Gladys
Country or land (Welsh)
Gladys is a english / other girl name in the Philippines. In the civil registry as of May 2021 it is number 294, with 27,225 records. It has 2 syllables.
Origin and meaning
Country or land (Welsh)
Gladys is historically an Anglicized form of the Welsh name Gwladus. It gained immense popularity in the English-speaking world during the late 19th and early 20th centuries before being imported to the Philippines during the American colonial era, where it became a classic feminine staple.
Gladys is derived from the Welsh name Gwladus or Gwladys, likely linked to the Welsh word 'gwlad' meaning 'country' or 'land', or serving as a Welsh equivalent to Claudia. It entered the Philippine naming pool via American cultural influence in the 20th century.
Name character
In the Philippines
Very widely recognized across the Philippines, especially among women born between the 1960s and 1990s. Common everyday nicknames include Glad, Glads, or Dys.
Related forms
- Gwladus Welsh
Would your family give Gladys?
Mark it if your family would give this first name. The count is for 2026 on this site. It is not the civil registry, and it is not babies registered in 2024. One browser can choose a name once in the year.
No family on this site has marked Gladys for 2026 yet.
Gladys with common surname pairs
Each pair is a mother's maiden surname plus a father's surname. The number is the sound-fit score for this first name.
Related girl names
About the name Gladys
How do I use Gladys with two Filipino surnames?
Gladys is the given name. The full name is Gladys + mother's maiden surname + father's surname. Score a pair from a combination page or the homepage search.
Is Gladys a common girl name in the Philippines?
In the civil registry as of May 2021, Gladys is number 294, with 27,225 records. That is not the 2024 birth list, and it does not say the name is a better choice. How it sounds with both family surnames is a separate score.