Names That Mean White

A bright and bouncy micro name, far rarer than Mia or Gia.

This lovely Gaelic name, very popular in the Emerald Isle, has inspired a whole host of diminutives (including Nuala and Nola) and variant spellings, from Finola to Finula to the Scottish and English Fenella. In Irish legend Fionnuala was one of the four children of Lir who were transformed into swans for 900 years.

An unusual Gwyn name with a lovely meaning, this compound name pairs Gwyn with the name Eira, meaning "snow". A relatively modern creation, it remains very rare.

The traditional Irish girl's name Bevin – an Anglicization of Bébhinn – is rarely heard outside the Emerald Isle, but could make an fresh and fashionable namesake for an Aunt Beverly.

Finola, the readily accessible version of some of the more problematic Gaelic versions of the name, would make a welcome addition to the stockpot of Irish girls' names.

Eighties spin on megapopular Whitney that currently ranks higher than the original. Whitley fell out of the Top 1000 for several decades but resurfaced in 2018.

This presidential name is in style limbo today - or, some might say, in the the sweet spot of familiar but little-used.

More colorful than Blanche, but blanker than Bianca.

Olwyn is a popular Welsh name that might be an alternative to the more familiar Bronwen or Rhonwen -- though in Wales the female form is usually spelled -wen and the male one -wyn.

Kenya, a name borrowed from the East African nation and theoretically unisex, is now used mostly for girls. While it's had its ups and downs since entering the US Top 1000 in 1968, it currently ranks lower than spelling variant Kenia.

Kenyon is a very engaging British surname name, the middle y giving it a kind of southwestern canyonesque undertone.

The Gwendoline form may introduce pronunciation confusion -- does that last syllable rhyme with wine or win or when? We vote Gwendolen as not only the most proper but the clearest spelling, followed by Gwendolyn, with Gwendoline a distant third.

This perky Irish nickname originated as a short form of Fintan, an ancient saint's name. The most notable bearer today is actress Finty Williams (born Tara Cressida Frances), daughter of Dame Judi Dench. According to Dench's biography, she and her husband initially believed they were expecting a boy and had selected the name Finn. However, upon discovering they had a daughter, they quickly embraced the name Finty.

An offbeat way to get to Gwen.

Despite the light, pretty sound of Bella for a girl, the boys' name Bela has dark and mysterious undertones, thanks to Dracula actor Bela Lugosi. Béla is also the first name of composer Bartók.

Traditional though not overly popular Welsh option, which may have something of a fantasy vibe elsewhere in the world.

Haitian-born rap superstar and humanitarian Wyclef ("Fugees") Jean has lent this name a powerful musical beat.

Azucena is the Spanish name for the Madonna lily, or white lily, derived from the Arabic words ‘abyad, "white", and zanbaq, "lily". White lilies are symbols of the Virgin Mary, which gives the flower its alternate name, Madonna lily.

Merve is derived from Marwa, a significant name in the Muslim community, as it the name of a mountain in Mecca.

A rare and beautiful member of the "Rose" family of names, Rosenwyn is a modern Cornish compound name meaning "white rose" or "fair rose". There is a popular Cornish folk song titled An Rosen Wyn, which may have inspired its use as a name.