Names like Gwen

[PolarnOPirate]

Totally imaginary DD but realised I freaking love the name Gwen. Also Jean. Also Imogene (not Imogen). Also Olive, actually. Non frilly and pretty darn cool, but not boyish. What kind of era are these? Are they even from the same era? Any other suggestions of the same ilk?

Maude. Mabel. Sybil. Jane. Martha. Vera. Cora. Flora.
Why can’t you use Gwen, though

Gwen is a very nice name. Welsh speakers can give you more context/interpretative background. I just think of very talented artist Gwen John.
Jean also nice; a version of Joan which (as you know) is the female equivalent of John. Traditional, classy, uncontroversial.
Imogene is - I'm afraid - either your invention or invented by a misinformed baby name website.
Imogen is a name that first appears in reasonable public form in Shakespeare. Scholars say that he misheard/mistranscribed an earlier British Isles/perhaps Welsh name: Innogen.

Indeed, Imogene may be yooneek, most likely from Namberry but gives me such Lemon Breeland vibes if you’ve ever seen Hart of Dixie.

I can use Gwen but 1) not pregnant and 2) wondered if there was something even cooler I haven’t thought of.

Mabli
Martha
Delphine
Manon
Delia
Winifred
Monica

Daphne
Trixie
Cassie.
Joy

Gwen means 'white' or 'blessed'.

Pros: simple, nice meaning
Cons: will get called Gwyn (equivalent boy's name), will get written as Gewn, people will assume that it's short for something.

Other names you could consider: Joan, Lynn, Fay, Fern, Jill, Ann, Meg, Tess, Kim, Ruth, Jane, Kay, Dee, Dawn.

I like Gwen, it's nice and simple. Tess, Jane and Ruth are a good shout.

How about:
Megan
Leah
Anya
Nina
Erin
Eden
Wren
Zara
Lois

@ArseyWelshNameBore you make a good point re assuming it’s short for something, I can’t think of a long version I like. I wonder what G Stefani is officially 🤔 I like Joan, and June too.

@CaffiSaliMali Leah, Erin, Zara and Lois were on our lists when we had our boys, you have definitely gathered the gist of what I was after.

Thanks for all the new additions to my imaginary ‘next baby name’ list 😄

Ms Stefani is Gwen.

Gwen on it's own and not short for anything, is pretty popular in Wales.

If you want a long version, you could look at welsh and breton names, although why bother when it's a name in its own right.

Welsh names are usually problematic (pronunciation and spelling), but Gwen is not.

Gillian
Cynthia
Thomasin without the a
Cicely
Joyce
Marion
Agatha
Godelena
Peggy
Fanny
Amice
Susan
Kate
Drew
Zilla
Joan
Esther
Lenny
Phebe
Bertha
Jo
Tahnee
Gwyn
Lois
Red
Brenda

I know of someone named Gwendolyn Jean, the names are lovely, and flow beautifully too

Tamsin
Willa
Robin

I wanted DD2 to be Gwen, her dad wouldn't let me.

She's Carys.

Agnes

Imogene is a real name. I know three.

I've known a couple of Gwens and they were lovely people but do remember it is short for Gwendoline and at least give her the full name so she has a choice when she grows up.

Gwendoline is a name of Welsh origin and means fair, blessed and holy; also 'white ring'.

I'd go for that, it is so charming and fairly unusual nowadays.

I always assumed Gwen was short for Gwendoline like in the Enid Blyton Malory Towers books

Gwendoline is a name of Welsh origin
It's the anglicised version of Gwendolen, which is pronounced Gwen-DOLL-enn.

Gwendoline/Gwendolyn also shortens to Wendy.

Gwenno
Gwenaele
Guinevere
Gwenyth
Janette/Ginette
Genevieve

It’s funny because I already have an Evan and we’re not Welsh so wonder if that would be weird.

Gwenaele. - it's Gwenaëlle
Guinevere
Gwenyth - it's Gwenith

All the Jeans and Joans I know are in their late 70s/80s.

Similar names:
Joyce
Betty
Edna
Iris
Mary
Doris
Edith
Ethel

It might be me, but I find that names are more sassy if they are not short for something e.g. Tess not Tessa. Kim not Kimberley, Ann(e) not Annette, Anna not Anna short for Annabel, Jill not Gillian, Meg not Megan/Margaret, Beth not Bethany etc.

Workwise, I know people who only get called the short version of their name - Tom, Ben, Dom, Jon, Liz, Alex etc. Presumably they are the long version on their BC.

Hi Mike!

Gertrude