Lloyd is a name of Welsh origin that means "grey". It was originally a surname given to people who lived near grey buildings or in areas with grey soil. Over time, Lloyd has become more commonly used as a given name rather than a surname.
The name Lloyd has a long history and can be traced back to the Middle Ages in Wales. It is believed that the name originated from the Welsh word "Llwyd", which means grey. In Welsh, the name is pronounced as "fluːɨd" or "flʊɨd".
In English-speaking countries, Lloyd has been a popular given name for boys since the 19th century. It was especially common in the United States during the early to mid-20th century, with its peak popularity occurring between 1935 and 1945.
Today, Lloyd is still used as both a given name and a surname throughout the world. According to data from the Social Security Administration in the United States, Lloyd was the 867th most popular boys' name in 2020, with 213 babies being named Lloyd that year.
Some famous people named Lloyd include American actor Lloyd Bridges, Canadian singer and songwriter The Weeknd (whose real name is Abel Tesfaye), and British comedian Jack Whitehall, whose father is called Michael John "Mike" Whitehall-Lloyd.
The statistics provided show the number of babies named Lloyd born annually in the United States from 1880 to 2023. The data reveals a fluctuating trend, with peaks and valleys over time.
In the late 19th century, around the 1880s to 1890s, there was a gradual increase in the number of births with the name Lloyd. This period saw an average of about 150 births per year, with some years exceeding this average, such as 1892 which had 268 births.
The early 20th century marked a significant turning point for the popularity of the name Lloyd. From around 1907 onwards, there was a steady and substantial increase in the number of babies named Lloyd each year. This trend reached its peak between 1915 to 1918, with over 3000 births annually. The highest recorded number during this period was in 1917, with 3417 births.
However, from around 1926 onwards, there was a decline in the popularity of the name Lloyd. This trend continued throughout most of the mid to late 20th century, with a notable drop-off in the 1960s and 1970s where the number of births annually fell below 1000.
In recent years, from around 2000 onwards, there has been a further decline in the popularity of the name Lloyd. As of 2023, the total number of babies named Lloyd born in the United States since 1880 is estimated to be approximately 160781. The latest data shows that in 2022 and 2023, there were 99 and 90 births respectively with the name Lloyd.
These statistics provide a clear picture of how the popularity of the name Lloyd has evolved over time in the United States. While it once enjoyed significant popularity during the early 20th century, its usage has since declined substantially. Despite this decline, the name Lloyd remains a part of American naming tradition, with hundreds of thousands of individuals sharing this name across generations.