Bronwen (Welsh pronunciation: [ˈbrɔnwɛn]) is a Welsh feminine given name. It is closely associated with the similar name Branwen, which appears in medieval Welsh literature.[2] Used in Wales since the 19th century, it was introduced to the English-speaking public at large by a character in the Richard Llewellyn novel How Green Was My Valley (1939).[1][2]
Gender | Feminine |
---|---|
Origin | |
Word/name | Welsh bron "breast" + -wen, soft mutation of gwen "fair""white" |
Other names | |
Related names | Branwen (associated by sound), Bronwyn (variant spelling – technically masculine)[1] |
Notable bearers of the name include:
- Bronwen Astor (1930–2017), English model
- Dame Bronwen Holdsworth (born 1943), New Zealand businesswoman and arts patron
- Bronwen Dickey (born 1981), American author
- Bronwen Hughes, Canadian film director
- Bronwen Knox, Australian water polo centre back/centre forward
- Bronwen Maher (born 1957), Irish politician
- Bronwen Manby, British human rights scholar and lobbyist
- Bronwen Mantel (born 1950), Canadian actress
- Bronwen Saunders (born 1978), Canadian curler
- Bronwen Wallace (1945–1989), Canadian poet and short story writer
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b Sheard, K. M. (2011), Llewellyn’s Complete Book of Names, p. 110, at Google Books, p. 110, ISBN 9780738723686.
- ^ a b Jones, Heather Rose (25 September 1997). "Concerning the Names Branwen, Bronwen and the Like". MedievalScotland.org. Archived from the original on 29 July 2012. Retrieved 2 January 2012.