History and Meaning of the Name Gwenhwyfar

Gwenhwyfar was the Welsh interpretation of the name Guinevere, the wife of King Arthur.

The name Gwenhwyfar is an unusual spelling which most people won’t want to use because it will require a spelling each time the person is introduced. It is pronounced: ‘gwen HOOEE var’. Difficult or not, people like this name.

The public thinks the name classy, formal, modern, and strange. It is based on an Arthurian legend. The meaning of Gwenhwyfar is White Phantom.

Popularity

The popularity of Gwenhwyfar is very low and not really used these days. It is not supprising that Gwenhwyfar did not make it into the top 100 baby girls names in Wales in 2019.

People with the Name

There have been a few famous people with variants of the name. Gwyneth Paltrow is an American Actress. Gwen Watts was a Welsh actress. Gwendolen Elias was also a Welsh Actress.

Final Thoughts

As publicly popular as the name is, if a variant of the name was used that is easier to pronounce, it would be a name that would keep a baby, then a girl, followed by being a grown woman, a good proud and strong standing. It would be a free heritage to be a descendent of Queen Guinevere.

If you are not quite ready to choose the name Gwenhwyfar for you baby then consider more popular version of the name like Gwen or Gwyneth.

Useful Resources

Discover the meaning and popularity of other Welsh girls’ names on our website.