Fun Facts About the Name Gwenivere
- 811 babies named Gwenivere: U.S. records list 811 babies given the name Gwenivere from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Gwenivere Mean?
Gwenivere is a variant spelling of Guinevere, the English form of the Welsh name Gwenhwyfar. Its first element is gwen, meaning "white," "fair," "blessed," or "holy" - a common element in Welsh names, from the same root as the Irish fionn, "fair." The second element, hwyfar, is of uncertain meaning.
Because hwyfar is not securely explained, the name is often glossed loosely as "fair one" or "white lady." One traditional reading is "white phantom" or "white shadow," connecting the second element to a word for a ghostly or enchanted figure; another treats it as "smooth" or "soft." The "phantom" sense is a customary interpretation, not a settled literal translation.
Gwenivere Name History & Origins
The source of the name is the Welsh Gwenhwyfar, the name of Arthur's queen in medieval Welsh tradition. She appears as Gwenhwyfar in Welsh prose and verse, including the tale Culhwch and Olwen and the Welsh Triads. Geoffrey of Monmouth's Latin chronicle Historia Regum Britanniae (c. 1136) renders the name as Guanhumara.
From the Welsh form came the Old French Guenièvre of the Arthurian romances, and from French the English Guinevere. Gwenivere is a later spelling that keeps the Welsh-looking Gwen- opening while following the -vere ending of the English form. It has no separate origin of its own; it is one of several respellings of the same name, alongside forms such as Guinevere and Gwenevere.
How Popular is the Name Gwenivere?
Gwenivere has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2022. Its best rank was #2,178 in 2022.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #3,145 | 51 | 0.0032% |
| 2024 | #3,405 | 46 | 0.0029% |
| 2023 | #2,655 | 66 | 0.0041% |
| 2022 | #2,178 | 87 | 0.0053% |
| 2021 | #2,538 | 69 | 0.0042% |
| 2020 | #3,461 | 44 | 0.0027% |
| 2019 | #3,628 | 42 | 0.0025% |
| 2018 | #4,805 | 28 | 0.0016% |
| 2017 | #4,730 | 29 | 0.0017% |
| 2016 | #5,343 | 25 | 0.0014% |
| 2015 | #5,031 | 27 | 0.0015% |
| 2014 | #5,530 | 24 | 0.0013% |
| 2013 | #5,058 | 27 | 0.0015% |
| 2012 | #9,953 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2011 | #6,948 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 2010 | #5,680 | 24 | 0.0014% |
| 2009 | #6,179 | 22 | 0.0012% |
| 2008 | #4,795 | 31 | 0.0016% |
| 2007 | #6,914 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 2006 | #5,789 | 23 | 0.0012% |
| 2005 | #6,942 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 2004 | #8,419 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2003 | #5,658 | 21 | 0.0011% |
| 2002 | #5,743 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 2001 | #8,383 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2000 | #9,417 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1970 | #8,431 | 5 | 0.0003% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Gwenivere Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You are introspective, prophetic, philosophical, and soul searching, but also can be analytical, critical and opinionated. You think deeply and clearly, have an air of mystery, can be solitary and secretive. You have an eventful, exciting life. You are versatile and have the ability to learn easily.
You desire to inspire and lead, to control other's affairs. You are giving, courageous and bold, action oriented,energetic and strong willed. You want to make a difference in the world, and this attitude often attracts you to cultural interests, politics, social issues, and the cultivation of your creative talents.
✦ Gwenivere's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Gwenivere's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.