What does Elin mean?
Elin is the Welsh form of Helen, “light” or “torch.”
What does Gwen mean?
Gwen means “white,” “fair” or “blessed” in Welsh.
Elin vs Gwen
Which is more popular?
Gwen is more popular than Elin today: about 384 US babies were given the name Gwen in 2025, compared with 53 named Elin.
| Elin | Gwen | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Light | White, fair, blessed |
| Origin | Welsh | Welsh |
| Gender | Girl | Girl |
| Pronunciation | EL-in | GWEN |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| First appeared | 1893 | 1890 |
| Peak year | 2011 (428) | 1959 (942) |
| In 2025 | 53 | 384 |
| Trend | Declining | Rising |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Elin
Gwen
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Elin | Gwen |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 553 | 2,113 |
| 2010s | 3,032 | 2,817 |
| 2000s | 369 | 1,453 |
| 1990s | 143 | 512 |
| 1980s | 145 | 1,071 |
| 1970s | 111 | 2,753 |
| 1960s | 109 | 5,961 |
| 1950s | 138 | 6,780 |
| 1940s | 164 | 4,050 |
| 1930s | 77 | 2,808 |
| 1920s | 85 | 1,337 |
| 1910s | 87 | 716 |
| 1900s | 25 | 186 |
| 1890s | 14 | 60 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Elin or Gwen more popular?
Gwen is more popular than Elin today: about 384 US babies were given the name Gwen in 2025, compared with 53 named Elin.
What is the difference between Elin and Gwen?
Elin means Light (Welsh origin), while Gwen means White, fair, blessed (Welsh origin).
Which name is older, Elin or Gwen?
In US records, Elin first appears in 1893 and Gwen in 1890, so Gwen has the longer recorded history.