Gwen is a Welsh feminine given name meaning "white, holy". It can also be a shortened form of Gwenhwyfar (Guinevere) or other names beginning with the same element, such as:
Gwenhael, Gwenael, Gwenvael, Gwenaelle
Gwenda (explained as a compound of gwen "white, pure, blessed, holy" + da "good, well")
Gwendolen, Gwendoline, Gwendolyn
Gweneira (from gwen "white" + eira "snow")
Gwenfair (combination of gwen "blessed, holy" + -fair, soft mutation of Mair, "(the Virgin) Mary"
Winefride (originally Gwenffrewi) (Breton: Gwenvred)
Gwenfron (from gwen "white" + fron, mutated form of bron "breast"; cf. Bronwen)
Gwenyth, Gwenith (identical to the Welsh word for "wheat")
Gwenllian
Gwennant (compound of gwen "white" + nant "stream, brook")
Gwenola (modern feminized form of Breton Winwaloe)
Although superficially similar, Gwyneth has a different, albeit uncertain, etymological origin (likely either from Gwynedd or the Welsh gwynaeth, meaning joy, bliss or happiness).
Contents
People
Pre-modern world
Saint Wenna (died c. 492), also known as Gwen of Talgarth, medieval princess and Christian martyr
Saint Wenna (queen), also known as Gwen ferch Cynyr, 5th century queen of Cornwall
Gwen Teirbron, 5th or 6th century Breton Catholic and Russian Orthodox saint
Modern world
Gwen Apuli (born 2003), stage name Gwen (singer), Filipino singer and member of the girl group Bini
Gwen Benaway (born 1987), Canadian poet and activist
Gwen Barlee (1963–2017), Canadian environmental activist
Gwen Berry (born 1989), American hammer thrower
Gwen Bristow (1903–1980), American author and journalist
Gwen Carr (born 1949), American activist, public speaker, and author
Gwen C. Clare (born 1945), American diplomat
Gwen Davis (born 1936), American novelist
Gwen Dickey (born 1953), American musician
Gwen ferch Ellis (c. 1542–1594), the first recorded woman accused of witchcraft in Wales
Gwen Farrar (1897–1944), English musician, actress and comedian
Gwen Fleming (1916–2011), Australian doctor
Gwen Frostic (1906–2001), American artist, entrepreneur, and author
Gwen Gillen (1941–2017), American sculptor and artist
Gwen Graham (born 1963), American lawyer and politician
Gwen Guthrie (1950–1999), American singer
Gwen Hall (1951–2006), American minister and activist
Fictional characters
Gwen Cooper, one of the main protagonists in the television series Torchwood
Gwen Norbeck Munson, from the TV soap opera As the World Turns
Gwen Poole, the protagonist of the Unbelievable Gwenpool comic book series
Gwen Raiden, from the TV series Angel
Gwen Rizczech, from the American soap opera Days of Our Lives
Gwen Stacy, a character in Marvel Comics comic books and films
Gwen Tennyson, from Cartoon Network's Ben 10 franchise
Gwen Warren (Spider-Girl), a superhero and member of the X-Men
Gwen Hotchkiss Winthrop, from the American soap opera Passions
Gwen Wu, from the Nickelodeon animated TV series The Mighty B!
Gwen (last name unknown), from the Canadian animated TV series Total Drama