Gwinda
A feminine name of unknown origin, potentially derived from a Germanic root.
Name Census estimates that about 32 living Americans carry the first name Gwinda. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Gwinda today is around 70 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Gwinda births was 1950 (7 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Gwinda. 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.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Gwinda is about 70 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Gwindas were born before 1966.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Gwinda. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
32
~ 1 in 10,711,073 Americans
Peak year
1950
7 babies that year
Average age
70
years old
1962 SSA rank
#5,491
Tracked since 1948
Popularity
Gwinda: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Gwinda from the 1940s through to the 1960s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1950s, with 28 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1950s peak, Gwinda remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Gwinda 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 Gwinda during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Gwinda
The name Gwinda is believed to have originated from the ancient Celtic language spoken in parts of what is now modern-day Britain and Ireland. It is thought to be derived from the Old Celtic words "gwin" meaning "fair" or "white," and "da" meaning "good" or "blessed." The combination of these two words suggests that the name Gwinda may have initially meant something along the lines of "fair and blessed."
According to historical records, the name Gwinda first appeared in written form in the 6th century CE, in a collection of Welsh genealogies and family histories. It was used primarily as a feminine name during this period, although there are a few instances where it was also given to males. Some scholars believe that the name may have been associated with the ancient Celtic goddess of fertility and abundance, whose name had a similar spelling.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Gwinda was a Welsh princess who lived in the late 6th century CE. She was known for her beauty and her dedication to the Christian faith, and her name was often used as an example of a virtuous and pious woman in medieval Welsh literature. Another notable Gwinda from the early medieval period was a Scottish abbess who founded a monastery in the 7th century CE, and was renowned for her wisdom and her commitment to religious life.
In the 9th century CE, a Gwinda was mentioned in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, an important historical record of events in England during the Anglo-Saxon period. This Gwinda was described as a skilled healer and herbalist, and was said to have cured many people in her community with her knowledge of medicinal plants. A century later, another Gwinda was recorded as being a prominent scholar and teacher in the monastic schools of Ireland.
During the Middle Ages, the name Gwinda continued to be used in various parts of Britain and Ireland, although it became less common over time. One notable bearer of the name was Gwinda of Gwynedd, a Welsh noblewoman who lived in the 12th century CE and was known for her patronage of the arts and her support of Welsh culture and language.
Throughout the centuries, the name Gwinda has been borne by various individuals, including poets, artists, and religious figures, although it has never been among the most popular names in any particular region. Its Celtic origins and meaning of "fair and blessed" have contributed to its enduring appeal, even as it has become increasingly rare in modern times.
People
Gwinda + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Gwinda 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
Gwinda: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Gwinda?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 32 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Gwinda 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 10,711,073 US residents.
Is Gwinda a common name?
We classify Gwinda as "Very Rare". It ranks above 47.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 46 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Gwinda most popular?
The single biggest year for Gwinda was 1950, when 7 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Gwinda is about 70 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Gwinda in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Gwinda a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Gwinda 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.
Is Gwinda still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Gwinda in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Gwinda can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
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.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people share the name Gwinda?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.