At a glance
- In short
- Glenn traces back to the Gaelic word “gleann,” signifying a valley, and first appeared as a Scottish-Irish surname before migrating into given-name territory on both sides of the Atlantic.
- U.S. rank 2025
- #1,443 of boy names (outside the top 1,000)
- Babies in 2025
- 124 (<0.01% of boys)
- Trend
- Steady #1,398 in 2020 to #1,443 in 2025
- Peak
- #55 in 1962
- First recorded
- 1880
Meaning of Glenn
Glenn traces back to the Gaelic word “gleann,” signifying a valley, and first appeared as a Scottish-Irish surname before migrating into given-name territory on both sides of the Atlantic. In the United States its usage rose steadily from the 1880s, reached cruising altitude in the early space-age—helped, no doubt, by astronaut-senator John Glenn—and has since glided into the mid-700s on the Social Security charts, making it familiar yet seldom duplicated. Cultural touchstones are pleasantly varied: classic-era actor Glenn Ford, Eagles guitarist Glenn Frey, and virtuoso pianist Glenn Gould each lend a different sheen, from rugged to rock to refined. Pronounced simply “glen” (/ɡlɛn/), the name is as easy on the ear as it is on paperwork, while its valley imagery offers a quiet nod to the natural world—an understated choice for parents who prefer steady contours over fleeting peaks.
How to pronounce Glenn
English
- Pronounced glen /ɡlɛn/
Popularity of Glenn in the U.S.
Glenn was the #1,443 boy name in the U.S. in 2025, with 124 babies. It peaked at #55 in 1962.
- Rank among U.S. boy names (right scale, #1 at the top)
Year-by-year table, 1880–2025 146 rows
| Year | Babies | Rank | vs previous year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 124 | 1,443 | ▼ 84 |
| 2024 | 139 | 1,359 | ▲ 217 |
| 2023 | 110 | 1,576 | ▼ 143 |
| 2022 | 127 | 1,433 | ▲ 9 |
| 2021 | 125 | 1,442 | ▼ 44 |
| 2020 | 124 | 1,398 | ▼ 4 |
| 2019 | 127 | 1,394 | ▼ 160 |
| 2018 | 150 | 1,234 | ▲ 38 |
| 2017 | 143 | 1,272 | ▼ 148 |
| 2016 | 173 | 1,124 | ▲ 17 |
| 2015 | 165 | 1,141 | ▲ 25 |
| 2014 | 161 | 1,166 | ▼ 51 |
| 2013 | 163 | 1,115 | ▼ 63 |
| 2012 | 181 | 1,052 | ▲ 66 |
| 2011 | 163 | 1,118 | ▼ 95 |
| 2010 | 189 | 1,023 | ▲ 40 |
| 2009 | 175 | 1,063 | ▼ 198 |
| 2008 | 246 | 865 | ▼ 40 |
| 2007 | 260 | 825 | ▲ 22 |
| 2006 | 237 | 847 | ▼ 87 |
| 2005 | 261 | 760 | ▼ 83 |
| 2004 | 297 | 677 | ▼ 8 |
| 2003 | 296 | 669 | ▼ 53 |
| 2002 | 321 | 616 | ▲ 11 |
| 2001 | 302 | 627 | ▼ 36 |
| 2000 | 335 | 591 | ▼ 64 |
| 1999 | 397 | 527 | ▼ 32 |
| 1998 | 440 | 495 | ▼ 25 |
| 1997 | 461 | 470 | ▼ 15 |
| 1996 | 483 | 455 | ▼ 25 |
| 1995 | 529 | 430 | ▼ 19 |
| 1994 | 554 | 411 | ▼ 50 |
| 1993 | 653 | 361 | ▼ 18 |
| 1992 | 696 | 343 | ▼ 38 |
| 1991 | 843 | 305 | ▼ 9 |
| 1990 | 852 | 296 | ▼ 25 |
