How popular is the baby name Gladys in the United States right now? How popular was it historically? Use the popularity graph and data table below to find out! Plus, see all the blog posts that mention the name Gladys.

The graph will take a few moments to load. (Don't worry, it shouldn't take 9 months!) If it's taking too long, try reloading the page.


Popularity of the baby name Gladys


Posts that mention the name Gladys

Girl names that end with an S-sound

Girl names that end with an S-sound

In the U.S., most of the names given to baby girls end with a vowel sound. And many of the remaining names end with an N-sound.

So, what about girl names that end with other sounds?

Below is a selection of girl names that end with an S-sound, regardless of last letter. The names are ordered by current popularity.

Grace
From the English vocabulary word. Here’s the popularity graph for Grace.

Genesis
An Ancient Greek word meaning “origin, creation.” Here’s the popularity graph for Genesis.

Iris
The Ancient Greek word for “rainbow,” as well as an ancient Greek goddess (the personification of the rainbow) and a type of flower (that is often purple). Here’s the popularity graph for Iris.

Reese
An Anglicized form of the Welsh name Rhys, meaning “ardor.” Here’s the popularity graph for Reese.

Frances
The feminine form of Francis, which is derived from the late Roman name Franciscus, meaning “Frenchman.” Here’s the popularity graph for Frances.

Paris
From the capital of France. Here’s the popularity graph for Paris.

Florence
From the late Roman name Florentia, meaning “blooming.” Here’s the popularity graph for Florence.

Dallas
From either the Scottish surname (derived from a place name meaning “meadow dwelling”) or the English surname (derived from a place name meaning “valley house”). Here’s the popularity graph for Dallas.

Mavis
From the type of bird. Here’s the popularity graph for Mavis.

Ellis
From the English surname, which is derived from the name Elias. Here’s the popularity graph for Ellis.

Promise
From the English vocabulary word. Here’s the popularity graph for Promise.

Anaïs
May be a French variant of the name of the Iranian goddess Anahita. Here’s the popularity graph for Anaïs.

Cadence
From the English vocabulary word. Here’s the popularity graph for Cadence.

Justice
From the English vocabulary word. Here’s the popularity graph for Justice.

Artemis
From the name of the ancient Greek goddess Artemis. Here’s the popularity graph for Artemis.

Amaris
Might be based on Amaro, the name of a legendary 13th-century Catholic saint. Here’s the popularity graph for Amaris.

Princess
The feminine form of the royal title prince. Here’s the popularity graph for Princess.

Joyce
From an Old Breton word meaning “prince, ruler, lord.” Here’s the popularity graph for Joyce.

Essence
From the English vocabulary word. Here’s the popularity graph for Essence.

Memphis
From the name of the ancient Egyptian city Men-nefer. Here’s the popularity graph for Memphis.

Agnes
From the Ancient Greek word for “chaste.” Here’s the popularity graph for Agnes.

Patience
From the English vocabulary word. Here’s the popularity graph for Patience.

Venus
From the name of the Roman goddess Venus. Here’s the popularity graph for Venus.

Milagros
A Spanish word meaning “miracles” (from the Marian title La Virgen de los Milagros). Here’s the popularity graph for Milagros.

Damaris
May be derived from an Ancient Greek word meaning “calf.” Here’s the popularity graph for Damaris.

Eris
From the name of the ancient Greek goddess Eris. Here’s the popularity graph for Eris.

Hollis
From the English surname, which originally referred to a person who lived by holly trees. Here’s the popularity graph for Hollis.

Temperance
From the English vocabulary word. Here’s the popularity graph for Temperance.

Daenerys
Invented by writer George R. R. Martin for a character in the high fantasy book series A Song of Ice and Fire (upon which the TV series Game of Thrones was based). Here’s the popularity graph for Daenerys.

Lois
An Ancient Greek name of unknown meaning. Here’s the popularity graph for Lois.

Constance
From the English vocabulary word. Here’s the popularity graph for Constance.

Empress
The feminine form of the royal title emperor. Here’s the popularity graph for Empress.

Lotus
From the type of flower. Here’s the popularity graph for Lotus.

Isis
From the name of the ancient Egyptian goddess Isis. Here’s the popularity graph for Isis.

Eunice
From an Ancient Greek name made up of elements meaning “good” and “victory.” Here’s the popularity graph for Eunice.

Karis
May be based on the Welsh name Carys or the Ancient Greek name Charis. Here’s the popularity graph for Karis.

Yehudis
From the Hebrew name Yehudit, meaning “Jewish woman.” Here’s the popularity graph for Yehudis.

Inés
A Spanish form of the name Agnes. Here’s the popularity graph for Inés.

Alanis
A feminine form of Alan. Here’s the popularity graph for Alanis.

Tess
A nickname for Theresa. Here’s the popularity graph for Tess.

Prudence
From the English vocabulary word. Here’s the popularity graph for Prudence.

Janice
Based on Jane, which can be traced back to a (masculine) Hebrew name meaning “Yahweh is gracious.” Here’s the popularity graph for Janice.

Doris
An Ancient Greek name meaning “Dorian woman.” Here’s the popularity graph for Doris.

Precious
From the English vocabulary word. Here’s the popularity graph for Precious.

Dolores
A Spanish word meaning “sorrows” (from the Marian title La Virgen de los Dolores). Here’s the popularity graph for Dolores.

Kelis
Popularized by singer Kelis. Here’s the popularity graph for the name Kelis.

Bryce
Might be based on the Gaulish name Briccus, meaning “speckled.” Here’s the popularity graph for Bryce.

