Gweneth
A Welsh feminine name meaning "fair and blessed".
Name Census estimates that about 902 living Americans carry the first name Gweneth. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Gweneth today is around 27 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Gweneth births was 2008 (52 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Gweneth. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
902
~ 1 in 379,994 Americans
Peak year
2008
52 babies that year
Average age
27
years old
2024 SSA rank
#10,528
Tracked since 1913
Popularity
Gweneth: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Gweneth from the 1910s through to the 2020s, spanning 11 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 336 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2000s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Gweneth by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Gweneth during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Gweneths live
The SSA's state-level files cover 4 states and territories. California, Ohio, Illinois recorded the most babies named Gweneth, while Iowa, Illinois, Ohio recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 24 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Gweneth
The name Gweneth has its origins in the Welsh language and culture. It is believed to have derived from the Welsh words "gwen" meaning fair or blessed, and "eth" meaning ray or emanation. Thus, the name Gweneth can be interpreted as "fair ray" or "blessed emanation."
This name traces its roots back to the medieval period in Wales, where it was commonly used among the Welsh nobility and gentry. It was particularly popular during the 12th and 13th centuries, as evidenced by its appearance in various historical records and chronicles from that time.
One of the earliest known references to the name Gweneth can be found in the Welsh manuscript "Brut y Tywysogion" (Chronicle of the Princes), which dates back to the late 13th century. This chronicle mentions a Gweneth ferch Gruffydd, who was the daughter of a prominent Welsh prince.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Gweneth. One such person was Gweneth Gam (1188-1236), a Welsh noblewoman who was known for her fierce resistance against the Norman invasion of Wales. She played a crucial role in the Welsh uprising led by Prince Llywelyn the Great.
Another prominent Gweneth was Gweneth Brycheiniog (1234-1286), a Welsh princess and heiress who was renowned for her patronage of the arts and literature. She commissioned several works of poetry and prose, contributing to the preservation of Welsh culture during a turbulent period.
In the 15th century, Gweneth Cyfeiliog (1425-1490) was a celebrated Welsh poet and musician. She composed numerous poems and songs that celebrated the beauty of her native land and the valor of its people. Her works were widely admired and helped to shape the literary traditions of Wales.
The name Gweneth also found its way into the annals of Welsh religious history. Gweneth Santes (1520-1588) was a Welsh mystic and visionary who was renowned for her piety and devotion. She is revered as a saint in some parts of Wales and is remembered for her teachings on spiritual enlightenment.
In more recent times, Gweneth Bryden (1871-1949) was a Welsh-born Australian educator and advocate for women's rights. She made significant contributions to the advancement of education and gender equality in Australia during the early 20th century.
These are just a few examples of the many notable individuals who have borne the name Gweneth throughout history, reflecting its enduring significance and cultural importance within the Welsh tradition.
People
Gweneth + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Gweneth as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with G
Other first names starting with G with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Gweneth: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Gweneth?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 902 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Gweneth going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 379,994 US residents.
Is Gweneth a common name?
We classify Gweneth as "Very Rare". It ranks above 89.4% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,303 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Gweneth most popular?
The single biggest year for Gweneth was 2008, when 52 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Gweneth is about 27 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Gweneth a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Gweneth in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.