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Glenda as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Glenda

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The baby name Glenda is a Female name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced GLEN-də (IPA: /ˈɡlɛn.də/).

Glenda is English, Welsh in Origin.

Gender: Female
Syllables: 2.0
Origin: English, Welsh
Pronunciation: GLEN-də (IPA: /ˈɡlɛn.də/)

What is the meaning of the name Glenda ?

The baby name Glenda is a Female name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced GLEN-də (IPA: /ˈɡlɛn.də/).

Glenda is English, Welsh in Origin.

Glenda is a modern feminine name most often explained as Welsh in origin, combining glân (clean, pure, holy) and da (good), yielding the appealing sense “pure and good.” Some also view it as a 20th‑century elaboration of Glen/Glenn (from Gaelic gleann, “valley”) with a melodious -da ending. Common variants and spellings include Glynda and Glinda; related names are Glenna and Welsh Glenys, which shares the “pure/holy” meaning. Nicknames include Glen and Glenny.

The name saw its strongest use in the English‑speaking world between the 1930s and 1960s, especially in Britain and the United States. Its visibility was helped by American actress Glenda Farrell and later by acclaimed British actress and politician Glenda Jackson. Though less common today, Glenda retains a mid‑century charm and a bright, upbeat meaning that aligns with virtue names.

Glenda has the following similar or variant Names

Famous people with the name Glenda

Glenda Jackson Actor|politician · Born 1936 · United Kingdom Glenda Jackson was a distinguished British actress and politician, known for her powerful performances in films like 'Women in Love' and 'A Touch of Class'. She won two Academy Awards for Best Actress before transitioning to a successful political career as a Member of Parliament in the United Kingdom. Her versatility and dedication marked her as a significant figure in both the arts and public service.

Glenda – Popularity by country

Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.

