Gwendolyn is a name of Welsh origin that means "blessed ring" or "happy love". It is derived from the elements "gwen", meaning white or fair, and "dolen", which means ring or circle. The name has been associated with several historical figures, including Gwendolyn Broussard, a French socialite and philanthropist of the 19th century, and Gwendolyn Pates, an American journalist and activist in the early 20th century.
The name Gwendolyn gained popularity during the Victorian era in England, where it was often used as a literary device to signify beauty or innocence. It is also associated with the Welsh poet Dylan Thomas, who named one of his daughters Gwydion, a variation of the name that reflects its Welsh origin.
Today, Gwendolyn remains a popular name around the world, although its usage has declined somewhat since its peak in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It is often shortened to Gwen or Endy, but can also be spelled variations such as Gwendoline, Gwyneth, or Gwynedd. Despite its long history and rich cultural significance, Gwendolyn remains a unique and distinctive name that carries with it a sense of elegance and sophistication.
The name Gwendolyn has seen a varied trend in popularity over the years in the United States. Between 1880 and 1896, the number of babies named Gwendolyn fluctuated between 5 and 33 births per year.
However, from 1897 onwards, there was a significant increase in the number of girls being named Gwendolyn. The highest point was reached in 1946 with 2061 births, which indicates that this name was quite popular during the mid-20th century.
After reaching its peak in the 1940s and 1950s, the popularity of the name Gwendolyn began to decline. By the late 1970s, fewer than 600 girls were named Gwendolyn each year. This downward trend continued throughout the 1980s and 1990s.
Nevertheless, since the turn of the century, there has been a resurgence in the popularity of the name Gwendolyn. In recent years, between 750 to 850 babies have been named Gwendolyn annually, indicating that this classic name continues to appeal to parents today.
In total, over the span of these statistics from 1880 to 2023, there were 122,719 girls named Gwendolyn born in the United States.