Gloria

Gloria, unsurprisingly, comes from the Latin word for "Glory." The first known use of the word as a name was in E.D.E.N. Southworth's novel, Gloria, a Novel, published in 1891. It appeared again as a name in George Bernard Shaw's play You Never Can Tell, in 1898. Once introduced, the name took wing, and has been very popular in the U.S., especially from the 1920's thru the 1950's. Famous Glorias include Gloria Swanson, Gloria Estefan, and Gloria Steinem. Although the name doesn't have the popularity it did in earlier decades, it never has falled out of the top 500, and it looks like this late entry to the name arena might have real staying power, unlike so many of the shooting star names.