Meaning & Origin
A female given name from Welsh.
Gladys is a girl's and boy's baby name of Welsh origin, an anglicization of the Welsh name Gwladus or Gwladys, itself likely derived from the Latin Claudia — though some sources connect it to the Welsh gwlad ("country, land"). It was popular in medieval Wales and spread to England in the 19th century.
Gladys was a top-10 U.S. girls' name from the 1900s through the 1920s. Gladys Knight, the soul singer who has been recording hits since the 1960s, is probably its most iconic modern bearer — giving the name an undeniable musical soul. It's one of the great reclaim names, ripe for the same revival bringing Hazel and Mabel back.