Gwen

femaleStatistical record

What official birth registration shows about Gwen: which national registrars published it, in which years, and how its recorded position changed.

No researched meaning, origin or pronunciation yet — what that means.

Gwen: Recorded since 1966, it reached #271 in 1976, and it stood at #483 in 2025.

2registrars recorded it
77times a registrar ranked it
60years from first to last
#271highest recorded position
14groupings it qualifies for

Region

Rising

among girls in England and Wales · 1996–2024

View as table

England and Wales · Girls rank by year
Year	Rank
1996	#1072
1997	#946
1998	#1122
1999	#1261
2000	#1139
2001	#1439
2002	#1192
2003	#1176
2004	#1617
2005	#851
2006	#1004
2007	#942
2008	#779
2009	#726
2010	#758
2011	#721
2012	#738
2013	#699
2014	#750
2015	#666
2016	#768
2017	#648
2018	#553
2019	#664
2020	#792
2021	#734
2022	#1081
2023	#794
2024	#751

VerifiedSource: Office for National Statistics — Baby Names in England and Wales.Confidence: high.

See all England and Wales names · Source: Office for National Statistics — Baby Names in England and Wales

What the data shows

RisingEngland and Wales · Girls

Recorded in official data among girls in Republic of Ireland in 48 of the 60 years from 1966 to 2025.

In 2023: #495 among girls in Republic of Ireland, #794 among girls in England and Wales.

Official data from 2 national registrars across 2 regions, 1966–2025 · Office for National Statistics. Data sources

Popularity journey

First recorded1966
First recorded at #380 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1966 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1966–2025
Highest recorded position: #271 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1976 (recorded 1966–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #483 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls

Gwen appears in 2 of the published lists Namewise holds. The longest record is Republic of Ireland · Girls, which has ranked it in 48 years beginning in 1966, and has registered 258 births with the name.

Gwen across 2 official records

Each registrar publishes its own list, so these figures are read down a row, never across one. A position in one country is not comparable with a position in another, and Namewise never combines them into a single ranking. The birth counts do not compare across rows either, for a different reason: England and Wales registers roughly thirty times as many births a year as Northern Ireland, so a larger total says which registrar recorded it as much as how widely the name was given.

Gwen's first, highest and most recent recorded position in each official list, with the number of births each registrar registered with the name and its largest single year
Published list	First recorded	Highest	Most recent	Years recorded	Births registered	Most in one year
Republic of Ireland · Girls	#380 (1966)	#271 (1976)	#483 (2025)	48 of 60	258 (1966–2025)	12 (1976)
England and Wales · Girls	#1072 (1996)	#553 (2018)	#751 (2024)	29 of 29	1,136 (1996–2024)	75 (2018)

Gwen by decade in Republic of Ireland · Girls

Births registered with the name in each decade of this one list, with the number of years the list covers in that decade. Bars are scaled on births a year, which is the figure that compares between decades — a decade the list only partly covers has a smaller total without being a quieter decade. Figures belong to this registrar alone and do not carry to another.

Births registered with Gwen in Republic of Ireland · Girls, by decade, with years covered and the average per year
Decade	Births registered	Years covered	A year
1960s	8	2 of 10	4
1970sbusiest	73	10 of 10	7
1980s	31	6 of 10	5
1990s	31	7 of 10	4
2000s	36	8 of 10	5
2010s	52	10 of 10	5
2020s	27	5 of 10	5

Across Republic of Ireland · Girls, the 1970s were its busiest decade, averaging 7 births a year.

See the names Republic of Irelandhas recorded the most births with →

Gwen appears in

Groupings this name qualifies for under their own stated rules, from the same official statistics shown above.

Popularity data

Official popularity data is available for 2 regions, from 1966 to 2025. Highest recorded position: #271 in Republic of Ireland in 1976.

