Entry № 4290 · Welsh origin

Olwen Olwen — Meaning, Origin & Baby Name Popularity

/ OL-wen /

Gender

Girl

Origin

Welsh

Meaning

"White footprint"

Syllables

Rank · US 2025

№ 0

First recorded

Medieval (Welsh)

The meaning

A name that means "white footprint".

Olwen comes from the Welsh ôl (track, footprint) and gwen (white, blessed) — meaning "white footprint." In the Welsh Mabinogi, Olwen is the heroine whose white flowers spring from her footsteps wherever she walks.

Olwen is widely used in Wales.

White footprint. The heroine whose footsteps bloomed.

In its original form

The name in its native script.

Olwen

Transliteration: Olwen
Pronunciation: / ˈɒl.wən /
Root: —
Grammatical form: —

Popularity

Where Olwen stands.

Current rank · 2025

№ 0 in the U.S.

All-time peak

№ 0 in 0

Babies named Olwen · last year

87 in the U.S.

First entered SSA top-1000

Rank, 1995–2025 Lower = more popular

Namesakes

Olwens before her.

Real people

Olwen Fouéré

French-Irish actress.

born 1954

In fiction

Olwen

Heroine of the Welsh Mabinogi.

Welsh medieval literature

Names connected to Olwen.

Numerology

The number behind Olwen.

The Authority

Olwen reduces to eight — the number of blessed path.

Parents on Olwen

Why families chose this name.

"Her footsteps bloomed flowers. The Welsh heroine. Olwen."

Megan · Mother of one · Aberystwyth