Holding steady.
Popularity of Glena since 1898
Babies named Glena per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1950, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Glena's real moment was 1934.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 5 |
| 1900s | 15 |
| 1910s | 120 |
| 1920s | 182 |
| 1930s | 209 |
| 1940s | 162 |
| 1950s | 207 |
| 1960s | 131 |
| 1970s | 36 |
| 1980s | 6 |
| 1990s | 5 |
| 2000s | 0 |
| 2010s | 0 |
| 2020s | 0 |
Meaning & origin
Glena is a name of Scottish and English origin, first recorded in the United States in 1898. It reached its peak rank of 1,308 in 1934, the same year it was most frequently given, with a peak usage of 72 births. The name has experienced a stable trajectory since its peak, remaining consistently rare but never disappearing entirely. Its highest usage occurred in the 1930s, a decade that saw many similar short, soft-sounding names like Glenda and Wanda. While Glena has never been extremely common, its connection to the Scottish word for valley gives it a simple, natural appeal.
Glena likely originated as a feminine form of Glen, a Scottish topographic surname meaning 'valley,' or as a combination of popular name elements such as Gl- (from Gloria) and -ena (from Lena). It saw modest use in the early 20th century, particularly in the United States during the 1930s and 1940s, but never reached widespread popularity.
Sibling names for Glena
Names that share Glena's style, for a brother or sister.