Gwen's recorded popularity observations by year, region and administrative category, including rank, registered births, source confidence and when each region's data was last reviewed.
Year	Region	Category	Rank	Births registered	Confidence	Status
2024	England and Wales	female	#751	50	High	Verified
2023	England and Wales	female	#794	45	High	Verified
2022	England and Wales	female	#1081	31	High	Verified
2021	England and Wales	female	#734	51	High	Verified
2020	England and Wales	female	#792	46	High	Verified
2019	England and Wales	female	#664	59	High	Verified
2018	England and Wales	female	#553	75	High	Verified
2017	England and Wales	female	#648	64	High	Verified
2016	England and Wales	female	#768	51	High	Verified
2015	England and Wales	female	#666	61	High	Verified
2014	England and Wales	female	#750	52	High	Verified
2013	England and Wales	female	#699	57	High	Verified
2012	England and Wales	female	#738	54	High	Verified
2011	England and Wales	female	#721	53	High	Verified
2010	England and Wales	female	#758	48	High	Verified
2009	England and Wales	female	#726	50	High	Verified
2008	England and Wales	female	#779	44	High	Verified
2007	England and Wales	female	#942	32	High	Verified
2006	England and Wales	female	#1004	28	High	Verified
2005	England and Wales	female	#851	33	High	Verified
2004	England and Wales	female	#1617	13	High	Verified
2003	England and Wales	female	#1176	19	High	Verified
2002	England and Wales	female	#1192	17	High	Verified
2001	England and Wales	female	#1439	13	High	Verified
2000	England and Wales	female	#1139	17	High	Verified
1999	England and Wales	female	#1261	15	High	Verified
1998	England and Wales	female	#1122	18	High	Verified
1997	England and Wales	female	#946	22	High	Verified
1996	England and Wales	female	#1072	18	High	Verified
2025	Republic of Ireland	female	#483	7	High	Verified
2023	Republic of Ireland	female	#495	7	High	Verified
2022	Republic of Ireland	female	#747	4	High	Verified
2021	Republic of Ireland	female	#883	3	High	Verified
2020	Republic of Ireland	female	#544	6	High	Verified
2019	Republic of Ireland	female	#621	5	High	Verified
2018	Republic of Ireland	female	#896	3	High	Verified
2017	Republic of Ireland	female	#579	6	High	Verified
2016	Republic of Ireland	female	#868	3	High	Verified
2015	Republic of Ireland	female	#751	4	High	Verified
2014	Republic of Ireland	female	#458	9	High	Verified
2013	Republic of Ireland	female	#424	10	High	Verified
2012	Republic of Ireland	female	#768	4	High	Verified
2011	Republic of Ireland	female	#695	5	High	Verified
2010	Republic of Ireland	female	#910	3	High	Verified
2009	Republic of Ireland	female	#742	4	High	Verified
2007	Republic of Ireland	female	#705	4	High	Verified
2006	Republic of Ireland	female	#502	6	High	Verified
2005	Republic of Ireland	female	#461	6	High	Verified
2004	Republic of Ireland	female	#576	4	High	Verified
2003	Republic of Ireland	female	#655	3	High	Verified
2002	Republic of Ireland	female	#620	3	High	Verified
2001	Republic of Ireland	female	#400	6	High	Verified
1999	Republic of Ireland	female	#355	6	High	Verified
1998	Republic of Ireland	female	#498	3	High	Verified
1996	Republic of Ireland	female	#534	3	High	Verified
1995	Republic of Ireland	female	#352	7	High	Verified
1994	Republic of Ireland	female	#450	4	High	Verified
1992	Republic of Ireland	female	#456	4	High	Verified
1990	Republic of Ireland	female	#446	4	High	Verified
1988	Republic of Ireland	female	#407	5	High	Verified
1986	Republic of Ireland	female	#458	4	High	Verified
1984	Republic of Ireland	female	#516	3	High	Verified
1983	Republic of Ireland	female	#438	5	High	Verified
1981	Republic of Ireland	female	#363	7	High	Verified
1980	Republic of Ireland	female	#370	7	High	Verified
1979	Republic of Ireland	female	#346	8	High	Verified
1978	Republic of Ireland	female	#469	4	High	Verified
1977	Republic of Ireland	female	#311	10	High	Verified
1976	Republic of Ireland	female	#271	12	High	Verified
1975	Republic of Ireland	female	#406	5	High	Verified
1974	Republic of Ireland	female	#300	9	High	Verified
1973	Republic of Ireland	female	#349	7	High	Verified
1972	Republic of Ireland	female	#389	5	High	Verified
1971	Republic of Ireland	female	#349	6	High	Verified
1970	Republic of Ireland	female	#307	7	High	Verified
1969	Republic of Ireland	female	#351	5	High	Verified
1966	Republic of Ireland	female	#380	3	High	Verified

England and Wales hub — collected by Office for National Statistics
Republic of Ireland hub — collected by CSO Ireland

See methodology and data sources for how popularity data is collected and what "confidence" means.

What the record shows

Recorded by 2 registrars between 1966 and 2025, ranked in 52 years of that period.

Its highest recorded position is #271, first reached in 1976.

Its largest count from any one registrar is 75 births, registered in England and Wales in 2018.

Its record falls into 8 separate stretches, with a longest absence of 2 years.

A second registrar first ranked it in 1996, and 30 years separate the first registrar to record it from the last.

Every figure here is counted from the seven official registrars Namewise holds. A position is only ever a place within the list that published it, and a record that thins or stops is a fact about what registrars printed — never about how many children received the name.

