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Glen as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Glen

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The baby name Glen is a Male name , 1 syllables long and is pronounced /ɡlɛn/ (GLEN, rhymes with 'hen').

Glen is Scottish Gaelic in Origin.

Gender: Male
Syllables: 1.0
Origin: Scottish Gaelic
Pronunciation: /ɡlɛn/ (GLEN, rhymes with 'hen')

What is the meaning of the name Glen ?

The baby name Glen is a Male name , 1 syllables long and is pronounced /ɡlɛn/ (GLEN, rhymes with 'hen').

Glen is Scottish Gaelic in Origin.

Glen is an English given name and surname from Scottish Gaelic gleann, meaning “valley.” It arose as a toponymic surname for people who lived near a glen and moved into first-name use in Scotland, then more broadly across the English-speaking world in the 19th century. The word’s nature imagery - quiet, wooded vales - has helped the name read as simple and outdoorsy.

Use spiked in the mid‑20th century, particularly in the United States, Canada, and Scotland. The twin spelling Glenn has often been more common, influenced by figures such as actor Glenn Ford and astronaut‑senator John Glenn, while Irish/English Glynn survives chiefly as a surname. Related forms include the Welsh Glyn and the feminine Glenna; diminutives like Glenny occur informally. Across spellings, the core meaning stays constant: “one who dwells in or is associated with a valley.”

Glen has the following similar or variant Names

Famous people with the name Glen

Glen Campbell Actor · Born 1936 · United States Glen Campbell was a beloved American singer and actor, best known for his hit songs like 'Rhinestone Cowboy' and 'Wichita Lineman'. He also showcased his acting talent in films such as 'True Grit'. Born in 1936, he became a household name with his unique blend of country and pop music. Glen Powell Actor · Born 1988 · United States Glen Powell is an American actor best known for his role as John Glenn in the film 'Hidden Figures'. He also starred in 'Top Gun: Maverick' and appeared in the TV series 'Scream Queens'. Glen Hansard Actor|musician · Born 1970 · Ireland Glen Hansard is an Irish musician and actor best known for his role in the film 'Once' and his work with the band The Frames. He won an Academy Award for Best Original Song for 'Falling Slowly' from 'Once'. Hansard's music often features heartfelt lyrics and acoustic melodies.

Glen – Popularity by country

Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.

