What does Gwen mean?
Gwen means “white,” “fair” or “blessed” in Welsh.
What does Eira mean?
Eira is the Welsh word for “snow.”
Gwen vs Eira
Which is more popular?
Gwen is more popular than Eira today: about 384 US babies were given the name Gwen in 2025, compared with 116 named Eira.
| Gwen | Eira | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | White, fair, blessed | Snow |
| Origin | Welsh | Welsh |
| Gender | Girl | Girl |
| Pronunciation | GWEN | AY-rah |
| Syllables | 1 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1890 | 1979 |
| Peak year | 1959 (942) | 2025 (116) |
| In 2025 | 384 | 116 |
| Trend | Rising | Near its peak |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Gwen
Eira
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Gwen | Eira |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 2,113 | 474 |
| 2010s | 2,817 | 321 |
| 2000s | 1,453 | 51 |
| 1990s | 512 | 11 |
| 1980s | 1,071 | 16 |
| 1970s | 2,753 | 5 |
| 1960s | 5,961 | 0 |
| 1950s | 6,780 | 0 |
| 1940s | 4,050 | 0 |
| 1930s | 2,808 | 0 |
| 1920s | 1,337 | 0 |
| 1910s | 716 | 0 |
| 1900s | 186 | 0 |
| 1890s | 60 | 0 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Gwen or Eira more popular?
Gwen is more popular than Eira today: about 384 US babies were given the name Gwen in 2025, compared with 116 named Eira.
What is the difference between Gwen and Eira?
Gwen means White, fair, blessed (Welsh origin), while Eira means Snow (Welsh origin).
Which name is older, Gwen or Eira?
In US records, Gwen first appears in 1890 and Eira in 1979, so Gwen has the longer recorded history.