Girl · #13,427 in 2026

Olwyn

In Welsh mythology, Olwen is the daughter of the giant Ysbaddaden and cousin of Goreu. She is the heroine of the story Culhwch and Olwen in the Mabinogion. Her father is fated to die if she ever marries, so when Culhwch comes to court her, he is given a series of immensely difficult tasks which he must complete before he can win her hand.

Current Rank
#13,427
Peak Rank
#7,068 (1970)
Total Babies
22
5-Yr Trend
Stable
1917
First Year
2024
Last Year
1970
Peak Year
#7068
Peak Rank
22
Total Count
4
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Olwyn

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

In Welsh mythology, Olwen is the daughter of the giant Ysbaddaden and cousin of Goreu. She is the heroine of the story Culhwch and Olwen in the Mabinogion. Her father is fated to die if she ever marries, so when Culhwch comes to court her, he is given a series of immensely difficult tasks which he must complete before he can win her hand.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Etymology
The meaning of the name Olwen is "white footprint" or "white track". According to legend, she was so gentle and fragile that white trefoils would grow in her footprints. Some authorities consider her to have been originally a solar goddess , based on the etymology of her name and light-related attributes. Professor John T. Koch states that "recent Welsh generally employs olwyn rather than rhod for 'wheel'."

The Story of Olwyn

Olwyn first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1917, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1970, when 6 Olwyns were born — ranking #7,068 that year. As of 2026, Olwyn ranks #13,427 for baby girls with 6 births, with steady use. In total, more than 22 Olwyns have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1910s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

ME
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Top 10
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No data

Names that sound like Olwyn

Phonetically similar names — useful when Olwyn is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Olwyn

What does the name Olwyn mean?
In Welsh mythology, Olwen is the daughter of the giant Ysbaddaden and cousin of Goreu. She is the heroine of the story Culhwch and Olwen in the Mabinogion. Her father is fated to die if she ever marries, so when Culhwch comes to court her, he is given a series of immensely difficult tasks which he must complete before he can win her hand.
How popular is Olwyn in 2026?
In 2026, Olwyn ranks #13,427 among girls' names in the U.S., with 6 babies given the name that year.
When was Olwyn most popular?
Olwyn reached its peak popularity in 1970, ranking #7,068 that year with 6 babies given the name.
Is Olwyn a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Olwyn is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.
What names go well with Olwyn?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Olwyn include Montra, Arcella, Ninon. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

Similar Names

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Montra
Peak #7068
👧
Arcella
Peak #7068
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Ninon
Peak #7068
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Nilla
Peak #7068
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Radine
Peak #7068
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Donnett
Peak #7068
👧
Thereas
Peak #7068
👧
Duffy
Peak #7068

About the name Olwyn

Olwyn is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1917 and has accumulated 22 births in the dataset. Olwyn's peak popularity came in 1970 when it ranked #7,068. Use the chart and map above to compare Olwyn's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

  • Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
  • Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
  • Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
  • Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
  • Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.