Where to go next

Records with a comparable body of evidence, so the catalogue can be read outward from this one. Each group states the rule it was selected by.

Next in the catalogue

The records either side of this one alphabetically.

Guttorm · #150, 45y
Guy · #95, 44y
Gwendolen · #396, 24y
Gwendoline · #174, 45y

A comparable record

Records held by the same 2 registrars, over a similar number of ranked years, whose highest position is closest to this one. A similar body of evidence — never a claim that the names themselves are alike.

Saima · #273, 47y
Rosalind · #274, 49y
Muna · #279, 53y
Jeanne · #284, 47y

Also first recorded in the 1960s

Records whose earliest ranking in Namewise's registrar data also falls between 1960 and 1969.

Oksana · #271, 29y
Adrien · #270, 30y
Agathe · #270, 45y
Breege · #272, 25y

Gwen was ranked #271 in Republic of Ireland · Girls in 1976. These are the names immediately either side of it on that published list — a fact about the registrar's own output, not a similarity judgement.

Gwen and the names beside it

Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale, in the same year, by the same registrar — so these are positions that genuinely passed each other, not a similarity judgement. Drawn from the 2,573 names with a recorded popularity standing (common, familiar, uncommon), so a name outside that set could have passed Gwen without appearing here.

Gwen moved ahead of

Lorraine Compare
In 2004 they stood at #1617 and #1312 in England and Wales · Girls; by 2005 that had become #851 and #2438.
Geraldine Compare
In 2001 they stood at #1439 and #1170 in England and Wales · Girls; by 2002 that had become #1192 and #2301.
Kristy Compare
In 2001 they stood at #1439 and #1439 in England and Wales · Girls; by 2002 that had become #1192 and #2301.
Bernadette Compare
In 2004 they stood at #1617 and #1209 in England and Wales · Girls; by 2005 that had become #851 and #1934.

Moved ahead of Gwen

Audrey Compare
In 2003 they stood at #1176 and #1325 in England and Wales · Girls; by 2004 that had become #1617 and #736.
Maja Compare
In 2005 they stood at #851 and #951 in England and Wales · Girls; by 2006 that had become #1004 and #456.
Harper Compare
In 2011 they stood at #721 and #858 in England and Wales · Girls; by 2012 that had become #738 and #284.
Millie Compare
In 2001 they stood at #400 and #498 in Republic of Ireland · Girls; by 2002 that had become #620 and #238.

Moved the opposite way to Gwen

Ella Compare
Between 1970 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Gwen went from #307 to #483 while Ella went from #447 to #17.
Heidi Compare
Between 1970 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Gwen went from #307 to #483 while Heidi went from #396 to #91.
Matilda Compare
Between 1970 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Gwen went from #307 to #483 while Matilda went from #396 to #106.
Sophie Compare
Between 1970 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Gwen went from #307 to #483 while Sophie went from #396 to #6.

Moved the same way as Gwen

Anita Compare
Between 1966 and 2022 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Gwen went from #380 to #747 and Anita from #130 to #905.
Camilla Compare
Between 1966 and 2022 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Gwen went from #380 to #747 and Camilla from #236 to #458.
Joanne Compare
Between 1966 and 2022 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Gwen went from #380 to #747 and Joanne from #154 to #747.
Judith Compare
Between 1966 and 2022 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Gwen went from #380 to #747 and Judith from #133 to #905.

What's not yet available

Meaning
Origin
Pronunciation
Nicknames and spelling variants

Absence from this list does not mean the name isn't genuinely meaningful or widely used — only that Namewise hasn't sourced and reviewed that content yet. Absence from a specific year or geography above does not prove zero use there either; official statistics only publish names above a minimum threshold.

Official popularity data is available for 2 regions, from 1966 to 2025. Highest recorded position: #271 in Republic of Ireland in 1976. Source data last verified 2026-07-21.

Gwen

Gwen at a glance

What the data shows

Popularity journey

Gwen across 2 official records

Gwen by decade in Republic of Ireland · Girls

Gwen appears in

Popularity data

What the record shows

Where to go next

Next in the catalogue

A comparable record

Also first recorded in the 1960s

Names published alongside Gwen

Gwen and the names beside it

Gwen moved ahead of

Moved ahead of Gwen

Moved the opposite way to Gwen

Moved the same way as Gwen

Gwen at a glance

Gwen across 2 official records

Gwen by decade in Republic of Ireland · Girls

Gwen appears in

What the record shows

Where to go next

Next in the catalogue

A comparable record

Also first recorded in the 1960s

Names published alongside Gwen

Gwen and the names beside it

Gwen moved ahead of

Moved ahead of Gwen

Moved the opposite way to Gwen

Moved the same way as Gwen