Country Gender Year Rank Born of
Ireland Girls 1997 #1 601
SV 0 #11 1 283
SV Girls 0 #16 3 458
HN 0 #17 6 704
HN Girls 0 #22 15 884
NA 0 #32 2 2,537
PR 0 #49 7 1,497
MO 0 #52 1 2,706
CM 0 #56 1 2,592
PH 0 #75 22 5,607
MD Boys 0 #81 1 756
PR Girls 0 #95 69 3,171
QA 0 #99 8 7,011
EC 0 #103 13 2,502
TW 0 #103 1 4,523
GT Girls 0 #106 830 7,500
BN Girls 0 #110 5 5,459
OM 0 #118 4 6,215
KW 0 #120 2 5,216
CY Girls 0 #122 4 3,755
EC Girls 0 #129 120 3,650
CR 0 #133 26 5,526
PA 0 #135 4 3,797
MT Girls 0 #148 6 3,773
BW Girls 0 #149 3 4,216
PH Girls 0 #149 296 13,098
AE 0 #165 13 10,220
GT 0 #175 144 5,948
SI Girls 0 #177 1 2,769
UY 0 #182 1 2,477
LU Girls 0 #187 4 4,850
AR 0 #192 2 2,915
NA Girls 0 #200 25 7,146
DK 0 #206 1 5,198
AL Girls 0 #210 13 4,141
AO Girls 0 #217 1 4,575
CR Girls 0 #218 426 11,342
HU Girls 0 #220 6 3,308
QA Girls 0 #221 96 15,378
PS 0 #222 5 5,692
MO Girls 0 #224 28 7,056
JP Girls 0 #234 12 6,592
MO Boys 0 #234 1 5,842
GR Girls 0 #244 6 6,293
EC Boys 0 #246 1 3,322
GH 0 #248 1 5,396
JM Girls 0 #250 10 7,507
NA Boys 0 #253 1 6,830
SG 0 #256 14 11,010
SA 0 #265 31 10,560
NG 0 #272 1 5,926
IL 0 #278 5 6,291
TW Girls 0 #281 9 8,139
Canada Girls 2006 #291 5 2,679
HR Girls 0 #292 3 3,687
PE 0 #296 15 6,350
BR 0 #327 19 5,969
OM Girls 0 #327 70 15,987
DK Girls 0 #328 2 7,429
GH Girls 0 #332 6 6,973
JO Girls 0 #332 8 7,570
KW Girls 0 #332 185 19,177
HK 0 #336 13 8,483
CN Girls 0 #339 11 8,829
ZA 0 #340 108 14,421
ZA Girls 0 #340 1,754 25,928
MU Girls 0 #342 10 8,539
MY 0 #349 6 12,352
SD Girls 0 #358 1 7,678
PA Girls 0 #359 126 9,861
SG Girls 0 #359 235 18,916
PL Girls 0 #363 2 5,096
MX 0 #368 46 8,339
CL 0 #373 39 6,867
YE 0 #398 1 8,639
BO 0 #402 7 6,868
France Girls 2008 #404 3 3,186
AE Girls 0 #407 147 20,968
PH Boys 0 #408 1 11,440
UY Boys 0 #413 1 5,922
Spain 0 #435 18 2,326
PT Girls 0 #441 11 7,952
CO 0 #454 27 7,768
CL Girls 0 #464 467 14,098
UY Girls 0 #469 42 6,731
AR Boys 0 #483 1 7,628
PS Girls 0 #489 35 10,981
GT Boys 0 #495 5 7,625
BO Girls 0 #504 108 9,488
PA Boys 0 #504 2 9,305
HK Girls 0 #505 111 16,104
BH 0 #506 48 17,937
CR Boys 0 #510 1 10,188
RU Girls 0 #521 3 11,913
AR Girls 0 #536 64 8,289
IR Girls 0 #545 1 8,334
HK Boys 0 #554 4 12,905
CM Girls 0 #555 6 11,671
LY 0 #559 1 12,703
IT 0 #561 155 4,183
PE Girls 0 #561 469 14,861
IT Girls 0 #574 1,454 9,415
IL Girls 0 #592 26 11,648
SA Girls 0 #592 356 25,931
BO Boys 0 #622 1 9,244
LB 0 #645 14 13,263
BR Girls 0 #690 257 12,708
CL Boys 0 #696 5 13,390
MX Girls 0 #700 606 17,781
Spain Girls 0 #711 283 5,561
CO Girls 0 #728 389 16,140
Finland Girls 2026 #729 10 3,895
SG Boys 0 #738 2 17,960
QA Boys 0 #743 1 18,093
NG Girls 0 #767 20 15,093
BR Boys 0 #781 5 12,213
NL Girls 0 #789 167 5,933
KW Boys 0 #805 2 18,755
Germany Girls 0 #826 13 4,949
United States Girls 2024 #893 24 8,487
OM Boys 0 #918 1 17,948
PE Boys 0 #925 2 14,506
MY Girls 0 #948 47 24,821
CO Boys 0 #978 4 15,656
NG Boys 0 #1,001 1 16,906
EG Girls 0 #1,003 7 14,742
MX Boys 0 #1,030 4 16,355
IN Boys 0 #1,039 1 16,750
AE Boys 0 #1,139 5 22,615
ZA Boys 0 #1,153 26 25,619
MA 0 #1,199 1 20,986
TR 0 #1,252 3 19,440
IT Boys 0 #1,457 15 10,046
SA Boys 0 #1,684 8 28,008

Glenda is popular in 72 countries — most recent births per country:

Ireland
United States
Canada
France
Scotland, United Kingdom

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

People also ask about Glenda

Glenda is predominantly a girl's name.
Glenda is a 2 syllable name, pronounced GLEN-də (IPA: /ˈɡlɛn.də/).
Common nicknames and spelling variations include Glinda, Glynda, Glenna, Glendah and Glendora.
Across languages, Glenda has these equivalents: Agnes (Greek, 'pure'), Candida (Latin, 'white, pure'), Clara/Claire (Latin, 'clear, bright'), Glenna (English, 'valley').
Yes, very popular — Glenda ranked #1 in Ireland in 1997, and appears in official birth registries across 6 countries.
Glenda ranks highest in Ireland (#1 in 1997).
Glenda's popularity is holding steady. It moved from #1 in 1987 to #1 in 1997 in Ireland.
Yes — 1 notable people named Glenda are in our database, including Glenda Jackson (Actor|politician).