Gladys
Possibly a form or Claudia or Welsh
"land, nation"Share
Copy link
Updated Wed Apr 17 2024
Gladys Origin and Meaning
The name Gladys is a girl's name of Welsh origin meaning "land, nation".
Hard as it might be to believe, Gladys was the Harper of 1900, emerging almost out of nowhere to take the naming world by storm. It became a favorite among parents — and writers of romantic Edwardian novels, seen as alluring and unusual. One impetus was the 1870 Ouida novel Puck, whose heroine was the idealized beauty, Gladys Gerant.
Gladys reached as high as Number 11 at the turn of the last century, popular along with other s-ending names such as Doris. Though Gladys hasn't shown any signs of revival yet, some parents might respond to the 'glad'ness of it, and its gladiola-flower feel.
It's been associated in the U.S. with singer Gladys Knight.
# 967 in the US
Gladys Rank in US Top 1000
# 1294 on Nameberry
Gladys Rank in Nameberry Top 1000
Gladys Popularity
- 1294Nameberry2024
20 Names Similar to Gladys
These 20 names were selected by our users that were looking for other names like Gladys.
Gertrude Ethel Doris Beulah Bernice Janice Harold Helga Umbrielle Willoughby Marjorie Wanda Mildred Gilda Irving Lelya Hilda Beate Glenys Betrys
Famous People Named Gladys
- Saint GladysWelsh queen of saint,king Gwynllyw Milwr, mother of Cadoc the Wise
- Gladys Maria KnightAmerican singer of The Pips
- Gladys Constance CooperEnglish actress
- Gladys MoncreiffAustralian singer
- Gladys Blossom Noon SpellmanU.S. Congresswoman from Maryland
- Gladys HuletteAmerican silent film actress
- Gladys May AylwardEnglish missionary to China
- Gladys GillemAmerican pro wrestler
- Gladys Medalie HeldmanAmerican tennis promoter
- Gladys Louise Smithbirth name of Mary Pickford, Canadian,American actress
- Gladys Love Presleymother of singer Elvis Presley
- Gladys Pearl Baker Mortensenmother of actress Marilyn Monroe
Gladys in Pop Culture
- Gladys Eysenarchcharacter in "Jezebel" by Irene Nemirovsky (1936)
- Gladys Herdmancharacter in "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" by Barbara Robinson
- Gladys Biggscharacter in "Meet Mr Mulliner" (1927) by P. G. Wodehouse
- Gladys Worsleycharacter in "Sylvia Scarlett" (1918) by Compton Mackenzie, twin sister Enid
- Gladys Kravitzneighbor on TV's "Bewitched"
- Gladys Hilmancharacter in the "St Clare" book series by Enid Blyton
- Gladys Withama well,to,do young woman working in a munitions factory in WWII,era Canada, on TV's "Bomb Girls" (2012,2014)
- GladysFlavia's bike in the Flavia de Luce saga
- GLADoSantagonist from the video game Portal
- Gladys Hannaha character in "Fran Bow"
- Gladys Gatsbyprotagonist in the book "All Four Stars"