UK boy's name
Glynn
A masculine name of Welsh origin meaning "valley" or "glen".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2013. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Glynn is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Glynn popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2013 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4685, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1996, with 8 births.
This profile covers 31 England and Wales registrations across 7 recorded years from 1996 to 2013. The figures come from ONS England and Wales and NRS Scotland, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 38% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 34 living people in the UK are called Glynn. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2014 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Glynn ranked #4685 for boys in England and Wales in 2013, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 1996, when 8 boys were registered as Glynn.
- • Glynn ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #351 in 1990.
- • About 34 living people in the UK are estimated to have Glynn as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4685
2013
Births in 2013
3
Latest year
Peak year
1996
8 births
Estimated living
34
2026
Meaning
What does Glynn mean?
The name Glynn originates from the Welsh language and culture, tracing its roots back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Welsh word "glyn," which means a deep valley or a glen. The name was initially used as a topographic surname, referring to someone who lived near or in a valley.
During the Middle Ages, the name Glynn gained popularity among the Welsh people, particularly in the regions of Glamorgan and Monmouthshire. It was not uncommon for families to adopt surnames based on their geographic locations or notable features of the landscape.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Glynn can be found in the "Welsh Genealogies," a collection of pedigrees and lineages dating back to the 13th century. The name is mentioned in association with several prominent Welsh families, indicating its use and acceptance within the culture.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Glynn. One such figure was Glynn Vivian (1842-1932), a Welsh industrialist and philanthropist who established the Glynn Vivian Art Gallery in Swansea, Wales. Another prominent bearer of the name was Glynn Jones (1927-2005), a Welsh rugby union player who represented Wales and the British Lions in the 1950s.
In the literary realm, Glynn Hughes (1920-1994) was a Welsh poet and author known for his works exploring the Welsh experience and identity. His poetry collections, such as "Scenes from a Provincial Life" and "Collected Poems," garnered critical acclaim.
In the field of science, Glynn Lunney (1936-2021) was an American aerospace engineer and NASA flight director who played a crucial role in the Apollo program, overseeing numerous manned space missions, including the historic Apollo 11 lunar landing.
Glynn Turman (born 1946) is an American actor best known for his roles in films like "Cooley High," "A Soldier's Story," and the TV series "The Wire." He has had a prolific career spanning over five decades and has been recognized with several awards and nominations for his performances.
The name Glynn has maintained a distinctive Welsh heritage and has been carried by individuals across various fields, from industry and sports to literature and science. While its usage may have been more prevalent in certain regions of Wales, the name has also found its way into other cultures and languages, serving as a reminder of its rich historical roots.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Glynn over time
The chart below shows babies named Glynn registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2013. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Glynn, the clearest high point is 1996. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2013, compared with 8 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Glynn by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Glynn was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | #4745 | 6 | 2 |
| 2000s | #3174 | 10 | 3 |
| 1990s | #1518 | 15 | 2 |
Geography
Where Glynn is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Glynn. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Glynn ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #351 in 1990.
Across the UK
Glynn in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#351 in 1990
1 years of NRS records, 3 total registered
Notable bearers
Famous people named Glynn
-
Glynn Geddie
racing driver
British racing driver
1990-
-
Glynn Pedersen
ski jumper
Canadian-British ski jumper
1981-
-
Glynn Hurst
association football player
footballer
1976-
-
Glynn Purnell
chef
English chef
1975-
-
Glynn Morgan
singer
British singer
1968-
-
Glynn Snodin
association football player
Footballer; coach (born 1960)
1960-
-
Glynn Winskel
computer scientist; university teacher
computer science researcher, Aarhus, Cambridge, Copenhagen
1953-
-
Glynn Nicholas
actor; comedian; mime artist; television actor
Australian actor
1952-
Related
Names similar to Glynn
- George 121,258
- Gabriel 20,581
- Grayson 7,636
- Gregory 2,925
- Guy 2,646
- Gareth 2,092
- Gethin 1,880
- Georgie 1,872
- Gary 1,575
- Gavin 1,422
- Giovanni 1,252
- Grant 1,199
FAQ
Glynn: questions and answers
How popular is the name Glynn in the UK right now?
In 2013, Glynn was ranked #4685 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Glynn most popular?
The peak year on record was 1996, with 8 babies registered as Glynn in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Glynn?
A masculine name of Welsh origin meaning "valley" or "glen".
How many people are called Glynn in the UK?
A total of 31 babies have been registered as Glynn across the 7 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 3 more in Scotland.
Where is Glynn most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Glynn ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #351 in 1990. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.