Winfred is a unique and historic name of Germanic origin. It is derived from the Old German elements "win" meaning "friend" and "frithu" which means "peace". Thus, Winfred translates to "peaceful friend".
The name has a rich history, with its earliest known use dating back to the 7th century. Saint Winfred, also known as St. Wendred or St. Winnoc, was a Welsh bishop who became revered for his holiness and miracles after his death in around 660 AD. He is said to have established several churches and monasteries in Wales during his lifetime.
Winfred's name was later popularized by the Normans who brought it to England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. It has been used as a given name for boys ever since, though its usage has been relatively rare compared to other names.
Today, Winfred remains an uncommon but distinctively noble and historic name choice. Despite its rarity, it carries with it a rich heritage and a strong connection to the past. Parents who choose this name may be drawn to its unique sound, its historic roots, or both.
Based on the statistics provided, the name Winfred experienced fluctuations in popularity over the years in the United States. The earliest year listed is 1909 with 5 births, indicating that it was already being used as a given name during that time.
The peak in popularity for the name Winfred occurred in 1919 with 23 births, which was significantly higher than any other year recorded. This suggests that there may have been a particular cultural or societal influence driving parents to choose this name for their children during this period.
However, after 1919, the popularity of the name Winfred began to decline. By the 1940s and 1950s, the number of births per year had dropped back down to around 5 or 6, indicating that it was no longer a popular choice for parents.
It is interesting to note that there was another spike in popularity for the name Winfred in the late 1960s, with 8 births recorded in both 1968 and 1970. This suggests that there may have been another brief period of interest in this name during this time.
Overall, based on these statistics, it appears that while the name Winfred has not been particularly common or popular throughout history, it has seen periods of increased usage, with a total of 351 births recorded over the years.