Glady
A feminine name meaning "glad" or "joyful", derived from the Latin term "gladius".
Name Census estimates that about 151 living Americans carry the first name Glady. It is a predominantly female name (99.1% of registrations). The average person named Glady today is around 69 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Glady births was 1917 (23 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Glady. 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 Glady is about 69 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Gladys were born before 1967.
People living today
151
~ 1 in 2,269,896 Americans
Peak year
1917
23 babies that year
Average age
69
years old
1917 SSA rank
#4,217
Tracked since 1901
Gender
Gender distribution for Glady
Out of the 543 babies given the name Glady since 1880, 99.1% were registered as female. The name sits firmly on the female side of the spectrum, with only a handful of male registrations across the entire dataset.
Glady as a male name
- Ranked #4,217 in 1917
- 5 male births in 1917
- Peak: 1917 (5 births)
Glady as a female name
- Ranked #10,947 in 1981
- 5 female births in 1981
- Peak: 1917 (18 births)
Popularity
Glady: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Glady from the 1900s through to the 1980s, spanning 9 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 123 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1920s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Glady 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 Glady 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 Glady
The name Glady is a feminine given name of Latin origin. It is derived from the Latin word "gladius," which means "sword." The name first emerged during the Roman era, possibly as a reference to strength or a warrior spirit.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Glady can be found in ancient Roman records from the 2nd century AD. A woman named Gladia, which is a variant spelling, is mentioned as a member of a prominent Roman family.
In the Middle Ages, the name Glady was occasionally used in parts of Europe, particularly in regions influenced by Latin culture. However, it remained relatively rare compared to other names of the time.
One notable historical figure with the name Glady was Glady of Brittany (c. 1120 – 1198), a Breton noblewoman and heiress who played a significant role in the power struggles between the Dukes of Brittany and the English crown.
In the 16th century, a Glady Lamberton (c. 1510 – 1585) was a Scottish woman who became known for her involvement in the Scottish Reformation and her association with John Knox, the famous Protestant reformer.
Another noteworthy individual with the name Glady was Glady Loftus (1619 – 1689), an English courtier and lady-in-waiting to Queen Henrietta Maria of England.
During the 19th century, a woman named Glady Watkins (1840 – 1921) gained recognition as a prominent British educator and advocate for women's education.
More recently, Glady Dunn (1898 – 1976) was an American author and journalist who wrote several books about her travels and experiences in various parts of the world.
While not as common as some other names, Glady has persisted throughout history, often associated with individuals who exhibited strength, determination, or a connection to cultural or historical events.
People
Glady + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Glady 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
Glady: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Glady?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 151 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Glady 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 2,269,896 US residents.
Is Glady a common name?
We classify Glady as "Very Rare". It ranks above 70.4% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 543 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Glady most popular?
The single biggest year for Glady was 1917, when 23 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Glady is about 69 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Glady a female name?
Yes, 99.1% of people registered as Glady in the SSA data are female. 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.
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.