Find out how popular the first name Arwen has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Arwen by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Arwen is exclusively a female name.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 178 female babies and 0 male babies born with the name Arwen.

The history of the first name Arwen

The name Arwen originates from the fictional Sindarin language created by J.R.R. Tolkien for his novels set in Middle-earth. In Sindarin, the name is composed of the elements "ar" meaning "royal" and "wen" meaning "maiden".

Arwen was the name given to an Elf princess in Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings series. She was the daughter of Elrond, a powerful Elf-lord, and Celebrían, who was descended from the royal line of Galadriel. Arwen's character plays a significant role in the story, as she becomes the wife of Aragorn, the heir to the thrones of Gondor and Arnor.

Although the name Arwen itself does not have a recorded history prior to Tolkien's works, it has since gained popularity and been adopted by many readers and fans of the fantasy genre. Tolkien's creation of the Sindarin language and the names within it have greatly influenced the development of constructed languages and naming conventions in speculative fiction.

The earliest recorded use of the name Arwen would be in Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings novel, which was initially published in three volumes between 1954 and 1955. The character of Arwen is first introduced in the first volume, The Fellowship of the Ring.

While the name Arwen is a fictional creation, it has been embraced by many individuals, particularly those with an affinity for Tolkien's works or an appreciation for unique and meaningful names. Some notable individuals named Arwen include:

1. Arwen Undomiel (born in the Third Age of Middle-earth), the Elf princess and character from J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings.
2. Arwen Elys Dayton, an American author known for her young adult fantasy novels, such as "Seeker" and "Traveler".
3. Arwen Nicki, a Canadian actress known for her roles in television series like "Supernatural" and "The 100".
4. Arwen Curry, an American documentary filmmaker and director, known for her work on films like "Worlds of Ursula K. Le Guin" and "Worlds of Ruppert".
5. Arwen Evenstar, the stage name of an American singer and songwriter who performs Celtic and fantasy-inspired music.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Arwen was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Arwen, please contact us.

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