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Gwenevere

♀ Girl

Pronounced GWEN-ə-veer /ˈɡwɛn.ə.vɪr/High

Meaning: Variant of Guinevere, from Welsh Gwenhwyfar — gwen, 'white, fair', plus an element read as 'phantom' or 'smooth'Medium

In 30 seconds: Camelot's queen with the friendly Gwen up front: Gwenevere spells Guinevere so the nickname shows. The Welsh original may mean 'white phantom' — and she's the same name as Jennifer.
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Origin MediumWelsh, Arthurian
MeaningVariant of Guinevere, from Welsh Gwenhwyfar — gwen, 'white, fair', plus an element read as 'phantom' or 'smooth'
U.S. rank (2024)#3593 ↗ Rising
2024 U.S. births43 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year2019
Total births (all-time)≈ 1,157

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 201919212024

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

History & Origin

Gwenevere is a spelling of Guinevere — the Old French rendering of Welsh Gwenhwyfar, gwen, 'white, fair, blessed', plus an element read variously 'phantom', 'spirit', or 'smooth'. As King Arthur's queen, her love for Lancelot helped bring Camelot down.

The Gwen-forward spelling foregrounds the friendly nickname. It registers as a rare Arthurian variant in the U.S., riding the medieval-romance revival.

Did you know? Guinevere and Jennifer are the same name — Cornish speech wore Gwenhwyfar down to Jennifer centuries before it topped the 1970s charts.
Overall data confidence 78%
Behind the Name — Guinevere — Welsh etymology, debated

Variations

GuinevereGwenivereGinevra

Nicknames

GwenVereGwennie

Famous Bearers

  • Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Gwenevere…

Guinevere— the standard Arthurian spelling
Gwendolyn— the sister gwen- Welsh name
Genevieve— the French saint's name confused with it
Jennifer— the Cornish descendant of the same name

Browse the whole category: All Welsh names →  ·  All Arthurian names →  ·  All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Gwenevere mean?

Gwenevere is a variant of Guinevere, from Welsh Gwenhwyfar — 'white, fair' plus an element read as 'phantom' or 'smooth'.

How do you pronounce Gwenevere?

It's said GWEN-ə-veer /ˈɡwɛn.ə.vɪr/ — three syllables, stress on the first.

Is Gwenevere a boy or girl name?

Gwenevere is a girl's name.

How popular is Gwenevere?

Gwenevere is a rare spelling in the U.S.; Guinevere is the classic form.