Olwen

[ZebraKid71]

Thoughts? Any significant issues with it?

Due number 3 in January and struggling with girls names. Both my other kids have known but unusual names (think they were both 700 and something in last years stats) but that have a well known shortening/nickname. I don't care about names matching but this would fit nicely.

I lived in Wales for years but we aren't Welsh.

It's a very old welsh name.

For - easy to say and spell, nice story behind the name and pretty meaning. Shortens easily to Ollie/Oli.

Against - It will get Olwyn (Welsh word for wheel).

Alwen might be an alternative - it's a river name and not overused. Alwenna is pretty too.

It was my grandmother's name. I like it.

Olwen is a fantastic name. Feminine but not frilly.

Well I assumed it was a boys name when I read the thread title.

Its pretty simple for non welsh speakers to pronounce too which is always handy. Ol-when.

More of an older woman’s name but then they’re generally coming back into fashion.

I love the "wen" names but I think there are much prettier ones. Bronwen, Branwen (BBC education correspondent), Anwen etc.

My personal favourite is Marianwen. But I accept it might be a bit flowery.

Like it. Also like Elowen and Arwyn

I know an Olwen, quietly strong , subtly assertive , very kind , 100% dependable , very likeable
Great name
Actually thinking about it I know a second Olwen and although I don't know her as well I pretty much could describe her the same as above too

I think it's a lovely, classic, unusual-but-not-weird name.

@imnotimportant

I know an Olwen, quietly strong , subtly assertive , very kind , 100% dependable , very likeable Great name Actually thinking about it I know a second Olwen and although I don't know her as well I pretty much could describe her the same as above too

Funny you say this, while it's obviously not up to me to judge whether I'm likable, I am that kind of person and I was thinking it's like a Welsh version of my own name.

@StCharlotte, Marianwen is made up.
The -wen/-wyn names are dated. They tend to be granny names - people older than 70.

@testingtimes123, Arwyn is a boy's name, and Arwen isn't welsh.

Oh OP it's awful. It's so stuffy and old fashioned. I agree with PP that the -wen ending is lovely but there are much prettier, more modern sounding names.

Not to my taste but a perfectly reasonable name. Go for it.

It's lovely. It is the name of a character in the Mabinogion, which is a 14th century collection of ancient legends and stories. Olwen is said to mean "white footprint" because she was so gentle, white flowers bloomed in her footprints.

My mum was Welsh and her name was Olwyn Leonora. I don't like Olwyn but quite like Leonora. Mum was never called Olwyn she was always known as Molly.

I like Olsen but it’s really very Welsh if you’re not - that’s all that would give me pause.

Anwen is my favourite ‘wen’ name by miles.

Olsen Olwen, obviously!

@cobblers123, did your grandparents know that they named her Wheel?

I'm not keen. To me it's old fashioned but not in a good way more in a Maureen kind of way.

I’m American and I’ve never heard the name. It’s pretty but as someone who moved to the UK with a child who had a name that is semi-common there but not known here at all it’s been a pain. Like yours it could be considered a name of the opposite gender if you’ve never heard it before and my DS gets really annoyed. I don’t know if it’s important to you to have a name that is recognizable outside of Britain but if it is this would not be that.

It's very old-fashioned (and not in a good way).

Anwen makes me think of Annette. Dated.

Olwen, Branwen, Bronwen, Dwynwen and Rhonwen are ok, but the other -wen names are best forgotten IMO.

Maureen is nice, as is Eileen.

MikeUniformMike

Just looked it up and it means "white footprint" apparently for both ways of spelling the name.

Where did "wheel" come from?