Glessie
Diminutive form of the feminine name Glessula, of uncertain meaning and origin.
Name Census estimates that about 3 living Americans carry the first name Glessie. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Glessie today is around 102 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Glessie births was 1916 (10 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Glessie. 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 Glessie is about 102 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Glessies were born before 1934.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Glessie. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
3
~ 1 in 114,251,446 Americans
Peak year
1916
10 babies that year
Average age
102
years old
1939 SSA rank
#4,503
Tracked since 1907
Popularity
Glessie: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Glessie from the 1900s through to the 1930s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1910s, with 49 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1910s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Glessie 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 Glessie 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 Glessie
The given name Glessie is a relatively uncommon one, and its origins can be traced back to the early 19th century in parts of Scotland and Northern England. It is believed to be a variant or diminutive form of the name Glessa, which itself is derived from the Old English word "glaes" or "gles," meaning "glass" or "amber."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Glessie can be found in the parish records of Berwickshire, Scotland, where a Glessie Cockburn was born in 1824. In the late 19th century, the name gained some popularity among Scottish and English families, particularly in rural areas.
While the name Glessie does not appear to have any direct historical references in ancient texts or religious scriptures, its connection to the Old English word "glaes" may indicate a possible association with glassmaking or amber-related trades in the regions where it originated.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Glessie. One such person was Glessie Trotter (1878-1964), a Scottish suffragette and activist who campaigned for women's rights and played a significant role in the formation of the Women's Social and Political Union in the early 20th century.
Another notable Glessie was Glessie McGill (1892-1981), an American educator and civil rights activist from Mississippi. She dedicated her life to improving educational opportunities for African American children and was a prominent figure in the fight against racial segregation in the South.
In the late 19th century, Glessie Harrington (1868-1946) was a renowned opera singer from England, known for her performances in various operas and concerts across Europe and North America.
Glessie Ewing (1903-1988), an American writer and journalist, gained recognition for her work chronicling the lives and experiences of rural communities in the Appalachian region during the mid-20th century.
Lastly, Glessie McMillan (1920-2005) was a Scottish botanist and conservationist who made significant contributions to the study and preservation of Scotland's native flora, particularly in the Highlands and Islands.
While the name Glessie may not be as widely used today as it once was, its historical significance and connections to various notable individuals across different fields and regions make it a unique and intriguing name with a rich cultural heritage.
People
Glessie + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Glessie 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
Glessie: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Glessie?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 3 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Glessie 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 114,251,446 US residents.
Is Glessie a common name?
We classify Glessie as "Very Rare". It ranks above 4.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 105 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Glessie most popular?
The single biggest year for Glessie was 1916, when 10 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Glessie is about 102 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 Glessie in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Glessie a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Glessie 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 Glessie still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Glessie 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 Glessie 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 people are named Glessie?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.