The baby name Winifred once languished in style limbo. But this 1910s favorite is ready for revival.
Thanks to Lola for suggesting our Baby Name of the Day.
IT STARTS WITH WINNIE
Back in the late 1980s and early 90s, television audiences watch Kevin crush on Winnie in The Wonder Years. Her given name? Gwendolyn.
That might’ve come as a surprise, but Gwendolyn makes sense. It hovered just outside of the US Top 100 in the 1940s and 50s, and the show took place during the 1960s.
Other famous Winnies include AA Milne’s lovable, huggable, stuffed-with-fluff bear; a twentieth century comic strip character; and a witch from children’s books.
Talk show host Jimmy Fallon and wife Nancy Juvonen named their first daughter Winnie after Lake Winnipesaukee.
In the age of Sadie, there’s no question that Winnie stands alone.
SAINT WINIFRED
Winnie has ranked in the US Top 1000 since 2019.
But head back farther in time, and Winnie gives way to Winifred.
In the 600s, legend gives us a beautiful maiden by the name. She chose to devote her life to God, except she caught the eye of a local nobleman. He sent flowers and sang beneath her window, but she still refused his advances.
So he lopped off her head.
As her blood spilled, a spring formed. Her uncle – a future saint himself – restored her to life and she became a nun as planned. The nobleman died shortly afterwards.
Or so the story goes.
For centuries, the mighty and the downtrodden alike have visited Saint Winifred’s Well in Holywell, claiming that the waters possess healing properties.
GWENFREWI
Unlike many tales of virtuous maidens, historical evidence suggests that a woman matching Winifred’s description actually lived.
Her name might have been Gwenfrewi in seventh century Wales. The first element means fair or blessed; the second is less certain, but might mean peace.
It’s similar to the Old English masculine name Winfred, meaning “friend of peace.”
Whisper Gwenfrewi down the alley, and it becomes the Latin Winefrida, and eventually takes the form we know now.
The name fell out of use, but the saint kept it alive. Her bones were transferred to Shrewsberry Abbey in 1138; Henry VIII destroyed the shrine in 1540.
Saint Winifred also appears in:
- Her well is mentioned in the fourteenth century Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.
- Weaver-turned-novelist Thomas Deloney included a version of her story in 1584’s The Gentle Craft.
- Forty years later, playwright William Rowely adopted Deloney’s work for the stage.
- Poet Gerard Manley Hopkins studied at St. Beuno’s College in Wales, and wrote St. Winefred’s Well in the 1800s. The Gwenfrewi/Winifred connection is supported here, as the character is referred to as Gwen in his writing.
MORE RECENT WINIFREDS
A few uses in more recent years include:
- In 1964 movie Mary Poppins, the parents are George and Winifred Banks, parents to Jane and Michael. (Though from the PL Travers stories to other adaptations, the parents are most often called just Mr. and Mrs. Banks, and occasionally their names are Neville and Dorcas.)
- Classic 1975 children’s novel Tuck Everlasting includes Winnie Foster. Alexis Bledel played Winnie in a 2002 movie adaptation.
- It’s the full name of brainy scientist Fred Burkle, played by Amy Acker, on Angel from 2000 – 2004.
- In 1993, Disney gave the world the Sanderson sisters in Hocus Pocus – Sarah, Mary, and eldest sister Winifred, played by Bette Midler. The movie wasn’t a hit at the time, but it’s caught on since. The fan favorite inspired a 2022 sequel, and word is that a third installment is in the works.
It’s enough to make the name feel vintage and storied, but not quite enough to put it back on parents’ radar over the years.
HOW POPULAR IS WINIFRED?
If you love Alice and Beatrice and Frances, it’s not much of a stretch to get to Winifred. The Winifred/Winnie combination fits with favorites like Abigail/Abby, Lillian/Lily, and Josephine/Josie, too.
The numbers show a clear trend. In 2010, parents gave just 22 girls this name. By 2015, that number had soared to 156 newborns named Winifred.
Winnie gives us even more to talk about. In 2010, there were 76 newborn Winnies. By 2015, the numbers nearly tripled, to 211 girls.
Winnie beat Winifred back to the US Top 1000, but as of 2023, both names rank. Winifred stands at #967; Winnie, at #612.
