Wen names
By cchgi
Updated Thu May 25 2023
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Welsh, Cornish & Breton names that contain or seem to contain the element “gwen”, meaning white, fair or blessed. Names with an asterisk are masculine, and most names that end in “wen” can be made masculine by replacing it with “wyn”.
- Aeronwen
- Anwen
Origin:
WelshMeaning:
"very fair, beautiful"Description:
Anwen is one of the simplest and best of the classic Welsh girls' names, more unusual than Bronwen but with the same serene feel.
- Arianwen
Origin:
WelshMeaning:
"white, fair, blessed"Description:
Rarely heard outside of Wales, Arianwen is one of many pretty wen-ending names prominent in ancient Welsh legend.
- Arwen
Origin:
Literature, Sindarin, WelshMeaning:
"noble maiden; fair, blessed"Description:
Best known as the princess of the Elves in Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, Arwen is a fantasy-inspired choice that feels perfectly down to earth. In 2022, it entered the UK Top 400, making it one of the fastest rising names, more than doubling in use from the previous year.
- Aelwen
- Alltwen
- Alwen
- Amranwen
- Aouregan
- Awen
- Blodwen
Origin:
WelshMeaning:
"white flower"Description:
An unusual floral -wen name which was the name of an 1878 opera by Welsh composer Joseph Parry.
- Branwen
Origin:
CelticMeaning:
"blessed raven"Description:
This is an attractive Celtic mythological name, popular in Wales and a cousin of the better known Bronwyn. In Welsh mythology, Branwen was turned into a bird.
- Bronwen
Origin:
WelshMeaning:
"white breast"Description:
Bronwen is widespread in Wales, but still rare enough here to sound somewhat international — we think Bronwen is a real winner. (Note: the Bronwyn spelling is an Anglicization, since the -wyn ending is masculine in Welsh).
- Berlewen
- Berwen
- Ceridwen
Origin:
WelshMeaning:
"beautiful as a poem"Description:
Celtic goddess of poetry, though less-than-poetic name.
- Caerwen
- Cainwen
- Carwen
- Celynwen