| 1989 | 912 | 271 | ▼ 17 |
| 1988 | 926 | 254 | ▼ 17 |
| 1987 | 988 | 237 | ▼ 1 |
| 1986 | 982 | 236 | ▼ 7 |
| 1985 | 1,004 | 229 | ▼ 8 |
| 1984 | 1,023 | 221 | ▲ 1 |
| 1983 | 1,016 | 222 | ▼ 4 |
| 1982 | 1,088 | 218 | ▲ 3 |
| 1981 | 1,107 | 221 | ▼ 6 |
| 1980 | 1,143 | 215 | ▼ 2 |
| 1979 | 1,118 | 213 | ▼ 13 |
| 1978 | 1,120 | 200 | ▼ 12 |
| 1977 | 1,245 | 188 | ▼ 12 |
| 1976 | 1,317 | 176 | ▼ 6 |
| 1975 | 1,383 | 170 | ▼ 12 |
| 1974 | 1,542 | 158 | ▼ 12 |
| 1973 | 1,702 | 146 | ▼ 12 |
| 1972 | 1,979 | 134 | ▼ 7 |
| 1971 | 2,474 | 127 | ▼ 18 |
| 1970 | 3,008 | 109 | ▼ 21 |
| 1969 | 3,467 | 88 | ▲ 4 |
| 1968 | 3,246 | 92 | ▼ 1 |
| 1967 | 3,440 | 91 | ▼ 1 |
| 1966 | 3,668 | 90 | ▼ 5 |
| 1965 | 4,355 | 85 | ▼ 4 |
| 1964 | 4,752 | 81 | ▼ 17 |
| 1963 | 5,977 | 64 | ▼ 9 |
| 1962 | 7,356 | 55 | ▲ 9 |
| 1961 | 6,271 | 64 | ▲ 10 |
| 1960 | 5,563 | 74 | ▲ 6 |
| 1959 | 5,352 | 80 | ▼ 4 |
| 1958 | 5,462 | 76 | ▼ 14 |
| 1957 | 6,267 | 62 | ▼ 1 |
| 1956 | 6,196 | 61 | ▼ 2 |
| 1955 | 6,258 | 59 | ▲ 4 |
| 1954 | 6,240 | 63 | ▲ 4 |
| 1953 | 5,726 | 67 | ▼ 6 |
| 1952 | 5,945 | 61 | ▼ 3 |
| 1951 | 5,803 | 58 | ▲ 1 |
| 1950 | 5,465 | 59 | ▲ 2 |
| 1949 | 5,415 | 61 | ▲ 12 |
| 1948 | 4,740 | 73 | ▼ 3 |
| 1947 | 5,157 | 70 | ▲ 11 |
| 1946 | 3,892 | 81 | ▲ 12 |
| 1945 | 2,734 | 93 | ▼ 5 |
| 1944 | 2,849 | 88 | ▼ 3 |
| 1943 | 3,054 | 85 | ▲ 3 |
| 1942 | 2,888 | 88 | ▼ 2 |
| 1941 | 2,523 | 86 | ▼ 3 |
| 1940 | 2,465 | 83 | ▲ 4 |
| 1939 | 2,303 | 87 | ▼ 4 |
| 1938 | 2,367 | 83 | ▲ 5 |
| 1937 | 2,263 | 88 | ▼ 8 |
| 1936 | 2,328 | 80 | ▼ 2 |
| 1935 | 2,437 | 78 | ▲ 3 |
| 1934 | 2,341 | 81 | ▼ 7 |
| 1933 | 2,366 | 74 | ▲ 3 |
| 1932 | 2,435 | 77 | ▼ 5 |
| 1931 | 2,624 | 72 | ▼ 1 |
| 1930 | 2,758 | 71 | ▲ 9 |
| 1929 | 2,433 | 80 | ▼ 4 |
| 1928 | 2,603 | 76 | – |
| 1927 | 2,670 | 76 | ▼ 1 |
| 1926 | 2,635 | 75 | ▲ 2 |
| 1925 | 2,611 | 77 | ▲ 2 |
| 1924 | 2,586 | 79 | ▲ 5 |
| 1923 | 2,370 | 84 | ▼ 5 |
| 1922 | 2,425 | 79 | ▲ 1 |
| 1921 | 2,449 | 80 | – |
| 1920 | 2,375 | 80 | ▲ 4 |
| 1919 | 2,153 | 84 | – |
| 1918 | 2,253 | 84 | ▲ 2 |
| 1917 | 1,997 | 86 | ▼ 2 |
| 1916 | 1,970 | 84 | ▲ 3 |
| 1915 | 1,842 | 87 | ▲ 4 |
| 1914 | 1,327 | 91 | ▼ 6 |
| 1913 | 1,122 | 85 | ▼ 1 |
| 1912 | 948 | 84 | ▲ 27 |
| 1911 | 343 | 111 | ▼ 14 |
| 1910 | 349 | 97 | ▲ 6 |
| 1909 | 261 | 103 | – |
| 1908 | 247 | 103 | ▲ 1 |
| 1907 | 234 | 104 | ▼ 6 |
| 1906 | 217 | 98 | ▲ 15 |
| 1905 | 189 | 113 | ▼ 14 |
| 1904 | 217 | 99 | ▼ 2 |
| 1903 | 198 | 97 | ▲ 9 |
| 1902 | 185 | 106 | ▼ 12 |
| 1901 | 180 | 94 | ▲ 24 |
| 1900 | 194 | 118 | ▼ 11 |
| 1899 | 161 | 107 | ▲ 1 |
| 1898 | 178 | 108 | ▼ 4 |
| 1897 | 171 | 104 | ▲ 3 |
| 1896 | 174 | 107 | ▲ 6 |
| 1895 | 150 | 113 | ▲ 1 |
| 1894 | 142 | 114 | ▲ 8 |
| 1893 | 131 | 122 | ▼ 1 |
