[name_m]Hi[/name_m] everyone,
One name we are considering for baby #2 is [name_f]Gwendolen[/name_f] (or possibly just [name_f]Gwen[/name_f]). I have a couple questions for the name experts out there!
I have read some sites that say the meaning is [name_f]Moon[/name_f] [name_f]Goddess[/name_f], how true is this? I don’t really like that meaning… but I’m not sure if that’s the true meaning or not.
I don’t have any experience with the [name_m]King[/name_m] [name_m]Arthur[/name_m] legends, so what is the character [name_f]Gwen[/name_f] ([name_f]Guinevere[/name_f]) like? Is it an ok association? Does she go by [name_f]Gwen[/name_f] or [name_f]Guinevere[/name_f]? [name_m]How[/name_m] weird would it be to have a potential future sibling named [name_m]Arthur[/name_m] (this is one of our top boy names)?
Thanks for your help!!
First, [name_f]Gwendolen[/name_f] is a lovely name! [name_f]Gwen[/name_f] is a longtime favorite of mine. Importantly, [name_f]Gwendolen[/name_f] is not the same name as [name_f]Guinevere[/name_f]. They share the “gwen” root, and the associated “white” meaning, but they’re two separate names. [name_f]Guinevere[/name_f] is a tragic figure in mythology, but [name_f]Gwendolen[/name_f] is only a minor character in certain retellings of the [name_m]Arthur[/name_m] myths. I think [name_f]Gwen[/name_f] and [name_m]Arthur[/name_m] would be fine siblings, thought maybe a little but close.
As for the meaning, I’m not sure. The meaning of the name clearly relates to the moon, but if there was an ancient moon goddess named [name_f]Gwendolen[/name_f], I don’t believe most modern Pagans actively recognize her today.
I believe the moon goddess meaning comes from the fact that the name translates to “white ring” or “white circle” (or so my research tells me). I don’t think most people know that though, so I wouldn’t let it deter you too much if you don’t like the moon goddess thing.
As for [name_f]Gwen[/name_f], I do think siblings named [name_f]Gwen[/name_f] and [name_m]Arthur[/name_m] would be a little odd since they were a romantic couple in the myth. [name_m]Even[/name_m] though it would be short for [name_f]Gwendolen[/name_f] not [name_f]Guinevere[/name_f], it’s still a little too close for me. The [name_f]Guinevere[/name_f] character differs widely between different tellings of the myth. I’ve read versions where she was a tragic figure, and I’ve read other versions where she was a hero and a beacon of strength and wisdom in the story. It really depends on who is telling it I think.
Regardless of all of that, [name_f]Gwendolen[/name_f] is a stunningly beautiful name that any girl would be lucky to have :).
I think [name_f]Gwendolyn[/name_f] is lovely. Name meanings are really iffy and tend to be superficially imposed on names. [name_f]Gwendolyn[/name_f] is not like [name_f]Diana[/name_f] or [name_u]Artemis[/name_u] or [name_f]Athena[/name_f] where there would be a strong goddess association for the general public. And based on quick research, opinions seem pretty split of the name’s meaning but [name_f]Moon[/name_f] [name_f]Goddess[/name_f] doesn’t seem like a consensus.
[name_m]Arthur[/name_m] and [name_f]Guinevere[/name_f] would be too much. [name_m]Arthur[/name_m] and [name_f]Gwendolyn[/name_f] is fine [name_f]IMO[/name_f].
Abby’s name backgrounds are usually pretty solid. She says “white ring” and her history of the name doesn’t mention moon goddesses.
it can mean blond or fair as well as white circle which references the moon and the moon goddess
Thank you for these thoughtful replies! I don’t know many of the other naming sites so it’s great to get some resources regarding meanings.
I’m still stumped on how weird it would be to have potential siblings [name_m]Arthur[/name_m] and [name_f]Gwen[/name_f]. I’m a bit more ok with it if the full name is [name_f]Gwendolen[/name_f] but if my husband only likes just [name_f]Gwen[/name_f] it might be a bit too close. Maybe I should make a poll!