Names That Mean White or Fair

French actress and film director Maïwenn Le Besco uses only her striking given name professionally; it’s a contraction of Mari (the Breton form of Marie) and Gwenn ("white, fair, blessed"). The name has been moderately popular in France since the early 1990s, and currently ranks at around #200.

There aren't many Glendas under forty.

Derived from the Scottish Gaelic bàn, meaning "white, fair". It's also a name in J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional Elvish language, in which it means "beautiful".

The male name Elwyn is used regularly in Wales, but its feminine form Elwen (also spelled Aelwen) slightly less so. Elsewhere, this name is little-known but very appealing, with straightforward spelling and a fantasy-like sound. A male Cornish and Breton saint also bears the name.

Originally a nickname for Viking invaders, it gained fresh impetus in the 18th century when James Macpherson made Fingal the central character in his Ossianic poems. An offbeat addition to the Fin- family of names.

This name is usually seen as a surname, but could be used as a first in the tradition of Cooper, Sawyer etc.

One of many Spanish elaborations of Rosa.

A widely used name in medieval Europe that's been almost completely forgotten. Blanche still reads as old lady-ish, and the frilly "-fleur" doesn't make it feel younger. But it could be a striking, not to say iconic, choice for a bold parent, especially if they had some sort of connection to white flowers or the Middle Ages.

Nature girl played by Audrey Hepburn in "Green Mansions," it now has an old-style bohemian feel.

Commonly used in Japanese families.

Tegwen is nowhere near as pretty as its meaning. Other -wen names -- Anwen, Bronwen, Rhonwen -- have more appeal.

Whitten is a stylish patronymic surname derived from Witt and Witte — German and Dutch nicknames-turned-surnames describing people with white-blonde hair or a pale complexion. Cool-guy nickname Whit only adds to the appeal.

Elvio is a barely-ever-used name that might just be a hidden gem. From the Latin family name Elvius, international bearers of the name include several footballers and the Paraguayan poet Elvio Romero. Parents today might see it as an alternative to more better-known Italianate names like Enzo and Elio.

If you like the Irish surname feel, there are loads of more congenial options.

Riko is a hugely popular name for baby girls in contemporary Japan, and one that easily translates to the West.

Delwen appears to be a modern invented name in Welsh, deriving from two common name components: del - meaning pretty and wen - meaning fair/white. Similar names include Delyth, also Welsh, and Elowen, which is Cornish.

In Irish mythology, Fionnabhair (Old Irish Findabair or Finnabair) is the daughter of Queen Medb of Connacht and Ailill, whose beauty is exploited by her mother to persuade a long line of warriors to face the legendary hero Cú Chulainn in single-combat. All are defeated and killed, a bloody battle ensues, and Fionnabhair drops dead of shame when she discovers that she has inadvertently been the cause of all the death and destruction.

An Old Testament name used by the Puritans, less well known than female relatives Rebecca, Rachel, and Leah and as deserving of revival.