At a Glance: Name: Gladys – Meaning: Of uncertain origin; possibly related to Welsh 'gwlad' ('country/land') – Origin: Welsh – Gender: Girl
Gladys is a Welsh girl's name meaning “Of uncertain origin; possibly related to Welsh 'gwlad' ('country/land')”. It appears in 2 of our baby name lists.
Meaning & Origin of Gladys
Meaning: Of uncertain origin; possibly related to Welsh 'gwlad' ('country/land').
Origin: Welsh.
A common claim: Often said to mean 'ruler of a territory,' from Welsh 'gwledig.' Actually: Gladys's Welsh root is actually uncertain — it's only tentatively linked to 'gwlad' ('country, land'), not to a word meaning 'ruler.'
Source: Wiktionary, Wikipedia.
Popularity of Gladys
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 1880–2024.
Lists That Include Gladys
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