Holding steady.
Popularity of Gladstone since 1898
Babies named Gladstone per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1917, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Gladstone's real moment was 1898.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 7 |
| 1900s | 5 |
| 1910s | 47 |
| 1920s | 78 |
| 1930s | 21 |
| 1940s | 23 |
| 1950s | 14 |
| 1960s | 0 |
| 1970s | 0 |
| 1980s | 0 |
| 1990s | 5 |
| 2000s | 0 |
| 2010s | 0 |
| 2020s | 0 |
Meaning & origin
Gladstone is a rare given name with deep historical and political resonance. It first appeared in U.S. records in 1898, its peak year, though even then it was uncommon. The name saw no single year with more than a handful of births, and it has remained stable at very low usage levels ever since. The name's trajectory shows no revival in recent decades. Gladstone is overwhelmingly associated with the renowned British Prime Minister William Ewart Gladstone, lending it a distinctly Victorian and intellectual flavor. Its most prominent usage occurred in the decades following his tenure. Today, the name is virtually unused, making it a distinctive choice for families with historical or political interests.
Gladstone is a transferred use of the English surname, originally a locational name from a place in Scotland (Gladstone in Lanarkshire) or possibly from Old English 'glede' meaning 'kite (bird)' and 'stan' meaning 'stone'. The name is famously associated with William Ewart Gladstone, the four-time British Prime Minister in the Victorian era. It has been used as a given name occasionally, particularly in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Glad, Gladdy
Sibling names for Gladstone
Names that share Gladstone's style, for a brother or sister.