| 1892 | 139 | 121 | ▼ 13 |
| 1891 | 138 | 108 | ▲ 15 |
| 1890 | 117 | 123 | ▲ 17 |
| 1889 | 103 | 140 | ▼ 1 |
| 1888 | 110 | 139 | ▲ 9 |
| 1887 | 86 | 148 | ▼ 12 |
| 1886 | 99 | 136 | ▲ 56 |
| 1885 | 68 | 192 | ▲ 21 |
| 1884 | 61 | 213 | ▼ 31 |
| 1883 | 65 | 182 | ▲ 49 |
| 1882 | 51 | 231 | ▼ 7 |
| 1881 | 45 | 224 | ▲ 28 |
| 1880 | 43 | 252 | – |
Glenn by state
Glenn ranks #618 in Wisconsin (2025).
Rank by state 8 states
| State | Rank | Babies |
|---|---|---|
| Wisconsin | 618 | 7 |
| Alabama | 765 | 5 |
| Washington | 801 | 7 |
| Missouri | 869 | 5 |
| North Carolina | 936 | 8 |
| Florida | 1,256 | 9 |
| California | 1,829 | 8 |
| Texas | 2,080 | 7 |
Notable people named Glenn
- Glenn Youngkin is an American businessman and Republican politician who served as Virginia's 74th governor from 2022 to 2026 after a 25 year career at the Carlyle Group, where he rose to co-CEO.
- Glenn Miller was an American bandleader, composer, and trombonist who led one of the most popular big bands of the 20th century.
- Glenn Close is a celebrated American actress and singer whose five decades on stage and screen have brought her three Emmys and three Tony Awards along with eight Oscar nominations.
- Glenn Gould was a Canadian pianist celebrated as one of the 20th century's greatest, best known for his brilliant, crystal-clear interpretations of Bach.
- Glenn Danzig is an American singer and songwriter who founded the rock bands Misfits, Samhain, and Danzig.
More people named Glenn 9 more
- Glenn Ford, born Gwyllyn Samuel Newton Ford, was a Canadian-born American actor and major Hollywood star from the 1940s through the 1960s.
- Glenn Theodore Seaborg was an American chemist who shared the 1951 Nobel Prize for his work on ten transuranium elements.
- Glenn McGrath is a former Australian cricketer celebrated as one of the greatest bowlers and a three-time World Cup winner.
- Glenn Frey was an American singer, songwriter and founding member of the Eagles, known for hits like Take It Easy and Tequila Sunrise.
- Glenn Hughes is an English rock bassist and singer celebrated for his funky bass lines and soaring soulful voice with Trapeze, Deep Purple and, briefly, Black Sabbath.
- Glenn Strange was an American actor known for Western films, playing bartender Sam Noonan on Gunsmoke and portraying Frankenstein's monster.
- Glenn Thrush is an American journalist and author known for covering politics and the Justice Department for The New York Times.
- Glenn Earl Davis is a former American baseball first baseman who played for the Houston Astros and Baltimore Orioles.
- Glenn Smiley was a civil rights leader who helped Martin Luther King Jr. embrace nonviolent protest to fight racial injustice.