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Help[Opinions] Re: Gladys
in reply to a message by A
I don't know what to think of Gladys. At one time it had a huge appeal to many people. I had a great-aunt named Gladys, who was born in 1902. It was the name of Marilyn Monroe's mother, also born 1902, and Elvis Presley's mother, born ten years later. It was just hugely popular. It was so fashionable. There was something about it that people really liked.
Eventually, of course, it fell, but that happens to all popular names and it was true of other popular names that are now coming back, such as Hazel (my grandmother's, Gladys' sister, name), Mabel, Pearl. But Gladys is still nowhere to be seen. Is it really terminally, almost objectively, ugly? If so, why was it so popular from 1900 to 1920? If not, then why does everyone in 2019 seem to think so? (Ethel is just like Gladys in this regard.)
I'll say that Gladys is a name that I don't like but it's also one that I have trouble assigning to the dustbin. I'm going to keep trying to see what the appeal was. At one time, I didn't see the appeal of Hazel, Mabel, and Pearl, but now I really appreciate them. I'll see if Gladys can join them.
Eventually, of course, it fell, but that happens to all popular names and it was true of other popular names that are now coming back, such as Hazel (my grandmother's, Gladys' sister, name), Mabel, Pearl. But Gladys is still nowhere to be seen. Is it really terminally, almost objectively, ugly? If so, why was it so popular from 1900 to 1920? If not, then why does everyone in 2019 seem to think so? (Ethel is just like Gladys in this regard.)
I'll say that Gladys is a name that I don't like but it's also one that I have trouble assigning to the dustbin. I'm going to keep trying to see what the appeal was. At one time, I didn't see the appeal of Hazel, Mabel, and Pearl, but now I really appreciate them. I'll see if Gladys can join them.
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I love this response. I really enjoy when people try to see why a name appealed instead of just placing it in the dustbin. :)
I imagine Gladys sounded happy, strong, young, feminine, interesting, on-trend. When contemporaries were Edith, Agnes, and Ethel, it had many shared popular sounds. “Sarah” and “Hannah” felt plain and frumpy and old, and these names had interest and sparkle to the mothers giving them.
I imagine Gladys sounded happy, strong, young, feminine, interesting, on-trend. When contemporaries were Edith, Agnes, and Ethel, it had many shared popular sounds. “Sarah” and “Hannah” felt plain and frumpy and old, and these names had interest and sparkle to the mothers giving them.
This message was edited 3/3/2019, 7:28 PM
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I really don't believe any name belongs in the dustbin per se. When it comes down to it, it is all just personal opinion. I don't like the name Gladys personally from the previous reasons I listed, but I knows tons of younger Hispanic women with this name and it works for them. I don't really believe in the whole notion of usability. If that is your name, then it is your name and people will get used to it and form different associations after knowing you. Even if your name is as out there as something like Banana.
I imagine it became popular between the 1900s-1930 due to it sounding similar to gladiolus, which is a nice association.
I imagine it became popular between the 1900s-1930 due to it sounding similar to gladiolus, which is a nice association.
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