Gwen
/ɡwɛn/noun
A feminine given name, often a short form of names such as Gwendolen or Gwyneth.
Did you know?Gwen is tied to the Welsh root *gwyn*, which can mean “white,” “blessed,” or “holy,” so the name carries an ancient aura of brightness and sanctity.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Celtic
PCelt
*windos
“white, bright, fair”
Old Welsh
OWelsh
gwyn
“white, fair, blessed”
Middle Welsh
MWelsh
gwen
“feminine form of gwyn; white, fair, blessed”
Modern Welsh
Welsh
gwen
“white, fair, blessed; feminine given-name element”
Modern English
English
Gwen
“a feminine given name, often short for Welsh names”