Given name
Gwendolen
“one who is fair; of the white ring”
In English use, Gwendolen has a related form in Gwendolyn. One Welsh interpretation is “one who is fair; of the white ring.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
In English use, Gwendolen has a related form in Gwendolyn. One Welsh interpretation is “one who is fair; of the white ring.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Welsh.
How it developed
In Welsh and English use, one proposed formation combines gwen (“white, fair, blessed, holy”) and dolen (“ring, bow”).
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1903. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Gwendolen through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 889
- 0 boys · 889 girls
- Most popular year
- 1971
- 34 babies
- 2025
- 11
- #9,072 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −29%
- Easing
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 11 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 9,072 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 28.7% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 34 in 1971. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 682 as a first name in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Gwendolen’s family of names
In English usage, Gwendolen has a diminutive in Wendy. In English usage, Gwendolen has a related form in Gwendolyn. In Welsh usage, Gwendolen shares a linguistic root with the English form Wendy.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Gwendolen has relatives in 4 languages. Lines run from its Welsh roots to each of them.
7 related names in 4 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 6
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Across languages 2
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Gwendolen
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Appears in
Similar names
If you love Gwendolen, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Siobhan
“God is gracious” · “a gift from God”
>99% girls
Sheena
“God's gracious gift”
>99% girls
Morag
“one who embraces the sun”
>99% girls
Sheila
“one who is blind” · “one of cool conduct and character”
>99% girls
Shevaun
“a humorous man”
>99% girls
Glenda
“one who is good and fair”
>99% girls
Ethnea
“a puzzle piece”
>99% girls
Briana
“from the high hill; one who ascends”
>99% girls