Baby Name of the Day: Gloria

The baby name Gloria peaked in the 1940s. Could it be due for an early revival?

Thanks to Lola for suggesting our Baby Name of the Day.

WHAT DOES THE NAME GLORIA MEAN?

In the English-speaking world, a girl’s given name ending with IA often signals ancient roots. Think Julia or Cecilia.

The baby name Gloria is a little different. 

It comes from a Latin phrase: Gloria in Excelsis Deo.

That translates to “Glory to God in the highest.”

The Bible was first translated into Latin during the 300s, so the phrase has been around. According to Luke, the angels sang these words when announcing the birth of Jesus. Linus quotes the English translation in his famous A Charlie Brown Christmas monologue.

Composers have set it to music, including Handel and Vivaldi. It’s also known as the Greater Doxology, or simply, “the Gloria.”

So Gloria literally means glory.

IS GLORY A VIRTUE?

Glory can be a synonym for achievement. 

As a verb, it means to rejoice; as a noun, it signifies victory, praise, honor, splendor.

In English, the word dates to the thirteenth century, though the exact meaning and use have shifted slightly over the centuries.

This suggests that Gloria might fit with both modern, bold word-inspired names, like Maverick, and more traditional virtue choices, like Mercy or Temperance.

A LITERARY INVENTION

Edmund Spenser used the name Gloriana to represent Queen Elizabeth in his 1590 epic poem The Faerie Queen. Spenser invented dozens of elaborate character names, but few inspired parents in real life.

Instead, we have to wait until 1891.

Emily Dorothy Eliza Nevitte Southworth – known professionally as E.D.E.N. Southworth – turned to writing in the 1840s, after her husband abandoned her and their two children. She penned more than 60 novels over the next several decades, becoming one of the best-selling authors of her day.

In 1891, she wrote Gloria: A Novel, a followed it with a sequel later that year. There’s a small uptick in the name’s use.

And then came 1897, when George Bernard Shaw’s You Never Can Tell debuted. It’s an early play, well before Pygmalion and other enduring works. But it proved popular, as did the name of the eldest daughter – Gloria.

The early 20th century would be Gloria’s moment to step into the spotlight – literally.

HOLLYWOOD NAME

Born in 1899, Gloria Swanson landed her first movie roles while still a teenager. She co-starred in a series of successful comedies during the 1910s, then signed to Paramount Pictures in 1919. Swanson became the original Hollywood A-lister. Her movies topped the box office, and fans loved her elaborate wardrobe as much as the films themselves.

She earned two Oscar nominations during the silent film era, but she’s best remembered for her role in 1950’s Sunset Boulevard. Swanson played an aging silent film star. She goes mad, and the movie ends on the legendary line, “Alright, Mr. DeMille, I’m ready for my close-up.” It led to her third Oscar nomination.

Swanson’s celebrity pushed the name to the heights of the popularity charts. So much usage led, inevitably, to even more famous Glorias.

FAMOUS WOMEN NAMED GLORIA

When you hear the name, you might think of:

• Journalist and noted feminist Gloria Steinem rose to fame in the 1960s and 70s.
• From 1971 to 1979, Sally Struthers answered to the name as Archie and Edith Bunker’s progressive-minded daughter on legendary sitcom All in the Family.
• Gloria Gaynor scored hits during the disco era, including 1979’s enduring “I Will Survive.”
• U2 scored an early hit with their 1981 single “Gloria.” Given U2’s iconic status, the song remains in rotation. It also hearkens back to the name’s religious roots, with Bono singing “in te domine” – “in you lord.”
• And then there’s Gloria Estefan, lead singer for Miami Sound Machine, popular from the 1980s onward.
• One more musical hit from the 1980s: Laura Branigan’s chart-topping 1982 single by the name. St. Louis Blues fans embraced it as the anthem of the team’s 2019 Stanley Cup-winning season. It’s since been used by many professional sports teams.
• Singer Gloria Trevi is sometimes called the “Mexican Queen of Pop.”
• Rapper Jay-Z’s mother, Gloria Carter, now runs his charitable endeavors. 
• Modern Family used the name for a main character. 
• Actress Maggie Gyllenhaal named her daughter Gloria Ray in 2012. 
• The Lumineers and Green Day have recorded songs by the name.

Gloria Vanderbilt became famous while still a child. Yes, that Vanderbilt. The heiress’ father died when she was just 18 months old. Her widowed mother raised her, but an aunt disapproved – and eventually won custody of Gloria. The trial made headlines. 

Vanderbilt grew up to command the spotlight herself, first as an actress and model and then as an artist, author, and designer. A denim line bearing her name during the late 1970s became one of the first designer jeans lines. 

Another reason she’s still well-known today? Her son, Anderson Cooper, is a noted journalist and CNN correspondent.

HOW POPULAR IS THE NAME GLORIA?

In the year 1900, the baby name Gloria ranked a relatively rare #561.

As Gloria Swanson became internationally known, her given name soared. By 1922, it ranked in the US Top 100. Gloria peaked at #20 in 1925/26, but remained a Top 100 favorite through 1963.

The name has fallen steadily since then. As of 2024, Gloria ranked a modest #654 in the US.

Those numbers make it a bit of a grandma name. After all, it was a popular choice for Baby Boomers.

But 1920s names also sound delightfully vintage, and there’s a sort of early 20th century glam to this name, too. 

VINTAGE CHARM 

Olivia, Sophia, Gloria. It fits right in with other vintage girls’ names enjoying peak popularity now.

The ‘or’ of Gloria echoes the sound in Nora, Cora, Aurora, Flora, and Dorothy. And -IA ending names for girls are favorites, too. 

There’s a hint of Christmas about this name, too, but it’s nicely subtle.

Combined with a great meaning, Gloria could be the perfect name for parents after something meaningful but uncommon. 

Do you think the baby name Gloria name is ready for revival?

First published on July 28, 2008, it was revised substantially and re-published on March 26, 2020 and again on December 29, 2025.