR 0 #1,251 4 19,440
IT Boys 0 #1,459 13 10,046
SA Boys 0 #1,684 8 28,008

Gladys is popular in 79 countries — most recent births per country:

France
United States
Canada
Wallonia, Belgium
Ireland

Did we miss something about this name? Let us know!

People also ask about Gladys

Gladys is predominantly a girl's name.
Gladys is a 2 syllable name, pronounced IPA: /ˈɡlædɪs/; respelling: GLAD-iss.
Common nicknames and spelling variations include Gwladus, Gwladys, Gladis, Gladyce and Gladice.
Across languages, Gladys has these equivalents: Sarah (Hebrew, 'princess'), Regina (Latin, 'queen'), Rani/Rania (South Asian/Arabic, 'queen'), Rhiannon (Welsh, associated with a mythic queen/princess).
Yes, very popular — Gladys ranked #1 in Ireland in 2008, and appears in official birth registries across 7 countries.
Gladys ranks highest in Ireland (#1 in 2008).
Gladys's popularity is declining significantly. It moved from #302 in 2011 to #382 in 2021 in France.
Yes — 3 notable people named Gladys are in our database, including Gladys Knight (Actor), Gladys George (Actor), Gladys Bentley (Musician).