Olwen
/ˈɔl.wɛn/noun
Olwen is a Welsh feminine name and a heroine in the medieval Welsh tale Culhwch ac Olwen.
Did you know?In Culhwch ac Olwen, Olwen’s beauty is portrayed as almost otherworldly: white trefoils reportedly appeared wherever her feet touched the ground.
Etymological Timeline
Early Welsh
Welsh
ol
“Track, footprint, or path”
Early Welsh
Welsh
gwen
“White, fair, or blessed; the feminine form related to gwyn”
Middle Welsh
Welsh
Olwen
“A personal name traditionally interpreted as “white footprint” or “white track””
12th–14th Century
Middle Welsh
Olwen
“The heroine of Culhwch ac Olwen, preserved in manuscripts of the Mabinogi tradition”
Modern English
English
Olwen
“A Welsh feminine given name adopted into English usage”