Glenda Girl

Popularity: #928 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: GLEN-duh //ˈɡlɛndə//

Origin: Welsh; English

Meaning: Welsh: fair; English: bright, shining

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Glenda has its roots in the Welsh language, deriving from the elements "glen," meaning "valley," and "da," meaning "fair" or "good." This etymological composition suggests a literal meaning of "fair valley" or "good valley." The name entered the English lexicon in the 20th century, influenced by the romantic and picturesque associations of the Welsh landscape, which contributed to its appeal as a feminine given name in English-speaking countries. Historically, the name Glenda gained prominence in the early 20th century, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States.

One notable milestone in its usage was the publication of the 1939 film "The Wizard of Oz," which featured the character Glinda, the Good Witch. Although the character's name is Glinda, the phonetic similarity and the character's benevolent nature likely contributed to the popularity of the name Glenda during that era.

The name's association with goodness and beauty resonates with the positive connotations of its Welsh roots. Culturally, Glenda has been embraced for its lyrical quality and connection to nature, reflecting the romantic ideals of the early 20th century.

The name embodies a sense of tranquility and grace, often associated with pastoral imagery. Additionally, diminutive forms such as Glen or Glenny may be used informally, although they are less common.

Overall, Glenda's historical and cultural significance is intertwined with its etymological roots and the positive imagery it evokes.

Famous people named Glenda

In this section, you will find notable people named Glenda. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Glenda who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Glenda who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Glenda Jackson is an actress and politician best known for Women in Love, A Touch of Class, and her role in King Lear.

Glenda Collins is a singer best known for her hits in the 1960s including 'Never Love a Robin' and 'It's Hard to Be a Girl.'.

Glenda Linscott is an actress best known for her roles in The Flying Doctors, The Sullivans, and The Last of the Ryans.

Fictional characters named Glenda

The following list of fictional characters named Glenda is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Glenda is a fictional character from the musical and novel Wicked. She is a bubbly and optimistic witch who becomes a close friend of Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Glenda, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

GlenGlenysGlennaGloriaGildaGiselleGwendolyn

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Glenda. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

GloriaGlennaGildaGwendolynGlenGlenysGleniceGlynis

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Glenda was first seen in the United States in 1900.

Glenda has ranked as high as #172 nationally, which occurred in 1950, and has been most popular in Texas, Georgia, Alabama, North Carolina, and Tennessee.

In the past 5 years the name Glenda has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Glenda is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Glenda was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Glenda.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 20 0 20
2024 24 0 24
2023 23 0 23
2022 18 0 18
2021 27 0 27
2020 24 0 24
2019 22 0 22
2018 24 0 24
2017 24 0 24
2016 33 0 33
2015 27 0 27
2014 30 0 30
2013 32 0 32
2012 39 0 39
2011 48 0 48
2010 46 0 46
2009 57 0 57
2008 61 0 61
2007 75 0 75
2006 72 0 72
2005 89 0 89
2004 66 0 66
2003 90 0 90
2002 95 0 95
2001 86 0 86
2000 96 0 96
1999 86 0 86
1998 112 0 112
1997 118 0 118
1996 124 0 124
1995 135 0 135
1994 137 0 137
1993 143 0 143
1992 179 0 179
1991 165 0 165
1990 175 0 175
1989 205 0 205
1988 172 0 172
1987 183 0 183
1986 198 0 198
1985 213 0 213
1984 232 0 232
1983 285 0 285
1982 323 0 323
1981 310 0 310
1980 327 0 327
1979 297 0 297
1978 362 0 362
1977 403 0 403
1976 455 0 455
1975 444 0 444
1974 509 0 509
1973 566 0 566
1972 613 0 613
1971 782 0 782
1970 893 0 893
1969 943 0 943
1968 998 0 998
1967 1,110 0 1,110
1966 1,373 6 1,367
1965 1,519 5 1,514
1964 1,869 6 1,863
1963 2,059 8 2,051
1962 2,464 7 2,457
1961 2,610 10 2,600
1960 2,699 10 2,689
1959 2,846 7 2,839
1958 2,993 12 2,981
1957 3,208 8 3,200
1956 3,253 8 3,245
1955 3,355 11 3,344
1954 3,742 8 3,734
1953 3,661 6 3,655
1952 3,890 10 3,880
1951 4,142 7 4,135
1950 4,224 9 4,215
1949 3,987 12 3,975
1948 3,845 14 3,831
1947 4,163 7 4,156
1946 3,576 8 3,568
1945 2,973 10 2,963
1944 3,377 10 3,367
1943 3,422 19 3,403
1942 3,106 17 3,089
1941 2,654 11 2,643
1940 2,362 9 2,353
1939 2,294 8 2,286
1938 1,969 11 1,958
1937 1,550 14 1,536
1936 1,366 0 1,366
1935 1,151 7 1,144
1934 921 0 921
1933 680 0 680
1932 288 0 288
1931 230 0 230
1930 181 0 181
1929 184 0 184
1928 184 0 184
1927 162 0 162
1926 167 0 167
1925 143 0 143
1924 150 0 150
1923 123 0 123
1922 117 0 117
1921 117 0 117
1920 110 0 110
1919 78 0 78
1918 87 0 87
1917 81 0 81
1916 64 0 64
1915 68 0 68
1914 52 0 52
1913 48 0 48
1912 39 0 39
1911 26 0 26
1910 10 0 10
1909 15 0 15
1908 13 0 13
1907 10 0 10
1906 5 0 5
1905 11 0 11
1904 6 0 6
1900 5 0 5

Top States for Glenda (2023)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
TX 6
100%