Maybe [name]Cecilia[/name]. That sounds princessy and i think it’s pretty tough!
I looked up cornish names
[name]Kerensa[/name] came up. I think this sounds really feminine, but also bold and princess-like
[name]Tressa[/name] - another on the Cornish list. I like this one too for what you are looking for
Some Welsh options
[name]Bronwen[/name]/[name]Bronwyn[/name]
[name]Jestina[/name]
[name]Lynette[/name]
[name]Rowena[/name]
[name]Winifred[/name]
Other random ones:
[name]Althea[/name]
[name]Bernadette[/name]
[name]Cosette[/name]
[name]Viviana[/name]
[name]Annika[/name]
[name]Eleanor[/name] seems to fit perfectly, and [name]Eleanor[/name] of [name]Aquitaine[/name] was pretty much a force during the High Middle Ages, as well as a great beauty. It’s on my Girl list for sure.
[name]Maeve[/name] would also be a good pick.
There is also [name]Rosamund[/name], who was famous during the 12th century for her beauty, and for being the beloved of [name]Henry[/name] II. In Latin is roughly translates to “[name]Rose[/name] of the World” (Mundi being World) She was also [name]Eleanor[/name]'s rival. I also love this name a great deal.
Other names from early English history include:
[name]Adela[/name]-[name]Princess[/name] of [name]England[/name], daughter of [name]William[/name] the Conqueror, and mother to [name]King[/name] [name]Stephen[/name]
[name]Matilda[/name] the [name]Empress[/name]-Mother to [name]Henry[/name] II and grandmother to [name]Richard[/name] The Lionhearted.
[name]Avalon[/name]-Okay, so [name]Avalon[/name] was not a princess or queen, but it was a beautiful place in Arthurian legend.
[name]Bronwen[/name]-Welsh name. I have no idea if it’s royal though.
Igraine-Mother of [name]King[/name] [name]Arthur[/name]. I love this.
Edited to add:
The name Saorise (pronounced seer-sha) just came to mind. I think it’s lovely and strong.
I’m not sure if you still want Welsh names as I’m sure your husband has run many by you, but since I’m Welsh speaking and most of the history I’ve learned is Welsh it’s the only area I can really help you with! Hehe.
[name]Rhiannon[/name] - a queen in the Mabinogi (welsh mythology)
[name]Branwen[/name] - a princess in the Mabinogi who goes on to marry the [name]King[/name] of [name]Ireland[/name]
[name]Olwen[/name] - the daughter of a giant and considered the most beautiful girl in the land, Culhwch has to complete a lot of tasks in order to be able to marry her!
Arianrhod - the sister of the wizard Gwydion in the Mabinogi. Not a queen or anything herself but her uncle was [name]King[/name]
Blodeuwedd (maybe a bit much!?) - Arianrhod curses her son to never have a wife so Blodeuwedd is a woman made of flowers for him (Blodau is flowers)
[name]Helen[/name]/[name]Elen[/name] (too plain?) - the name of a maiden in a Mabinogi story who Macsen ([name]Magnus[/name] [name]Maximus[/name]?) falls in love with
[name]Enid[/name] - the heroin of a Welsh romance story from approx 12th centuary
Angharad (one of my favs!) - another Welsh heroin as above
[name]Guinevere[/name] - derived from the Welsh name Gwenhwyfar
Boudica - queen of a celtic tribe who led an uprising against the roman conquerers
Tathana - the niece of [name]King[/name] [name]Arthur[/name], and granddaughter of [name]Meurig[/name], originally named Braust which I don’t think is as pretty, but renamed after a vision in which Tathan appeared to her and told her to live a holy life
[name]Dwynwen[/name] - the Welsh patron saint of lovers (our version of [name]Valentine[/name]!)