Country Gender Year Rank Born of
Ireland Boys 2025 #1 — 836
FJ Boys 0 #17 1 603
MT 0 #40 4 1,767
MO 0 #51 2 2,706
JP 0 #73 5 4,057
JM 0 #74 14 3,714
AL 0 #75 2 2,372
MV Boys 0 #79 1 3,375
CN 0 #82 5 3,857
PH 0 #86 11 5,607
QA 0 #90 11 7,011
TW 0 #99 5 4,523
KW 0 #117 5 5,216
EE Boys 0 #119 7 2,087
OM 0 #119 3 6,215
MT Boys 0 #123 55 4,064
ID Boys 0 #128 8 4,130
CY Boys 0 #130 2 3,473
GR 0 #135 1 3,911
Norway Boys 1998 #137 4 495
BN Boys 0 #137 3 6,332
PA 0 #138 1 3,797
BW Boys 0 #139 11 4,685
BW Girls 0 #150 2 4,216
LT Boys 0 #151 1 2,166
MT Girls 0 #151 3 3,773
AE 0 #157 21 10,220
CR 0 #158 8 5,526
JM Boys 0 #165 114 6,876
PR Girls 0 #166 2 3,171
HU Boys 0 #172 3 3,954
PR Boys 0 #177 2 2,508
RU 0 #194 1 3,641
MO Boys 0 #203 21 5,842
NA Boys 0 #203 33 6,830
DK 0 #204 3 5,198
SI Boys 0 #211 1 3,402
BG Boys 0 #218 3 3,850
LU Boys 0 #220 1 4,970
Belgium Boys 2000 #223 18 418
TW Boys 0 #223 19 7,111
PS 0 #224 3 5,692
AL Girls 0 #226 2 4,141
NA Girls 0 #235 3 7,146
SG 0 #235 35 11,010
PH Boys 0 #237 156 11,440
BD 0 #241 1 5,992
EC Boys 0 #243 4 3,322
GH 0 #248 1 5,396
GR Girls 0 #249 1 6,293
JP Girls 0 #251 1 6,592
HR Boys 0 #255 5 3,997
EC Girls 0 #258 1 3,650
ZA Boys 0 #260 2,292 25,619
AL Boys 0 #261 38 5,122
MO Girls 0 #261 3 7,056
GR Boys 0 #273 1 6,912
JM Girls 0 #277 2 7,507
IL 0 #280 3 6,291
SA 0 #282 14 10,560
JP Boys 0 #284 14 7,909
TW Girls 0 #289 1 8,139
CN Boys 0 #294 26 9,639
DK Boys 0 #296 30 7,401
KZ Boys 0 #296 1 6,578
Canada Boys 2024 #299 8 2,588
CZ Boys 0 #304 2 6,530
ZA 0 #309 139 14,421
MY 0 #321 10 12,352
PE 0 #322 8 6,350
QA Girls 0 #337 7 15,378
JO Girls 0 #338 2 7,570
PL Boys 0 #339 2 6,459
PH Girls 0 #344 47 13,098
CZ Girls 0 #351 1 5,378
HK 0 #351 7 8,483
GH Boys 0 #355 7 8,138
CN Girls 0 #359 1 8,829
MU Girls 0 #361 2 8,539
MU Boys 0 #365 5 8,477
CR Boys 0 #371 120 10,188
PT Boys 0 #379 3 7,951
France Boys 2020 #389 3 2,846
YE 0 #398 1 8,639
BO 0 #406 3 6,868
UY Boys 0 #411 3 5,922
Finland Boys 0 #412 16 2,041
OM Girls 0 #419 6 15,987
CL 0 #427 8 6,867
MX 0 #439 7 8,339
SG Boys 0 #446 259 17,960
PA Boys 0 #449 33 9,305
HK Boys 0 #476 52 12,905
AR Boys 0 #480 4 7,628
RU Boys 0 #481 25 12,621
KW Girls 0 #490 26 19,177
GT Girls 0 #496 10 7,500
GT Boys 0 #497 3 7,625
CO 0 #504 7 7,768
CR Girls 0 #504 29 11,342
PA Girls 0 #518 1 9,861
RU Girls 0 #523 1 11,913
CM Boys 0 #527 24 12,054
BH 0 #531 23 17,937
PS Boys 0 #535 14 10,655
UY Girls 0 #536 1 6,731
AE Girls 0 #539 15 20,968
IR Girls 0 #545 1 8,334
PS Girls 0 #546 2 10,981
CM Girls 0 #555 6 11,671
LY 0 #557 3 12,703
IR Boys 0 #564 2 10,162
SG Girls 0 #572 15 18,916
BO Boys 0 #575 18 9,244
AR Girls 0 #590 10 8,289
CL Boys 0 #594 72 13,390
HK Girls 0 #603 13 16,104
BD Boys 0 #605 1 10,045
IL Boys 0 #620 6 10,983
Finland Boys 2026 #630 53 3,552
QA Boys 0 #640 68 18,093
IL Girls 0 #641 5 11,648
BO Girls 0 #649 3 9,488
LB 0 #689 2 13,263
IQ Boys 0 #696 2 13,071
IT 0 #699 16 4,183
KW Boys 0 #721 49 18,755
NL Boys 0 #743 210 5,873
SY 0 #767 1 11,684
BR Boys 0 #782 4 12,213
PE Boys 0 #798 81 14,506
CO Boys 0 #823 98 15,656
NG Girls 0 #823 4 15,093
United States Boys 2024 #832 61 7,044
OM Boys 0 #836 46 17,948
Germany Boys 0 #883 70 5,697
SA Girls 0 #887 49 25,931
Spain Boys 0 #897 34 5,610
CL Girls 0 #908 8 14,098
EG Boys 0 #924 2 15,035
AE Boys 0 #926 167 22,615
NG Boys 0 #932 20 16,906
PE Girls 0 #932 12 14,861
MX Boys 0 #935 48 16,355
NL Girls 0 #946 10 5,933
Spain Girls 0 #972 12 5,561
MY Boys 0 #978 134 25,439
MY Girls 0 #979 16 24,821
ZA Girls 0 #979 163 25,928
BR Girls 0 #991 2 12,708
IN Boys 0 #991 11 16,750
EG Girls 0 #1,009 1 14,742
CO Girls 0 #1,054 25 16,140
MX Girls 0 #1,151 33 17,781
MA 0 #1,197 3 20,986
DZ 0 #1,231 4 20,130
TR 0 #1,252 3 19,440
SA Boys 0 #1,324 292 28,008
IT Boys 0 #1,351 121 10,046
IT Girls 0 #1,437 10 9,415

Glen is popular in 81 countries — most recent births per country:

Ireland
France
Scotland, United Kingdom
Canada
United States

Did we miss something about this name? Let us know!

People also ask about Glen

Glen is predominantly a boy's name.
Glen is a one syllable name, pronounced /ɡlɛn/ (GLEN, rhymes with 'hen').
Common nicknames and spelling variations include Glenn, Glynn, Glenna and Gleann.
Yes, very popular — Glen ranked #1 in Ireland in 2025, and appears in official birth registries across 8 countries.
Glen ranks highest in Ireland (#1 in 2025).
Glen's popularity is holding steady. It moved from #1 in 2015 to #1 in 2025 in Ireland.
Yes — 3 notable people named Glen are in our database, including Glen Campbell (Actor), Glen Powell (Actor), Glen Hansard (Actor|musician).