Gwendolyn
Every Gwendolyn since 1880 — 124,718 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Gwendolyn
Gwendolyn is moderately common for girls in the United States, ranked #360 in 2025 with 848 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 124,718 American babies have been named Gwendolyn. Its peak came in 1953, when 3,531 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1950s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Gwendolyn stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Gwendolyn year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 848 | #360 | — | — |
| 2024 | 804 | #393 | — | — |
| 2023 | 814 | #379 | — | — |
| 2022 | 802 | #389 | — | — |
| 2021 | 794 | #397 | — | — |
| 2020 | 820 | #378 | — | — |
| 2019 | 852 | #370 | — | — |
| 2018 | 845 | #371 | — | — |
| 2017 | 822 | #377 | — | — |
| 2016 | 826 | #402 | — | — |
| 2015 | 791 | #406 | — | — |
| 2014 | 764 | #422 | — | — |
| 2013 | 651 | #471 | — | — |
| 2012 | 592 | #514 | — | — |
| 2011 | 513 | #566 | — | — |
| 2010 | 518 | #561 | — | — |
| 2009 | 522 | #582 | — | — |
| 2008 | 527 | #590 | — | — |
| 2007 | 455 | #651 | — | — |
| 2006 | 458 | #629 | — | — |
| 2005 | 508 | #564 | — | — |
| 2004 | 476 | #590 | — | — |
| 2003 | 458 | #597 | — | — |
| 2002 | 453 | #578 | — | — |
| 2001 | 374 | #672 | — | — |
| 2000 | 317 | #732 | — | — |
| 1995 | 228 | #856 | — | — |
| 1990 | 314 | #681 | — | — |
| 1985 | 410 | #494 | — | — |
| 1980 | 486 | #441 | — | — |
| 1975 | 791 | #297 | — | — |
| 1970 | 1,220 | #254 | 6 | #4,436 |
| 1965 | 1,702 | #194 | 7 | #3,370 |
| 1960 | 2,546 | #163 | 9 | #2,948 |
| 1955 | 3,457 | #122 | 8 | #3,063 |
| 1950 | 3,039 | #113 | 5 | #3,893 |
| 1945 | 1,560 | #151 | — | — |
| 1940 | 1,222 | #169 | 10 | #2,384 |
| 1935 | 983 | #180 | 8 | #2,798 |
| 1930 | 959 | #200 | 5 | #4,228 |
| 1925 | 889 | #218 | — | — |
| 1920 | 758 | #236 | — | — |
| 1915 | 575 | #246 | — | — |
| 1910 | 151 | #311 | — | — |
| 1905 | 68 | #410 | — | — |
| 1900 | 37 | #571 | — | — |
| 1895 | 28 | #566 | — | — |
| 1890 | 11 | #848 | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | 5 | #871 | — | — |
Famous people named Gwendolyn
- Gwendolyn Brooks Writer · 1917–2000
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
How popular is the name Gwendolyn in 2025?
Gwendolyn ranked #360 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 848 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Gwendolyn?
124,718 babies have been named Gwendolyn in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Gwendolyn most popular?
Gwendolyn peaked in 1953, when 3,531 newborns received the name.
Is Gwendolyn a boy or girl name?
Gwendolyn is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Gwendolyn rising or falling?
Gwendolyn is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Gwendolyn?
Well-known people named Gwendolyn include Gwendolyn Brooks (writer).