Amaryllis
From the type of flower. Here’s the popularity graph for Amaryllis.

Candace
From Kandake, the title of the queen in the ancient Kingdom of Kush (in northeastern Africa). Here’s the popularity graph for Candace.

Gladys
Based on the Welsh name Gwladus (which belonged to a legendary Welsh saint). Here’s the popularity graph for Gladys.


Less-common girl names that end with an S-sound include Clarice, Bliss, Lamees, Solstice, Maris, Briseis, and Cypress.

Which of the above do you like most? What others can you think of?

P.S. Here are lists of girl names that end with D-, K-, L-, M-, R-, T-, V-, and Z-sounds.

Sources:

  • SSA
  • Behind the Name
  • Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources: Jodocus & Brice
  • Hanks, Patrick, Kate Hardcastle and Flavia Hodges. (Eds.) A Dictionary of First Names. New York: Oxford University Press, 2006.
  • Hanks, Patrick. (Ed.) Dictionary of American Family Names. 2nd ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 2022.

Where did the baby name Miosotis come from in 1969?

Title of the telenovela "La Mujer de Aquella Noche" (1968), from the Universidad de Puerto Rico audiovisual archive.
“La Mujer de Aquella Noche”

The unusual name Miosotis first appeared in the U.S. baby name data in 1969, thanks to heavy usage in New York state:

  • 1971: unlisted
  • 1970: 8 baby girls name Miosotis
    • 8 born in New York
  • 1969: 10 baby girls name Miosotis [debut]
    • 8 born in New York
  • 1968: unlisted
  • 1967: unlisted

The inspiration?

A Puerto Rican telenovela called La Mujer de Aquella Noche (translation: “The Woman of That Night”), which aired during 1968.

Advertisement for the telenovela "La Mujer de Aquella Noche" (1968).
“La Mujer” ad

It was a 3-episode historical drama that told the love story of aristocrat Countess Adriana de Astolfi (played by Gladys Rodríguez) and itinerant gypsy Renzo (played by Braulio Castillo). Renzo’s pet name for Adriana was “Miosotis.”

The story was also turned into radio soap opera at some point, though I’m not sure when.

The Spanish word miosotis is a form of myosotis, another name for the forget-me-not flower (Myosotis palustris). The Greek word myosotis means “mouse ear” and describes the shape of the leaf.

Sources:

P.S. The name Quetcy, which we talked about a couple of days ago, was also popular among New York City’s Puerto Ricans (a.k.a., Nuyoricans) in the late 1960s…

Where did the baby name Sanita come from in 1957?

Sanita Pelkey (1935-1994), Miss New York USA 1958
Sanita Pelkey

The name Sanita started appearing in the U.S. baby name data in the late 1950s:

  • 1961: unlisted
  • 1960: 7 baby girls named Sanita
  • 1959: 6 baby girls named Sanita
  • 1958: 10 baby girls named Sanita
  • 1957: 11 baby girls named Sanita [debut]
  • 1956: unlisted

Why?

Because of beauty queen Sanita Pelkey, who represented New York at the Miss USA pageant in Long Beach, California, in 1957. She finished twelfth in the contest.

Notably, in 1957, two scandals rocked the pageant world: Miss USA winner Leona Gage was found to be married, and Miss Universe winner Gladys Zender (of Peru) was found to be underage. (Leona was stripped of her title, but Gladys was not.)

Getting back to Sanita Pelkey…she went on to appear in a handful of movies, and on an episode of the popular comedy quiz show You Bet Your Life in April of 1958. She was also briefly married to memorably-named actor Rex Reason in the early 1960s.

What are your thoughts on the name Sanita?

Sources: Sanita Pelkey – Glamour Girls of the Silver Screen, Miss New York USA – Wikipedia, SSA

Image: Clipping from Parade magazine (25 Aug. 1957)

Where did the baby name Narada come from?

Narada Michael Walden's album "Awakening" (1979)
Narada Michael Walden album

The Hindu name Narada first appeared in the U.S. baby name data in the late ’70s:

  • 1983: 19 baby boys named Narada
  • 1982: 18 baby boys named Narada
  • 1981: 29 baby boys named Narada
  • 1980: 48 baby boys and 7 baby girls named Narada
  • 1979: 19 baby boys named Narada [debut]
  • 1978: unlisted
  • 1977: unlisted

Where did it come from?

Musician and producer Narada (pronounced NAH-ruh-duh) Michael Walden.

His most successful songs, “I Don’t Want Nobody Else (To Dance with You)” and “I Shoulda Loved Ya,” were both released in 1979. Both reached the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at 47th and 66th respectively. Both also reached the top 10 on Billboard‘s Hot Soul Singles chart, peaking at 9th and 4th.

He went on to have a successful career, being nominated for a total of eight Grammys and winning three (two in the ’80s, one in the ’90s). He produced music for people like Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Lionel Richie, Ray Charles, Al Jarreau, Gladys Knight, Shanice Wilson, Tevin Campbell, etc.

He was born Michael Walden in Michigan in 1952. In the early ’70s, he became a devotee of Indian guru Sri Chinmoy. Chinmoy gave him the spiritual name Narada, and Walden chose to use Narada as part of his stage name. (Carlos Santana, another follower, went by “Devadip Carlos Santana” for a time.)

In Hindu tradition, the character Narada is a sage and musician. He is portrayed “as both wise and mischievous, creating some of Vedic literature’s more humorous tales.”

Do you like Narada as a baby name? Would you use it?

Sources: Narada Michael Walden – Wikipedia, Narada Michael Walden – Billboard, Arunachal butterfly named after Narada, SSA