Gwendolyn

Did you know?

A few things about Gwendolyn you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.

⭐ Famous Gwendolyn

Gwendolyn Brooks

American writer (1917–2000)

Choose Gwendolyn and your child shares a first name with Gwendolyn Brooks, an American writer. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Gwendolyn, like who?” Gwendolyn Brooks's Wikipedia article is available in 44 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.

Read about Gwendolyn Brooks on Wikipedia ↗ (opens in a new tab)

Photo: ACME Newspictures, Public domain (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons

• 👶How commonAbout 1 in every 1,895 baby girls born in the US in 2025 was named Gwendolyn, 848 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Gwendolyn would very likely be the only one.
• 📜HistoryGwendolyn has been in use since at least 1880, the first year US birth records were kept. That's 145 years of Gwendolyns, and counting.
• 🏆Best yearIt was far more popular in 1953, when it ranked #112. Today it's #360, so it could be due a comeback.
• 📈Then vs nowGwendolyn is 3.0× more common today than it was in 2000. In 2000 it was given to about 1 in 5,727 baby girls; in 2025, about 1 in 1,895.
• 📍Where it's lovedGwendolyn is most popular in Oregon, where it ranks #158, followed by Ohio (#164) and Montana (#168). It's in the top 1,000 in 38 states.
• 💬MeaningIn Welsh, Gwendolyn means “white ring”. Our records link it to Anglo Saxon, English and Scottish roots.
• 🌍OriginGwendolyn is the #6 most popular Anglo Saxon girl name in the US. That's out of 168 Anglo Saxon girl and unisex names in our list.

About the name Gwendolyn

Gwendolyn is a girl name of Anglo Saxon, English and Scottish origin meaning “white ring”. It has 9 letters and 3 syllables, starting with G and ending in “-lyn”. US birth records list Gwendolyn for girls from 1880 to 2025, in 142 of those 146 years. Its best year was 1953, when it ranked #112 among girl names. In 2025 it ranked #360, with 848 babies.

Origin:Anglo Saxon namesEnglish namesScottish namesWelsh names