Gailord
A masculine French name derived from the elements "gai" (cheerful) and "lord" (master).
Name Census estimates that about 1 living Americans carry the first name Gailord. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Gailord today is around 120 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Gailord births was 1935 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Gailord. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Gailord is about 120 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Gailords were born before 1916.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Gailord. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
1
~ 1 in 342,754,338 Americans
Peak year
1935
6 babies that year
Average age
120
years old
1935 SSA rank
#3,397
Tracked since 1935
Popularity
Gailord: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Gailord by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Gailord during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1930s | 6 | 0 | 6 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Gailord
The name Gailord is believed to have originated from the Old French language and can be traced back to the Middle Ages in France. It is a combination of the Germanic elements "gail," meaning "cheerful" or "lively," and "ord," meaning "point" or "beginning."
One of the earliest known references to the name Gailord can be found in the 12th-century epic poem "La Chanson de Roland" (The Song of Roland), which tells the story of the Battle of Roncevaux Pass during the reign of Charlemagne. In this poem, a character named Gailord is mentioned as a brave knight.
During the 13th and 14th centuries, the name Gailord became more widespread in France and was often used by members of the nobility and upper classes. It was sometimes spelled as "Gaillard" or "Gailhart," but the pronunciation remained essentially the same.
One notable historical figure who bore the name Gailord was Gailord de Lorris (c. 1200 - c. 1240), a medieval French poet who authored the first part of the famous allegorical romance "Roman de la Rose" (Romance of the Rose). His work had a significant influence on later French literature.
Another prominent individual with this name was Gailord de Joinville (c. 1225 - 1317), a French chronicler and biographer who accompanied King Louis IX on the Seventh Crusade to Egypt. His "Life of Saint Louis" is considered one of the most valuable historical sources on the Crusades and the reign of Louis IX.
In the 16th century, Gailord de Marillac (1510 - 1560) was a French diplomat and statesman who served as a counselor to King Henry II of France. He played a crucial role in negotiating the Treaty of Cateau-Cambrésis, which ended the Italian War of 1551-1559 between France and Spain.
The name Gailord also found its way into English literature, with Gailord Salkeld (1675 - 1738) being an English playwright and author best known for his comedies "The Tender Husband" and "The Heiress."
While the name Gailord has become relatively uncommon in modern times, it still carries a sense of historical significance and a connection to the rich cultural heritage of France and the medieval period.
People
Gailord + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Gailord as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with G
Other first names starting with G with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Gailord: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Gailord?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Gailord going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 342,754,338 US residents.
Is Gailord a common name?
We classify Gailord as "Very Rare". It ranks above 3.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 6 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Gailord most popular?
The single biggest year for Gailord was 1935, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Gailord is about 120 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Gailord in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Gailord a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Gailord in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Gailord still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Gailord in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Gailord can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people share the name Gailord?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.