Names That Mean White
Across 8 pages
of 8
Ginevra
Italian variation of Guinevere or Jennifer
"white shadow, white wave"
Arty and elegant, Ginevra is one of the most popular girls' names in Italy at the moment, ranking at #3 in a recent year. Ultimately from the Arthurian Guinevere, it's a relative of Jennifer, meaning…
Chardonnay
French, a dry white wine
If you're actually considering this as a name for your child, you must have had a glass too many. But it's an awesome name for a white cat .
Gaenor
Variation of Gaynor, Welsh
"white and smooth"
A strong, classic, simple name that has nonetheless never been overexposed.
Tanwyn
Welsh
"white fire"
Tanwyn is a modern Welsh name that can work for either sex depending on the spelling -- wyn is the traditional boys' spelling, while wen as in Tanwen is the girls' version. Famous bearers include…
Gaynor
Welsh
"white and smooth, soft"
Gaynor is an early androgynous name with a positive association, related to the Cornish megahit name Jennifer.
Candida
Latin
"white"
Attractive ancient name borne by several saints but sullied by association with yeast infection.
Gwendolen
Welsh
"white ring, circle"
Gwendolen, an ancient Welsh favorite, retired decades ago in favor of the short form Gwen, but now, as in the case all across the naming board, the nickname has faded and the more distinguished…
Gwendoline
Variation of Gwendolen, Welsh
"white ring"
The Gwendoline form may introduce pronunciation confusion -- does that last syllable rhyme with wine or win or when? We vote Gwendolen as not only the most proper but the clearest spelling, followed…
Nuala
Irish, short form of Fionnuala
"white shoulders"
Officially a shortening of the traditional and tricky Gaelic Fionnghuala/Fionnuala, Nuala makes a lovely choice all on its own. Nuala is well-used in Ireland.
Izusa
Native American
"white stone"
Highly unusual; could be confused with the Isuzu automotive brand.
Fionn
Irish
"fair or white"
Fionn is the Irish form of the name modernized as Finn, but popular in this form in Ireland, where it's in the boys' Top 20. A couple dozen baby boys in the US were named Fionn last year and no baby…
Bronwen
Welsh
"white breast"
Bronwen is widespread in Wales, but still rare enough here to sound somewhat international — we think Bronwen is a real winner. (Note: the Bronwyn spelling is an Anglicization, since the -wyn ending…
Olwen
Welsh
"white footprint"
Olwen is a Welsh favorite, the name of a legendary princess in what is believed to have been the earliest Arthurian romance, and in fact one of the first recorded examples of Welsh prose. In this…
Neva
Spanish
"white snow"
Has a pure, clean aura, but is also evocative.
Olwyn
Welsh
"white footprint"
Olwyn is a popular Welsh name that might be an alternative to the more familiar Bronwen or Rhonwen -- though in Wales the female form is usually spelled -wen and the male one -wyn.
Rima
Arabic; Lithuaniian
"white antelope; to calm down, to quieten"
Nature girl played by Audrey Hepburn in "Green Mansions," it now has an old-style bohemian feel.
Rosalba
Latin, from the phrase rosa alba
"white rose"
One of many Spanish elaborations of Rosa.
Rowena
Welsh
"white spear; famous friend; fame and joy"
A fabled storybook name via the heroine of Sir Walter Scott's novel Ivanhoe (1819), which featured a heroine called Rowena of Hargottstanstede, and also a Harry Potter name, as Rowena Ravenclaw,…
Livana
Hebrew
"the moon, white"
Pretty and unusual, Livana may find a lot more fans as parents look for alternatives to Number 1 Olivia. Livana was used for only seven baby girls in the US last year.
Jenifry
Cornish variation of the Welsh name Gwenfrewi
"white peace"
This Celtic saint's name is the most offbeat Jen name of all.