Laoide was born at 7 Annaville Lower in Ranelagh, Dublin on 24 May 1865. He was the eldest son of an Irish Protestant couple, Joseph Henry Lloyd Doctor of Philosophy and Anne Phair. His father was a linguist, member of the Irish Language Preservation Society/Chumann Buanchoimeádta na Gaeilge, and friend of the Irish scholar P.W. Joyce.
Today he is perhaps best remembered for his work on Irish placenames, particularly on the placenames of Dublin which often became the established Irish versions on the city"s streets following the establishment of the Irish state in December 1922. In the autumn of 1893 Laoide is recorded as joint treasurer of Conradh na Gaeilge, which had been founded on 31 July of that year. Around the same time he visited Peadar Ó Laoghaire to encourage him to begin writing.
In these years Laoide developed an extensive knowledge of Irish dialects and became active in the then mass movement that was Conradh na Gaeilge most especially in publishing books and articles in Irish.
When Scoil Ard-Léinn na hÉireann was established by Kuno Meyer in 1903 Laoide was one of the first students and became a prolific publisher of books in Irish on folklore, dialects, placenames and the like. Sometime after 1915 Laoide left Ireland and became a civil servant in London.
While there he suffered mental health issues and was hospitalised for some time. They returned to Ireland in 1920, where they settled in Stillorgan, Company
Dublin. In 1933 they moved to Dún Laoghaire.
Laoide died on 21 September 1939 and, following a small private ceremony, was buried in Deansgrange, Company
