Glenna
Glenna was the 12349th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 7 babies. Its best year was 1931, when it ranked 256th; the most babies were born in 1951 (645). Over the last ten years it has moved down 119 places. More babies were named Glenna in the 1940s than in any other decade.
Meaning feminine of Glen; "valley" · English, Scottish Gaelic
Say it GLEN-uh /ˈɡlɛnə/
- Rank in 2025
- #12,349 girls, down 1,792 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 7girls
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a girl’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 1951645 babies
- Total since 1880
- 25,629babies recorded
What does the name Glenna mean?
Glenna is a feminine form of Glen (Glenn), made by adding -a. Glen comes from the Scottish Gaelic gleann, "valley, glen". According to Wiktionary, Glenna was coined in the 19th century and has been used quietly ever since. It was most common in the US in the 1930s and 1940s.
gleann (Scottish Gaelic, “valley, glen”)
How sure is this? Well established.
Related names: Glenn, Glen, Glenda, Glynis.
See also: Scottish names, names that mean meadow, hill or valley.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Glenna', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation)
- Wikipedia, 'Glenna (given name)', Wikipedia (Wikimedia Foundation)
Glenna popularity since 1880
A few boys are given the name too: 5 since 1940.
| Year | Rank (girls) | Babies (girls) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #12,349 | 7 |
| 2020 | #10,557 | 9 |
| 2010 | #12,704 | 8 |
| 2000 | #5,553 | 20 |
| 1990 | #2,973 | 38 |
| 1980 | #1,789 | 61 |
| 1970 | #963 | 132 |
| 1960 | #585 | 286 |
| 1950 | #317 | 600 |
| 1940 | #294 | 463 |
| 1930 | #269 | 555 |
| 1920 | #406 | 268 |
| 1910 | #500 | 66 |
| 1900 | #506 | 45 |
| 1890 | #542 | 24 |
| 1880 | #702 | 7 |
How popular is Glenna, counting every spelling?
Glenna has no other common spelling that sounds the same.
How many kids will share the name Glenna?
7 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Glenna (0.00 per 1,000 births). For a girl named Glenna born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 1,224 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Glenna.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Glenna?
About 11,400 people born in the US named Glenna are alive today, with a median age of 73; half are between 63 and 80. That makes Glenna a name most people associate with older generations.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Glenna: their share of US girls followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Glenna, they share its era and feel.
Questions about the name Glenna
What does Glenna mean?
Glenna means “feminine of Glen; "valley"” (English, Scottish Gaelic origin). Certainty: well established.
How popular is the name Glenna?
Glenna was the 12349th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 7 babies. Its best year was 1931, when it ranked 256th; the most babies were born in 1951 (645). Over the last ten years it has moved down 119 places. More babies were named Glenna in the 1940s than in any other decade.
Is Glenna a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a girl’s name given the name Glenna in the US.