What do you think of the baby name Winifred?
Winifred
antique revival
Delightfully vintage, Winifred is following nickname Winnie into wider use. It fits nicely with Abigail and Eleanor.
Popularity
#967 as of 2023
Trend
increasing in use
Origin
Either Old English, meaning “friend of peace” or Welsh, meaning “fair, blessed”
I want to like this name…I just don’t. I adore Wynn for a boy, adore. It’s rich in historical family significance and sentimental value for me. I think nothing would be sweeter than calling a little boy Wynnie (the pooh!). Any chance we could ever have Wynn (for a boy) as one of the names of the day?
Thanks, Abby. The history of this name is fascinating to me, especially since it’s slightly murky.
Just saw the Oscar’s post on nameberry! Congratulations!!! Great idea to devote the post to the boys alone, I think. They can get short shrift with the variety of leading ladies to choose from. Great job!!!
I like Winifred, but adore Winnie. I think I’d more likely use Guinevere or Gwendolen to get it, but I don’t think Winifred gets nearly enough love. As Lola mentioned, Freda is a great nickname, and the name as a whole has a pleasant sound.
Yay for Winnie’s warm reception. There is the Pooh business – I’d like to think it can be overlooked, though.
Elisabeth, I can’t trace the link as neatly as I would like, actually. It’s pretty clear that Gwenfrewi became Guinevra in Latin from early days – thanks to the church, of course.
Apparently, when English speakers heard Gwenfrewi they assumed it was a feminine version of Winfred. Etymologically speaking, I suppose they’re false cognates, though, because they’re not related. Winfred is Old English.
But here’s what I don’t know – how was Gwenfrewi pronounced in the 700s? And why was she close enough to Winfred/Winfrith that English-speakers heard the name and came up with Winefride? Emmy Jo … paging Emmy Jo …
I spent some time squinting at Old English pronunciation guides, but I’m out of my depths on this one.
Along the way, I did pick up this interesting fact – the most common medieval Welsh name using the element gwen was apparently Gwenllian, which I kind of love.
I had NO idea about the “win” bit, Charlotte! Thank you for that – now that you mention it, I know a Vincent probably named for that reason.
I love Winifred, too.
But I’m confused, Abby. Could you elaborate a bit on the Gwenfrewi vs. Winfride origins? I see that both “frewi” and “frede” mean friend, but are the first parts derived from disparate places? Is it a case of one name morphing into another, as was so often the case?
I love that Guinevere and Jennifer and Winifred are all related. Who woulda’ thunk it? (I knew, but I’m obsessed with these things).
Thanks for this entry.
I can’t help but sing out, “I’m in love with a girl named Fred!” when I hear Winifred 😉
Oh, Winifred has a very fresh sound to me. I was fostering a kitten whom I named this, so I just can’t see anything stern or musty about her; rather, she’s whimsical and young, without being flighty. Winnie is adorable.
I love Winnie. I would love to BE a Winifred. I just don’t see this name on a child. Winifred doesn’t exactly have that young vibe to it does it?
Still, its on my list.
I adore Winifred. I must admit, assocation won me over, I didn’t like Winifred 12 years ago but then my Uncle Skip married one and the rest is history.
I love her stern look but pretty sound. Neat to know about why she seems so popular in Chinese American circles (yep, here too, Charlotte Vera!) Also Koreans seem to use names like Winifred for the same reason. Either way, I find her absolutely beautiful and she remains in my top 4. The adorable Winnie is just an added bonus, the option of Freda, is another enticement for me!
For the record, It never crossed my mind that Winnie of “Wonder Years” was anything but Winnie, she who has cousins born in the late 50’s early 60’s named things like Ricky (b), Billie (g) and Tammy (g). Just that, on their birth certificates. So sad!
So Winifred’s just awesome in my book!
I know three people named Winnie, and at least one of them claims the full name “Winnifred”. It’s actually a very popular name for the children of parents from Hong Kong/China because it includes the word “win” in it. In traditional Chinese culture, is believed to be lucky to give your child a name that includes a “success” word in it, hence the popularity of names like Winnie, Kelvin, and Vincent in Chinese immigrant circles (at least here in Canada).
I find the name quite pretty, although it does remind me of Winnie the Pooh.