UK girl's name
Olwyn
Welsh name derived from "olwyn" meaning "hoop" or "wheel".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Olwyn is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Olwyn popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4843, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2011, with 6 births.
This profile covers 39 England and Wales registrations across 10 recorded years from 1998 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 67% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 39 living people in the UK are called Olwyn. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Olwyn ranked #4843 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 4 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2011, when 6 girls were registered as Olwyn.
- • About 39 living people in the UK are estimated to have Olwyn as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4843
2024
Births in 2024
4
Latest year
Peak year
2011
6 births
Estimated living
39
2026
Meaning
What does Olwyn mean?
The name Olwyn originates from the Welsh language, which has its roots in the ancient Celtic languages spoken across parts of Europe. The name is derived from the Welsh elements "ol" meaning "track" or "trail" and "wyn" meaning "white" or "fair". Together, the name Olwyn can be interpreted as "white trail" or "fair path".
In Welsh mythology and folklore, Olwyn is sometimes associated with the mythical figure of Olwen, a beautiful maiden whose name shares the same roots. Olwen is described in the Mabinogion, a collection of medieval Welsh tales, as having hair that shone brighter than the sun and skin that shone like the snow on the mountains.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Olwyn can be found in the 13th-century Welsh manuscript known as the Black Book of Carmarthen, where it appears as a feminine name. Throughout the centuries, the name has been used by various notable individuals across Wales and beyond.
One of the earliest known bearers of the name Olwyn was Olwyn of Haslor, a 14th-century Welsh noblewoman who inherited lands in Pembrokeshire. In the 16th century, Olwyn Vaughan was a prominent figure in Welsh literature, known for her poetic works and patronage of the arts.
In the 19th century, Olwyn Prys was a Welsh artist and painter who gained recognition for her landscapes and portraits. Born in 1825, she studied art in London and exhibited her works at the Royal Academy.
Olwyn Hughes (1928-1995) was a Welsh actress and singer, best known for her roles in television and film adaptations of Welsh literature. She appeared in productions such as "How Green Was My Valley" and "The Corn is Green".
Olwyn Bowey (1936-2015) was a British art historian and curator, known for her expertise in 20th-century British art. She served as the curator of the Royal Academy of Arts in London and was instrumental in promoting the works of many contemporary artists.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals who have borne the name Olwyn throughout history, reflecting its deep roots in Welsh culture and language.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Olwyn over time
The chart below shows babies named Olwyn registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1998 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Olwyn, the clearest high point is 2011. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2024, compared with 6 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Olwyn by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Olwyn was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #5265 | 7 | 2 |
| 2010s | #4469 | 23 | 5 |
| 2000s | #5303 | 6 | 2 |
| 1990s | #3848 | 3 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Olwyn
- Olivia 123,111
- Orla 10,799
- Olive 6,815
- Ophelia 4,939
- Ottilie 4,407
- Oliwia 2,608
- Ocean 1,811
- Orlaith 1,357
- Olivia-Rose 1,250
- Octavia 1,243
- Olivia-Grace 618
- Orlagh 608
FAQ
Olwyn: questions and answers
How popular is the name Olwyn in the UK right now?
In 2024, Olwyn was ranked #4843 for girls in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.
When was Olwyn most popular?
The peak year on record was 2011, with 6 babies registered as Olwyn in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Olwyn?
Welsh name derived from "olwyn" meaning "hoop" or "wheel".
How many people are called Olwyn in the UK?
A total of 39 babies have been registered as Olwyn across the 10 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.