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Original poster

Thoughts on Arwen vs Eden

83 replies

HRF2022 · 27/05/2025 12:11

Hello! Just wanting to get people's thoughts...sister for Willow - stuck between these two names!

I absolutely love the name Arwen, but my concern is that it is too linked to Lord of the Rings. I'm not a particular fan of the books/ films but I don't dislike them, my husband likes them. I didn't actually realise Arwen was from LOTR and fell in love with it when my husband suggested it so it was only after I found out the link.

Would people automatically assume we were super fans if they heard this name, or do you think it could be a standalone name in it's own right?

Our other choice is Eden, which we both like, but I can't help but feel Arwen is a bit prettier and unusual.

Would love to know your thoughts!

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NefiBlw · 28/05/2025 09:09

@828Pax , @FebruaryUsername , Arwyn is a boy's name. It's not connected with Arwen. Arwen is used as a girl's name in Wales. There's one on Pobol y Cwm.

@Gloschick , I'm not being mean. As several posters have pointed out, the -wyn ending is masculine, but Olwyn isn't a man's name, it's the word for wheel. If someone chooses it as a name, that's their poor child's lookout.

@Ihmppmmwtbwote , there's Welsh, and there's Welsh-speaking. They're not the same.

@FebruaryUsername ,yeah, right.

MoistVonL · 28/05/2025 09:06

If I met sisters called Willow and Arwen I’d think their parents were very into fantasy - LOTR and Buffy. I wouldn’t be surprised if their little sister was called Arya.

Willow on its own is a lovely name. Willow and Arwen as a sibling pair is “named after characters.” You can’t get away from the LOTR association (and Liv Tyler was awful.)

Anwen is a better name.

Eden is ok, but I knew a little boy called Eden who was an absolute shocker so it’s tainted by association in my mind.

FebruaryUsername · 28/05/2025 09:02

CurlewKate · 28/05/2025 07:08

Arwen and Willow both have a very fantasy/LOTR type vibe, I’m afraid. And Arwen was male. How about Anwen? My nephew’s girlfriend in Anwen. She’s Welsh living in England and never has any trouble with spelling or pronunciation.

Arwen is female (both in LotR and as a name irl). Arwyn would be the male version of the name in Welsh.

Flippinec · 28/05/2025 08:54

How about Arden?

peanutbuttertoasty · 28/05/2025 08:45

CurlewKate · 28/05/2025 07:08

Arwen and Willow both have a very fantasy/LOTR type vibe, I’m afraid. And Arwen was male. How about Anwen? My nephew’s girlfriend in Anwen. She’s Welsh living in England and never has any trouble with spelling or pronunciation.

Arwen was female no? Liv Tyler in the film

user1476613140 · 28/05/2025 07:17

I like Arwen. Lovely name. I know a Carwyn too.

user1476613140 · 28/05/2025 07:16

Loving the poster who keeps popping in to the thread to correct anyone who accidentally misinterprets a Welsh spelling of a name.

🙂

CurlewKate · 28/05/2025 07:14

Also, remember you may not mind the connection, but it might gets a bit tedious for her because people will always say “Oh, what a lovely name” then either “Where’s it from?” or “Oh, LOTR!”

CurlewKate · 28/05/2025 07:08

Arwen and Willow both have a very fantasy/LOTR type vibe, I’m afraid. And Arwen was male. How about Anwen? My nephew’s girlfriend in Anwen. She’s Welsh living in England and never has any trouble with spelling or pronunciation.

user1492757084 · 28/05/2025 07:00

Willow and Arwen

Willow and Alanna

mambojambodothetango · 27/05/2025 22:30

I know two Arwens. It's a lovely name.

FebruaryUsername · 27/05/2025 22:25

Arwen is lovely and I wouldn't worry about the LotR reference.
Also just for the record.. Arwen is a historical Welsh name, the female version of Arwyn. Arwen as a name died out and then became used again after LotR.
There was a child in my Welsh school with the name Arwen some 25 years ago, and in a discussion about name origins our teacher explained that they had a grandmother (or grandmother in law, I can't recall) who was called Arwen long before LotR was written.