[name]Eluned[/name] (I love this!) - a 5th centuary saint, and daughter of [name]King[/name] [name]Brychan[/name]
Endelienta - another daughter of [name]King[/name] [name]Brychan[/name] and again a saint, this time of Cornwall where there is a village named after her
[name]Alys[/name] (like [name]Alice[/name])- daughter of [name]Owain[/name] Glyndwr, a real life Welsh hero who led the revolt against the king of [name]England[/name] in the 1400’s.
[name]Catrin[/name] - another daughter of [name]Owain[/name] Glyndwr
Gwenllian (obviously too close to [name]Gwendolen[/name]!) but was the last blood heir to the Welsh thrown who was imprisoned as a baby by the English royal family until her death.
[name]Gwladys[/name] - the daughter of the last “free” king of [name]Wales[/name] [name]Dafydd[/name]
Nest - a Welsh princess from the 11th-12th centuary renowned for her beauty. Maybe [name]Nesta[/name] would work better today?
Heledd - a princess likely from the 6th century, not much is known about her except for some poetry written about her sorrow at losing the eastern portion of their kingdom to the English, written in approx the 9th century.
The names I think work best with [name]Gwendolen[/name] are:
[name]Gwendolen[/name] and Angharad (ang-HA-rud)
[name]Gwendolen[/name] and Tathana
[name]Gwendolen[/name] and [name]Catrin[/name]
[name]Gwendolen[/name] and [name]Alys[/name]
[name]Gwendolen[/name] and [name]Rhiannon[/name]
[name]Gwendolen[/name] and Endelienta (if your husband really wants something out there!!)
Gwnedolen and [name]Branwen[/name]
[name]Gwendolen[/name] and [name]Olwen[/name]
[name]Gwendolen[/name] and Arianrhod (ar-ee-AN-rhod)
[name]Gwendolen[/name] and [name]Enid[/name]
Best of luck!!
Thanks so much for all the replies. I’m overwhelmed! THere have been so many perfect beautiful strong suggestions that I feel pretty horrible saying nothing has hit me yet. I’m going to print out a huge list and let them sink in to see if anything pops out.
I have brought up a few ([name]Maeve[/name], [name]Eleanor[/name]…) that my hubby didn’t like and he loves some, especially the welsh ones ([name]Blodwen[/name], [name]Olwen[/name]) that I think are too heavy or don’t have the best nn.
We also love [name]Bronwen[/name] but it is my cousin’s name.
This is ridiculous because they really don’t fit the olden warrior princess thing but the few names we are considering are:
[name]Ivy[/name] - just like it, sounds old-fashioned, hub is a horticulturist but not so keen on being trendy
[name]Juno[/name] - would have to be mn as hub not so keen but I love it and [name]Juno[/name] was goddess of childbirth and I’m in training to be a midwife
[name]Zelda[/name] - much more warrior-like but I’m not sure it’s pretty or gentle enough
Thanks again
- [name]Morgan[/name]
If it’s any help I think [name]Ivy[/name] sounds beautiful with [name]Gwendolen[/name] 
Or how about [name]Iris[/name] and [name]Gwendolen[/name] or [name]Isolde[/name] and [name]Gwendolen[/name]?
[name]Hope[/name] you find something you love soon!!
What about Andromache (an dro [name]MAC[/name] ee)? She was a princess of [name]Troy[/name] and tough as bolts according to Eurpides. Or the [name]Amazonian[/name] warriors [name]Phoebe[/name], [name]Xanthe[/name] and [name]Helene[/name] have a ring to their names.
