Glenn vs Ken

Glenn and Kencompared on official birth-registration statistics and Namewise's recorded data. This page states what each name's record shows — it never picks a winner or scores one name against the other.

Head to head

Ranks are only compared within one published list and one year. Two ranks from different years, from a boys' and a girls' list, or from different registrars are not comparable, so they are not placed side by side.

Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2001, Glenn was ranked #143 and Ken #409 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Norway · Boys
In 2012, Glenn was ranked #545 and Ken #474 among boys in Norway.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2023, Glenn was ranked #4991 and Ken #3523 among boys in England and Wales.

Glenn and Ken over time

Glenn and Ken appear together in 2 published lists, across 78 years of shared records. Glenn held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Ken in 0.

The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 1 of the lists they share.

Counted list by list. Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale in the same year, so those comparisons are real — but positions from different lists are not, so nothing here is combined into an overall standing.

How this pair is related

The relationship kinds these two qualify for, each under its own stated rule. Every one is drawn from a list they both appear in.

Repeatedly exchanged positions
Glenn and Ken changed places 11 times in England and Wales · Boys between 1996 and 2023, ending at #4991 and #3523.
Longest-running competitions
Glenn and Ken were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 53 years, from 1955 to 2012, ending at #545 and #474.

List by list

Norway · Boys53 shared years, 1955–2012
Glenn held the stronger position in 49 of those years, Ken in 4.
Highest recorded here: Glenn #57 in 1974, Ken #126 in 1971.
The order changed in 2012: Ken moved ahead. In 2011 they stood at #471 and #557; by 2012 that had become #545 and #474.
Most recent shared year, 2012: Glenn #545, Ken #474.
England and Wales · Boys25 shared years, 1996–2023
Glenn held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Ken in 4.
Highest recorded here: Glenn #278 in 1996, Ken #1199 in 1999.
The order changed in 2023: Ken moved ahead. In 2022 they stood at #2730 and #4789; by 2023 that had become #4991 and #3523.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Glenn #4991, Ken #3523.

Two names moving past each other in a ranking is a fact about the ranking. Namewise does not claim one name displaced the other, that families chose between them, or that either influenced the other — none of that is in this data.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Glenn

Pairs where Glenn shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Aksel vs Glenn
Over 61 shared years in Norway · Boys, Aksel rose about as far as Glenn fell — from #184 and #329 in 1948 to #29 and #545 in 2012.
Aksel · Glenn · 61 shared years, 1948–2012 · Mirrored each other
See the 2012 Norway ranking
Andreas vs Glenn
Over 61 shared years in Norway · Boys, Andreas rose about as far as Glenn fell — from #120 and #329 in 1948 to #24 and #545 in 2012.
Andreas · Glenn · 61 shared years, 1948–2012 · Mirrored each other
See the 2012 Norway ranking
Daniel vs Glenn
Over 61 shared years in Norway · Boys, Daniel rose about as far as Glenn fell — from #250 and #329 in 1948 to #16 and #545 in 2012.
Daniel · Glenn · 61 shared years, 1948–2012 · Mirrored each other
See the 2012 Norway ranking
Eirik vs Glenn
Over 61 shared years in Norway · Boys, Eirik rose about as far as Glenn fell — from #138 and #329 in 1948 to #47 and #545 in 2012.
Eirik · Glenn · 61 shared years, 1948–2012 · Mirrored each other
See the 2012 Norway ranking

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Glenn, Ken
Field	Glenn	Ken
Record type	Official statistical record (evidence-only)	Official statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usage	male	male
Meaning	Not yet recorded	Not yet recorded
Origin	Not yet recorded	Not yet recorded
Pronunciation		Not yet recorded
Syllables	1	1
Common variants / nicknames	Not yet recorded	Not yet recorded
Recorded regional usage	AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ	GB-ENW, IE, NO
Most recent popularity observation	Republic of Ireland · Boys #829 (2025)	England and Wales · Boys #3523 (2023)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)	Not yet recorded	Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)	94/100	95/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)	100/100	100/100
Data Confidence	medium	medium

What the data shows

Glenn and Ken both have 1 syllable.
Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, IE, NO.

How each name got here

Glenn

Popularity journey

First recorded1948
First recorded at #329 among boys in Norway in 1948 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1952–1986
Highest recorded position: #16 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1962 (recorded 1952–1986).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #829 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys

Ken

Popularity journey

First recorded1955
First recorded at #336 among boys in Norway in 1955 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1955–2016
Highest recorded position: #126 among boys in Norway, in 1971 (recorded 1955–2016).
Norway · Boys
Most recent2023
Most recently recorded at #3523 among boys in England and Wales, in 2023.
England and Wales · Boys