SwirlingAroundSleep · 27/05/2025 21:46

I teach an Arwen who is one of the brightest kids I have ever taught and one of the kindest too. Much prefer it to Eden and now have the added association of it being the name of a wonderful young woman. So I’d go with Arwen.

Lavendersquare · 27/05/2025 21:14

@HRF2022just a thought, I know an Arwenna and think it’s a gorgeous name. No problem pronouncing it or realising she’s a woman, also sounds cute shortened to Arwen or Wenna.

peanutbuttertoasty · 27/05/2025 20:59

Is Arwen actually a Welsh name or just made up by Tolkien for LOTR? I know one and they insist on making everybody roll the bloody R even though it’s England! Which strikes me as a little demanding, especially if not actually a real name. Hardly easy to say! I just avoid using her name TBH. Would advise against unless you’re laid back about how it’s pronounced (or you live in Wales or Spain/italy!)

NefiBlw · 27/05/2025 20:43

@Ihmppmmwtbwote , not if they speak Welsh. What @BeastAngelMadwoman is correct. The -wyn is masculine, and 'olwyn' is the Welsh word for wheel.
Arwyn is a man's name - I know several.

MidLifeWoman · 27/05/2025 20:35

Another Arwen fan here, I think it goes really well with Willow.
Eden is just ok.

Ihmppmmwtbwote · 27/05/2025 20:34

BeastAngelMadwoman · 27/05/2025 20:28

I'm Welsh first language and have taught a few Arwens. I don't know whether some Welsh people have sort of adopted it as a name as it's so Welsh sounding? Anwen is an option and is actually a Welsh name but it is a bit old fashioned in Wales itself, though again I've taught a couple.

People suggesting Arwyn/Olwyn etc, -wyn is a male ending (plus Olwyn is literally the everyday word for wheel) so for a female name, it has to be -wen.

I'm not Welsh so have no idea, but I used to work with a woman called Olwyn (with a y) and she was Welsh, so some obviously use it that way.

bruffin · 27/05/2025 20:31

Eden is awful, spoilt pageant child vibes

BeastAngelMadwoman · 27/05/2025 20:28

I'm Welsh first language and have taught a few Arwens. I don't know whether some Welsh people have sort of adopted it as a name as it's so Welsh sounding? Anwen is an option and is actually a Welsh name but it is a bit old fashioned in Wales itself, though again I've taught a couple.

People suggesting Arwyn/Olwyn etc, -wyn is a male ending (plus Olwyn is literally the everyday word for wheel) so for a female name, it has to be -wen.

Gloschick · 27/05/2025 20:25

NefiBlw · 27/05/2025 20:11

Another option would be Olwyn. I think it would go neatly with Willow. They're both nouns.
Not sure why you think 'wheel' is a suitable name though. The spelling is Olwen, which doesn't mean wheel.

Not sure why you feel the need to be so mean! I know a lovely Welsh lady with this name, and thought I would suggest it to the OP. To be fair, I think she may spell it as Olwen (I think my brain had been influenced by the Arwyn in a prev post) but Google seems to say that you can use both. My own name meaning is much worse than wheel!

WaterfallSeeker · 27/05/2025 20:19

I have an Arwen. Everyone has assumed it’s Welsh and asked if we’re Welsh. No one has mentioned LOTR.

Sherararara · 27/05/2025 20:15

Sorry but with Arwen she will definitely get LOTR comments the rest of her life.
If she’s sister to Willow call her Holly or Rose or similar.

comoatoupeira · 27/05/2025 20:14

I like Arwen, Anwen and Astrid.
Don't like Eden.

Sherararara · 27/05/2025 20:13

Bobbybobbins · 27/05/2025 19:31

How about Astrid instead of Arwen?

How to train your dragon.

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