What does Eira mean?
Eira is the Welsh word for “snow.”
What does Olwen mean?
Olwen means “white footprint,” for flowers said to spring up where she walked.
Eira vs Olwen
Which is more popular?
Eira is more popular than Olwen today: about 116 US babies were given the name Eira in 2025, compared with 0 named Olwen.
| Eira | Olwen | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Snow | White footprint |
| Origin | Welsh | Welsh |
| Gender | Girl | Girl |
| Pronunciation | AY-rah | OL-wen |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1979 | 1913 |
| Peak year | 2025 (116) | 1917 (12) |
| In 2025 | 116 | 0 |
| Trend | Near its peak | Steady |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Eira
Olwen
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Eira | Olwen |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 474 | 0 |
| 2010s | 321 | 5 |
| 2000s | 51 | 0 |
| 1990s | 11 | 0 |
| 1980s | 16 | 0 |
| 1970s | 5 | 0 |
| 1910s | 0 | 22 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Eira or Olwen more popular?
Eira is more popular than Olwen today: about 116 US babies were given the name Eira in 2025, compared with 0 named Olwen.
What is the difference between Eira and Olwen?
Eira means Snow (Welsh origin), while Olwen means White footprint (Welsh origin).
Which name is older, Eira or Olwen?
In US records, Eira first appears in 1979 and Olwen in 1913, so Olwen has the longer recorded history.