Gaylard
A variant spelling of the English name Gaylord, meaning "festive ruler."
Name Census estimates that about 6 living Americans carry the first name Gaylard. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Gaylard today is around 83 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Gaylard births was 1921 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Gaylard. 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 Gaylard is about 83 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Gaylards were born before 1953.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Gaylard. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
6
~ 1 in 57,125,723 Americans
Peak year
1921
6 babies that year
Average age
83
years old
1947 SSA rank
#3,937
Tracked since 1921
Popularity
Gaylard: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Gaylard from the 1920s through to the 1940s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1930s, with 11 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1930s peak, Gaylard remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Gaylard 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 Gaylard during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Gaylard
The name Gaylard has its roots in the Old French language, originating during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the word "gaillard," which means "merry" or "joyful." This name was likely given to children with cheerful dispositions or those born during festive occasions.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Gaylard can be found in the Domesday Book, a manuscript record of landowners in England compiled in 1086 by order of William the Conqueror. The name appears in various spellings, such as "Gailard" and "Gaylart," indicating its French origins.
During the Crusades, the name Gaylard gained prominence among the noble families participating in the military campaigns. It was often bestowed upon sons born during times of victory or celebration, symbolizing the joy and triumph of the Christian armies.
In the 13th century, a notable figure named Gaylard de Mauny served as a distinguished knight and military commander under Edward III of England. He played a crucial role in several battles during the Hundred Years' War and was renowned for his bravery and leadership.
Another historically significant individual bearing the name Gaylard was Gaylard Burrell, an English judge and politician who lived from 1619 to 1705. He served as a Member of Parliament and held the position of Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer, a prominent judicial role in the English government.
In the realm of literature, Gaylard is mentioned in the works of Geoffrey Chaucer, the renowned English poet of the 14th century. In his celebrated Canterbury Tales, one of the characters is referred to as "Gaylard the Reeve," suggesting that the name was in use among the common folk of that era.
Moving forward in time, Gaylard Rendel, born in 1833 and died in 1913, was a notable British engineer who made significant contributions to the construction of bridges and railways. His work played a pivotal role in the development of infrastructure during the Industrial Revolution.
Another figure of note was Gaylard Henderson, an American historian and author who lived from 1892 to 1970. He was a prominent scholar of the American Civil War and wrote several influential books on the subject, including "Stonewall Jackson and the American Civil War" and "The Federalist Rebirth."
While the name Gaylard has declined in popularity in recent times, its rich history and origins can be traced back to the Middle Ages, when it was borne by noble knights, esteemed judges, and literary characters, spanning various cultures and eras.
People
Gaylard + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Gaylard 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
Gaylard: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Gaylard?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 6 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Gaylard 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 57,125,723 US residents.
Is Gaylard a common name?
We classify Gaylard as "Very Rare". It ranks above 22.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 27 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Gaylard most popular?
The single biggest year for Gaylard was 1921, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Gaylard is about 83 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 Gaylard in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Gaylard a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Gaylard 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 Gaylard still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Gaylard 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 Gaylard 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 are named Gaylard?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.