Olwen

Welsh

"white footprint"

Olwen Origin and Meaning

The name Olwen is a girl's name of Welsh origin meaning "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 tale, Cuthwch and Olwen, the giant's beautiful and gentle daughter Olwen has the magical power to cause white clovers to spring up wherever she walked--an enchanting image. There's a darker side to the story too, in which Olwen's marriage curses her father to die.

Olwen is a Bronwen alternative for those with a taste for the more unusual. Those who like Olwen might also want to consider such other Welsh girls' names as Anwen, Rhonwen, and Nolwenn.

24's Xander Berkely and Sarah Clarke used the Olwyn spelling for their daughter.

Olwen Popularity

• 1801 Nameberry 2024