Glenn comes from the Scottish Gaelic gleann and means "valley" or "narrow glen"; it began as a surname for someone who lived in one. Bandleader Glenn Miller and astronaut John Glenn made it a thoroughly American name in the mid-20th century. Glenn ranked number 591 in 2000, its best year in this century, slipped out of the top 1000 in the following decade and stands at number 1443 in 2025.