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 name Lloyd experienced significant popularity fluctuations over time. From the late 1800s to around 1915, it was quite common, with a peak of 2653 births in 1915. However, after World War I, its usage started declining sharply and has continued to do so ever since. By the early 2000s, Lloyd was barely used as a baby name, with fewer than 150 births per year. In recent years, it has continued to be rare, with less than 100 births annually.