Gladys
Girl name · #3212 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Gladys? In official American birth records, Gladys has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
In 2025, 49 baby girls were named Gladys, placing it at #3212 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #2259, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 36,735 girls born in 2025 was named Gladys.
The 145-year story
Gladys first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 20 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1920, when 8,819 girls were named Gladys — good for #22 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Gladys per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Gladys against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Gladys in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Gladys is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Gladys will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Gladys is most common
State-level data for Gladys is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Gladys
Statistically, parents drawn to Gladys tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Dorcas, Fannie, Hilda, Clarice, and Geneva.
DorcasFannieHildaClariceGenevaFrancisHeleneIrma
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Gladys | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 49 | #3211 |
| 2024 | 45 | #3459 |
| 2023 | 61 | #2789 |
| 2022 | 64 | #2689 |
| 2021 | 62 | #2751 |
| 2020 | 78 | #2277 |
| 2019 | 64 | #2681 |
| 2018 | 45 | #3438 |
| 2017 | 73 | #2464 |
| 2016 | 72 | #2502 |
| 2015 | 83 | #2259 |
| 2014 | 74 | #2442 |
| 2013 | 69 | #2568 |
| 2012 | 81 | #2315 |
| 2011 | 81 | #2298 |
| 2010 | 103 | #1942 |
| 2009 | 120 | #1792 |
| 2008 | 135 | #1657 |
| 2007 | 160 | #1459 |
| 2006 | 207 | #1173 |
| 2005 | 203 | #1145 |
| 2004 | 186 | #1201 |
| 2003 | 190 | #1140 |
| 2002 | 198 | #1073 |
| 2001 | 184 | #1136 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Gladys?
In official American birth records, the name Gladys first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 20 newborn girls received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Gladys a popular girl name?
Gladys ranked #3212 among girls in 2025 with 49 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2259.
When was the name Gladys most popular?
Gladys peaked in 1920, when 8,819 American girls received the name (ranked #22 that year). Since 1920 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Gladys?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 36,735 newborn American girls was named Gladys. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.