Glatha
Glatha is a feminine name of uncertain origin and meaning.
Name Census estimates that about 2 living Americans carry the first name Glatha. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Glatha today is around 77 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Glatha births was 1917 (8 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Glatha. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Glatha is about 77 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Glathas were born before 1959.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Glatha. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
2
~ 1 in 171,377,169 Americans
Peak year
1917
8 babies that year
Average age
77
years old
1934 SSA rank
#4,546
Tracked since 1916
Popularity
Glatha: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Glatha from the 1910s through to the 1930s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1910s, with 15 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1910s peak, Glatha remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Glatha by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Glatha during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Glatha
The name Glatha is believed to have originated from the ancient Celtic language spoken in parts of modern-day Scotland and Ireland. It is derived from the old Gaelic word "glath," which means "gray" or "gray-haired." The name likely emerged during the Middle Ages, around the 5th to 10th centuries, when Celtic culture and language flourished in these regions.
While the name Glatha does not appear to be prominently featured in any major ancient texts or religious scriptures, it has been recorded in various historical documents and records from the British Isles. One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in the "Annals of Ulster," a chronicle of medieval Irish history, where a woman named Glatha is mentioned in an entry dated around 1050 CE.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Glatha. One of the most famous was Glatha mac Finguine, a 6th-century Irish king who ruled the territory of Uí Fiachrach Aidne in what is now County Galway, Ireland. Another prominent figure was Glatha of Kintyre, a Scottish noblewoman who lived in the 12th century and was known for her patronage of the arts and religious institutions.
In the 13th century, there was a noted Irish scholar and poet named Glatha Ó Duibhgeannáin, who was renowned for his works in the Irish language. Additionally, Glatha Nic Dhomhnaill, a 15th-century Scottish chieftain, played a significant role in the political affairs of the Western Isles during her time.
A more recent historical figure with the name Glatha was Glatha MacGregor, a 17th-century Highland Scottish woman who was celebrated for her bravery and leadership during the Scottish Wars of the Three Kingdoms. Despite facing numerous challenges and adversities, she rallied her clan and earned a reputation as a formidable warrior and strategist.
These examples demonstrate the rich heritage and historical significance of the name Glatha, which has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, including royalty, scholars, poets, and warriors. While the name may not be as common in modern times, its Celtic roots and long-standing presence in the annals of British and Irish history make it a unique and evocative choice.
People
Glatha + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Glatha as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with G
Other first names starting with G with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Glatha: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Glatha?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 2 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Glatha going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 171,377,169 US residents.
Is Glatha a common name?
We classify Glatha as "Very Rare". It ranks above 4.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 38 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Glatha most popular?
The single biggest year for Glatha was 1917, when 8 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Glatha is about 77 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Glatha in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Glatha a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Glatha in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Glatha still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Glatha in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Glatha can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many Americans are named Glatha?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many people have the name Glatha at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.