Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Email
Answers.com

Gwendolyn

 
Wikipedia: Gwendolyn
Gwendolyn
Pronunciation ɡwɛndəlɪn
Gender Female
Meaning White Ring, Fair Bow
Language of Origin Welsh
Related names Gwendolen, Gwendoline, Wendy, Gwen

Gwendolyn (pronounced /ˈɡwɛndəlɪn/) is a Welsh female first name, derived from Gwendolen.

Contents

Meaning

Gwendolyn is derived from the Welsh words "gwen" and "dolen" or "dolyn". Both words have multiple possible meanings. The word "gwen" can mean "white", "fair" or "blessed"[1]. The word "dolen" can mean "ring"[1], "bow"[2] or less commonly "brow"[3], "moon"[4] or "hair"[5]. Thus, Gwendolyn may mean "White Ring", "Fair Bow" or any other combination.

History

The name Gwendolyn is thought to stem from the name Gwendoloena, who was a fictional female character in Historia Regum Britanniae written by Geoffrey of Monmouth in 1135. It is believed that Geoffrey misread the masculine Old Welsh name Guendoleu as Guendolen, and then chose to Latinize it.[6] There is speculation that the name Guendolen was used as a Welsh woman's name in the Middle Ages, but there is no concrete proof. The first records of a real person being named Gwendolen appear in the 19th century. Gwendoline was in use in England in the 1860s, and Gwendolen appeared in Daniel Deronda, written by George Eliot and published in serialized form 1874-6.[6]

Famous People

Fictional Characters

See Also

References

  1. ^ a b Behind the Name: Gwendolen
  2. ^ 20,000 Names: Female Welsh
  3. ^ Parenthood.com
  4. ^ Babe Name Network
  5. ^ Baby Name Box: Gwendolyn
  6. ^ a b Academy of St. Gabriel analysis of Gwendolyn



Search unanswered questions...
Enter a question here...
Search: All sources Community Q&A Reference topics
 
 
Learn More
Lemonade Suite (1982 Language & Literature Film)
Sporting Venus (1925 Comedy Drama Film)
The Bean Eaters (Sources) (poem)

How old was gwendolyn lizarraga when she died? Read answer...
Why and when did gwendolyn brooks die? Read answer...
Is there a goddess named Gwendolyn? Read answer...

Help us answer these
Where did gwendolyn brooks live?
Who did Gwendolyn Brooks married?
Why was Gwendolyn Bennette important?

Post a question - any question - to the WikiAnswers community:

 

Copyrights:

Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Gwendolyn" Read more