I think [name]Xanthe[/name] would be a great choice- It means golden, which defintely has a princessy aspect to it. I’ve also thought of another one, sorry if someone else has- [name]Morgana[/name]. Makes me think of Arthurian mythology, which is “old”, sounds very elegant, and is similar to a Celtic war goddess.
i think the perfect names to go with [name]Gwendolen[/name] are
[name]Giselle[/name]
[name]Brenda[/name]
[name]Nerissa[/name] and
[name]Melvina[/name]
OK, for an Arthurian theme, how about:
[name]Vivian[/name] (the Lady of the [name]Lake[/name], sometimes appears as Nivian)
Nimue (the enchantress that defeated [name]Merlin[/name])
Also, there is:
[name]Melisende[/name] (Frankish [name]Queen[/name] of Jerusalem in the Middle Ages, held her own against a lot of men and ruled in her own right - sounds good with [name]Gwendolyn[/name] [name]IMO[/name])
[name]Theodora[/name] (Byzantine empress, married to [name]Justinian[/name], by all accounts a very intelligent and powerful woman)
This is such a brilliant thread and I’m so impressed by this host of amazing suggestions. Would one of you geniuses who now so much about ancient warrior princesses and their names like to write a guest blog on the subject? If so, please email me at pam@nameberry.com.
I agree this a highly unusual and fun thread.For what it’s worth I suggest .[name]Maia[/name] ,it means midwife and mother and think it is a beautiful name. [name]Yseult[/name], one comes across it occassionally in [name]Ireland[/name] but it has all the maiden warrior qualities.Isolse of course but personally I always think (is old). and last [name]Grainne[/name] after grainne uaile in ireland,she was the ultimate pirate princess and the most admirable in [name]Ireland[/name] over time.The has a fada(an upward slanting stroke ) over the A. Best of luck. Also the english translation on [name]Grainne[/name] (graw inya) is grace.
what do you think of Aneira? It is Welsh and it’s meaning is snow.
[name]Gwendolyn[/name] & Aneira are adorable together.
Also love the suggestions of [name]Isolde[/name], [name]Avalon[/name], [name]Xanthe[/name], [name]Phoebe[/name], [name]Bellatrix[/name], [name]Cassandra[/name], [name]Tressa[/name] and [name]Eloise[/name]. good luck (:
[name]Cassandra[/name] and [name]Katarina[/name] come to mind.
I found a great one!!
[name]Melusine[/name]/melusina- Feminie spirit of river and fresh water in European legends. In Coudrette’s “The Romans of Partenay or of Lusignen: Otherwise known as the Tale of [name]Melusine[/name],” [name]Melusine[/name] in one of 3 daughters born to a [name]Goddess[/name] and a mortal. [name]Melusine[/name] is a triplet, her sisters are [name]Melior[/name], and Palatyne. Name sake Ehrengard [name]Melusine[/name] von der Schulenburg, Duchess of [name]Kendal[/name] and Munster, mistress of [name]George[/name] I of Great [name]Britain[/name], was christened [name]Melusine[/name] in 1667.
I know a little girl named [name]Melusine[/name] her mother’s name is [name]Gwendolyn[/name].
[name]Avalon[/name] could also work.
Hey all,
This is a long overdue (no pun intended) response to my original posting. Our daughter was born on [name]September[/name] 22 and we went with [name]Maeve[/name] [name]Poppy[/name] as her name. [name]Maeve[/name] was one of your suggestions for a warrior princess of the British Isles…so thanks very much.
Now we have:
Diggory [name]Joseph[/name]
[name]Gwendolen[/name] Pixie and
[name]Maeve[/name] [name]Poppy[/name]
And I miss going through these message boards! I probably won’t have to name any more kids but if anyone has a suggestion for an all black cat I’ll take it. The top contenders right now are [name]Poe[/name], Rhubarb and [name]Idris[/name] but I’m not loving them and no one can agree. My son wants to call her Batgirl!
Thanks,
[name]Morgan[/name]
Congrats - [name]Maeve[/name] [name]Poppy[/name] is lovely and [name]Maeve[/name] definitely has the same strong, beautiful quality of [name]Gwendolen[/name].
As far as pets, I’m afraid I’m a terrible cliche. My favorite from your list is [name]Poe[/name], another along the same lines would be [name]Raven[/name] (not sure if it’s pc to name a cat after a bird…)
I really enjoyed this thread because I’ve been having trouble imagining what a sibling to my [name]Gwen[/name] would be. Lots of great ideas here!