Given name
Gwendolyn
“one who is fair; of the white ring”
Gwendolyn is used as a given name. One Welsh interpretation is “one who is fair; of the white ring.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One Welsh interpretation is “one who is fair; of the white ring.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Welsh.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1880. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Gwendolyn through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 124,718
- 333 boys · 124,385 girls
- Most popular year
- 1953
- 3,531 babies
- 2025
- 848
- #360 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −2%
- Steady
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 848 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 360 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 2.5% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 3,519 in 1953. In 2025, Ohio had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (66). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 74,571 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.
Gwendolyn’s family of names
Gwendolyn has a related form in Gwen. Gwendolyn has a related form in Gwyn. Gwendolyn has a related form in Gwenda.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 40
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Gwenvariant
- Gwendolynnvariant
- Gwendalynvariant
- Gwynnvariant
- Gwendolenvariant · English
- Gwynvariant
- Gwendolinevariant · English
- Gwennavariant
Show 32 moreShow fewer
- Gwyndolinvariant
- Gwynnevariant
- Gwyndolynvariant
- Gwendolynelikely variant
- Gwendolynnevariant · English
- Gwendelynvariant
- Gwyndavariant
- Gwennvariant
- Gwenettevariant
- Gwendolinvariant
- Gwendolenevariant
- Gwendavariant
- Gwenndolynlikely variant
- Gwendollynlikely variant
- Gwendoloenavariant
- Gwynnavariant
- Gwennyvariant
- Gwennievariant
- Gwennivariant
- Gwenndolenvariant
- Gwendalinevariant
- Guennavariant
- Guendolynnvariant
- Guendolinnvariant
- Guendolinvariant
- Guendolenvariant
- Gwyndolenvariant
- Gwylanvariant
- Gwenllianvariant
- Gwenervariant
- Guennolavariant
- Gwendivariant
Across languages 2
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Gwendolyn
- Gwendolyn BrooksAmerican writer (1917–2000)
- Gwendolyn B. BennettAmerican writer (1902–1981)
- Gwen WakelingAmerican costume designer (1901–1982)
- Gwendolyn Göbelactressborn 2006
- Gwendolyn MacEwenCanadian poet and novelist (1941–1987)
- Gwendolyn RuttenFlemish politicianborn 1975
- Gwendolyn Lizarragaactivist and politician from Belize1901–1975
- Gwendolyn GarciaFilipino politicianborn 1955
- Gwendolyn Ann Smithtransgender woman who founded Transgender Remembrance Dayborn 1967
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Gwendolyn, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Leslie
“garden of hollies” · “from the holly garden; of the gray fortress”
7% boys · 93% girls
Elaine
“the shining light” · “resembling a fawn”
>99% girls
Bonnie
“a pretty and charming girl”
>99% girls
Janet
“God is gracious”
>99% girls
Rebecca
“enchantingly beautiful, captivating, snare”
>99% girls
Jennifer
“one who is fair; a beautiful girl”
>99% girls
Elain
“resembling a fawn”
>99% girls
Lorna
“crowned with laurel; from the laurel tree”
>99% girls