A female given name, commonly used in English-speaking countries, particularly popular in the early-to-mid 20th century.
From Welsh origin, derived from 'Gwladys,' which comes from 'gwlad' meaning 'country' or 'nation,' reflecting Welsh cultural heritage and patriotism in naming traditions.
Gladys was the #1 baby girl name in America during the 1920s-1930s, but it almost completely disappeared from popularity by the 2000s—a dramatic shift that linguists use to study how cultural values and trends reshape naming conventions over generations.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.