Gwynedd: Meaning and Origin

The Welsh girls’ name Gwynedd celebrates the county in North Wales. The Welsh meaning of Gwynedd, “white, blessed, happiness,” makes this name an attractive option to name a baby girl.

History of the Name

A Briton chieftain named Cunedda was said to have founded the old Kingdom of Gwynedd, after which the present area in Northwest Wales is named. Though the second-largest local government area in that country, Gwynedd boasts only a scarce, predominantly Welsh-speaking population. Until 1996, the local government areas of Gwynedd and the Isle of Anglesey came under the umbrella of Gwynedd County. As most of North Wales corresponds to the approximate area of the old Kingdom of Gwynedd, the name can also refer to this region. .

Some believe that Gwynedd is a variant of Cunedda, whereas others speculate that the name is a translation of Venedotia, the Roman-Briton Latin name for the area.

Famous People with the name Gwynedd

Many notable people come from Gwynedd, including former British Prime Minister David Lloyd George, T.E. Lawrence and soul-singer Duffy

Popularity of the Name

Unfortunately, the popularity of Gwynedd has declined in recent years. People may have more familiarity with the variant Gwyneth, because of actress Gwyneth Paltrow. Other variants of Gwynedd include Gwyn and Gwynne.

Useful Resources

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