Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

Gwendoline

51 replies

delshell · 05/11/2026 20:04

Honest thoughts on the name Gwendoline? She would be Gwen day to day.

I like the Welsh origin of the name. We are Welsh, but not Welsh speakers and we live in England now. I prefer the Welsh spelling Gwendolen but I think the pronunciation would confuse people.

I grew up with Gwendoline Mary Lacey too before anyone mentions that 😂But I think it's an obscure enough reference not to bother me.

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
HudALledrith · 06/11/2026 00:04

Aberdyfi · 05/11/2026 20:44

Gwendy - fabulous!

It's awful. Gwenda is ok but a bit of a granny-name.

Gwendolen is Gwen-DOL-en.
Gwendoline and Gwen are ok.

SnowFrogJelly · 06/11/2026 00:26

Sweet 🩷

gostickyourheadinapig · 06/11/2026 00:51

I always think of Lady Bracknell trumpeting 'the carriage, Gwendolen!'

user1492757084 · 06/11/2026 01:02

Gwen is a smart attractive name.
I like most long forms ..

Gwendolen
Gweneth
Gwendolyn
Gwenda
Gwendoline - though not pronounced l-eye-n

DramaAlpaca · 06/11/2026 01:08

I'm not desperately fond of that particular spelling, but the name itself is nice. I like Gwen.

Firsttimebabymummy · 06/11/2026 04:11

Really like it!

Granville82 · 06/11/2026 04:51

It's a lovely name. Don't shy away from the Welsh spelling, I don't think most people would find the pronunciation difficult as it phonetically reads the same as the more common version. She would be spelling her name her whole life but even with the more common version she likely will be and she'll always say "it's the Welsh spelling".

HudALledrith · 06/11/2026 11:32

@Granville82 You miss the point that Gwendolen (Welsh) and Gwendoline (English) aren't pronounced the same.

Gwendolen is Gwen-DOL-enn, Gwendoline is GWEN-duh-lin.

HudALledrith · 06/11/2026 11:43

user1492757084 · 06/11/2026 01:02

Gwen is a smart attractive name.
I like most long forms ..

Gwendolen
Gweneth
Gwendolyn
Gwenda
Gwendoline - though not pronounced l-eye-n

Gwen is quite nice.
Gweneth is used but looks wrong - Gwyneth is the usual spelling. Gwenith (wheat) is pretty but a different name.
Gwenda is fine but old-fashioned.
Gwendoline and Gwendolyn are anglicised versions of Gwendolen. (see pp)

Other Gwen names:
Gwenhwyfar (Guinevere in Welsh)
Gwenllian (historical warrior princess)
Gwenlli (there's an actress with this name)
Gwenan/Gwennan (Gwen+Ann, the first spelling is more usual)
Gwenffrewi (Winifred)
Gwenfair (Gwen+Mary)
Gwener (Venus)
Gwenaëlle (Breton/French name)
Gweneira - which is a bit too 'Snow White'

sakura06 · 06/11/2026 11:43

I love the name, and love Gwen too. I think it’s fine in England. I might have used Gwen for one of mine but we have a G surname. Gwennan is also lovely as another poster suggested.

HudALledrith · 06/11/2026 15:56

sakura06 · 06/11/2026 11:43

I love the name, and love Gwen too. I think it’s fine in England. I might have used Gwen for one of mine but we have a G surname. Gwennan is also lovely as another poster suggested.

I find the nn jarring and the name is a bit 1960s/70s.

Gwenno is pretty and more current.

Whywouldiknowthat · 06/11/2026 16:00

I really don’t like it. I don’t know if it’s because of the character or if because I connect it with elderly Welsh ladies but it sounds old fashioned but not in the romantic way that the current trend of Iris, Florence and Elsie have but just a bit … dowdy. Sorry.

HudALledrith · 06/11/2026 16:08

@Whywouldiknowthat , I don't think many. if any, elderly Welsh women are called it. You might find some Gwens aged over 80 but not many, they're more likely to be Gwenda or Gwyneth.
Names like Gwen and Gwenno are younger-sounding.

HudALledrith · 07/11/2026 16:39

Did Enid Blyton use the name because she considered it unappealing?
I'll admit to thinking of Alicia as a 'mean girl' name because of EB Smile so maybe others might not like Gwendoline.

I like Gwen not short for anything. I can think of a few with it as a middle name and one with it as a first name.

JustgoawayT · 07/11/2026 16:41

Gwen is lovely. I love Gwyn/Gwynneth as well.

Gwenno sounds like you're called Gwen and you're in the army.

HudALledrith · 07/11/2026 16:56

@JustgoawayT , Gwyn is a boy's name. Gwyneth is a girl's name.

Gwynedd is a boy's name.
Gwyn- and -wyn names are masculine.
Gwen- and -wen names are feminine.

Wyn as a middle name is unisex. As a first name it's masculine.

Yamyamabroad · 07/11/2026 16:56

The BBC have a very popular series of Malory Towers running at the moment so I wouldn't assume the name wouldn't be associated with Gwendolyn Mary Lacey. I quite like it though, along with Jean

HudALledrith · 07/11/2026 17:01

I like Jean too. I like names that are not 'fussy' and it probably helps that I know a really nice Jean who is one of those people who was beautiful when young and had remained so.

Firebird83 · 07/11/2026 22:05

I like it! I know a 10 year old Gwen.

UnpopularOpinionsIWouldUsuallyKeepToMyself · 07/11/2026 22:10

I like it, though I adore Gwenllian.
After Gwenny Gwen, my DDs beautiful best friend ♥️

pinkpony88 · 07/11/2026 22:21

DuckFilledPlatitude · 05/11/2026 20:06

Gwendoline Mary Lacey is my favourite MT character!

I was just about to write that when I saw your comment. She was my favourite too!

Apotofrealcoffee · 07/11/2026 22:28

delshell · 05/11/2026 20:04

Honest thoughts on the name Gwendoline? She would be Gwen day to day.

I like the Welsh origin of the name. We are Welsh, but not Welsh speakers and we live in England now. I prefer the Welsh spelling Gwendolen but I think the pronunciation would confuse people.

I grew up with Gwendoline Mary Lacey too before anyone mentions that 😂But I think it's an obscure enough reference not to bother me.

I think it’s one of those ideas driven by pregnancy hormones which you’ll eventually be glad you didn’t use 😬 I think it’s quite ugly.

cheapskatemum · 07/11/2026 22:32

It’s my favourite name for a girl. I had 4 boys, so I never got to use it. I’m sure I first heard of it when reading Malory Towers. It’s also the name of the protagonist in Daniel Deronda by George Eliot (Gwendolen).

Cattyisbatty · 07/11/2026 22:33

I knew a lovely older lady called Gwen so it has good connotations for me, plus someone who met in a course years ago who was very nice
And I’ve just binged watched MT too so 😂

Clearinguptheclutter · 07/11/2026 22:36

Strong Malory towers vibes for me, but in a good way

if you’re welsh I would go for Gwendolen. If she’s mostly going to be going by Gwen I don’t think it massively matters how you spell the full version

Swipe left for the next trending thread