Ladd is of Scandinavian origin, derived from the Old Norse word 'hláðr', which means 'flat'. It was originally a surname, denoting someone who lived on a flat piece of land. Today, Ladd is primarily used as a given name, popular in English-speaking countries.
The name Ladd experienced a significant rise in popularity from the late 1940s onwards, with a notable spike occurring between 1958 and 1967. During this period, the number of births per year nearly doubled, peaking at 37 births in 1967. However, since then, there has been a steady decline in its usage, with only single-digit figures recorded from 2009 onwards. Despite this, Ladd remains relatively uncommon, with a total of 1282 births recorded over the entire period.