Will my child share the name Olwen with classmates?

Unlikely. With around 12 UK babies named Olwen per year, your child will almost certainly be the only Olwen in their class, and possibly the only one in the whole school.

Is Olwen becoming more or less popular in the UK?

Olwen is declining: down 432 places since 2020, to #2,278 in 2025. It peaked at #1,774 in 2023.

Is Olwen a good choice for a distinctive name?

Olwen is a distinctive choice sitting outside the mainstream UK top names. Parents choosing less common names often find their children appreciate the individuality as they grow up, rarely needing to add an initial to distinguish themselves.

Is Olwen a popular baby name in the United States?

Olwen does not appear in the US top 1,000 baby names, making it a distinctively British choice.

👧 Girl's name 💎 Relatively Unique UK #2278

Olwen

🗳️ Add Olwen to a family shortlist

Olwen is a distinctive choice, ranked #2278 in 2025. Your child is likely to be the only Olwen in their class.

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UK Rank 2025

#2278

About the Name Olwen

Olwen is gradually declining in popularity, having dropped 49 places over five years. Its high point was #1774 in 2023, and it now sits at #1895. The name has been a regular feature in UK records since 1998.

Olwen is rare in the UK, so your child is very likely to be the only Olwen in their class.

⭐ Famous People Named Olwen

Olwen Carey Evans — Lady Olwen Elizabeth Carey Evans was a Welsh humanitarian and daughter of British Prime Minister David Lloyd George.
Olwen Wymark — Olwen Margaret Wymark was an American writer and playwright.
Olwen — In Welsh mythology, Olwen (or Olwyn) is the daughter of the giant Ysbaddaden and cousin of Goreu.

Biographical summaries are shortened from Wikipedia and are used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence; those summaries remain available under that same licence.