Cwenburh

Girl · Old English

Cwenburh

Say it: KWEN-burkh

Meaning

From Old English cwen 'woman, queen' and burh 'fortress, stronghold'.

Certainscholars agree on this meaning.

Its wave through time

No birth counts are recorded for this name in the records loaded here: it has been given to fewer than five babies a year, or not at all, since records began.

Through the ages

The Early Middle Ages400 to 800

Used by

Anglo-Saxon

Famous bearers

Cwenburh, wife of King Edwin of Northumbria

Names worth a look

ÆthelthrythGirlFrom Old English æthel 'noble' and thryth 'strength, power'.Early Medieval

HildGirlOld English hild 'battle'.Early Medieval

MildthrythGirlFrom Old English mild 'gentle, mild' and thryth 'strength, power'. The common online gloss 'gentle counsellor' is a…Early Medieval

EadburhGirlFrom Old English ead 'wealth, prosperity' and burh 'fortress, stronghold'.Early Medieval · forgotten

ÆthelburhGirlFrom Old English æthel 'noble' and burh 'fortress, stronghold'.Early Medieval · forgotten

ÆlfflædGirlFrom Old English ælf 'elf', with a second element flæd. The meaning of flæd is uncertain; 'beauty' or 'purity' have…Early Medieval · forgotten

GwenGirlWelsh gwen, feminine of gwyn, 'white, fair, blessed'.Middle Ages · peak 1959

GwendolenGirlWelsh; the first element is gwen 'white, fair, blessed', the second is uncertain, perhaps dolen 'ring, loop'.Victorian

Where this comes from

Anglo-Saxon charters, chronicles and church records

Meanings and histories are compiled from the study of names and their languages and checked by a second review.

Meanings and histories are drawn from the study of names and their languages, each with a confidence rating; popularity figures come from official birth records. Name histories are a living field: if you know of a correction, we would be glad to hear it.