Find out how popular the first name Gaylord has been for the last 25 years (from 1974 to 1998) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Gaylord by gender

Based on the last 25 years of data, Gaylord is exclusively a male name.

For the most recent data in 1998, there were 5 male babies and 0 female babies born with the name Gaylord.

The history of the first name Gaylord

The name Gaylord has its origins in the Old French language, derived from the elements "gai" meaning "joyful" and "lord" meaning "master" or "ruler." It emerged as a compound name during the Middle Ages in France, around the 12th or 13th century.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Gaylord can be found in the "Roman de la Rose," a famous medieval French poem from the 13th century. The name was likely used to represent an idealized image of a cheerful and noble lord or master.

In England, the name Gaylord gained popularity during the Norman conquest and subsequent rule. It was adopted by some Anglo-Norman nobility and appears in historical records from that period, such as the Domesday Book of 1086.

One notable historical figure with the name Gaylord was Sir Gaylord de Laspée, a Norman knight who fought alongside William the Conqueror at the Battle of Hastings in 1066. He later received land grants in England as a reward for his service.

Another early bearer of the name was Gaylord de Beaumont, a 12th-century Norman nobleman who served as Lord of Beaumont in Normandy and held lands in England.

In the 16th century, Gaylord Traheron was a Protestant reformer and translator who played a role in the English Reformation under King Henry VIII.

Moving into the 17th century, Gaylord Nelson was an English colonist who settled in Virginia in the early 1600s and became a prominent landowner and member of the House of Burgesses.

Fast-forwarding to the 19th century, Gaylord Wilshire was an American businessman and real estate developer who founded the Wilshire Boulevard area in Los Angeles, California. He was born in 1861 and died in 1927.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Gaylord was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Gaylord, please contact us.

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