Winnifred Girl

Popularity: #878 · Trend: ↗ Rising

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: WIN-ih-fred //ˈwɪnɪfrɛd//

Origin: Old English; Welsh

Meaning: Old English: blessed peace; Welsh: fair and blessed

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Winnifred has its roots in the Old Welsh name Gwenfrewi, which is composed of the elements "gwen," meaning "blessed" or "holy," and "frewi," meaning "peace" or "reconciliation." This name evolved into various forms through linguistic transitions, notably into the Latin form Winifreda, which was used in medieval texts. The name made its way into English usage through the influence of the Norman Conquest in the 11th century, where it was adopted and adapted in various forms, including the more familiar Winifred.

Historically, the name is associated with Saint Winifred, a 7th-century Welsh virgin martyr who is venerated in both the Roman Catholic and Anglican traditions. Her life and legacy were documented in hagiographies, particularly in the 10th century, which contributed to the name's prominence in medieval Christian contexts.

The cult of Saint Winifred flourished, especially in Wales, where her shrine at Holywell became a site of pilgrimage. This association with a saint helped to solidify the name's place in Christian tradition and contributed to its use in various forms across England and Wales.

Culturally, the name Winnifred has been imbued with connotations of purity and peace, reflecting its etymological roots. It has been used in literature and folklore, often symbolizing a character of virtue and strength.

The name has also been linked to various diminutive forms, such as Winnie, which have appeared in different cultural contexts. Overall, the enduring legacy of Winnifred can be traced through its historical significance, religious associations, and the cultural values it embodies.

Famous people named Winnifred

In this section, you will find notable people named Winnifred. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Winnifred who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Winnifred who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Winnifred Atwell was a pianist best known for her recordings of boogie-woogie music and for her hit single 'The Poor People of Paris.'.

Winnifred Holtby was a novelist and writer best known for her works South Riding and The Land of Green Ginger.

Fictional characters named Winnifred

The following list of fictional characters named Winnifred is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Winnifred Sanderson is a fictional character from the film Hocus Pocus. She is the leader of the Sanderson sisters, a trio of witches who are resurrected in modern-day Salem.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Winnifred, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

WinonaWillaWilhelminaWendyWhitneyWren

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Winnifred. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

WilmaWillaWinonaWinnieWendellWendieWynneWynona

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Winnifred was first seen in the United States in 1880.

Winnifred has ranked as high as #998 nationally, which occurred in 1918, and has been most popular in Michigan, Minnesota, Massachusetts, Maine, and Illinois.

In the past 5 years the name Winnifred has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Winnifred is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Winnifred was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Winnifred.

Year Total Births Girl
2025 70 70
2024 62 62
2023 62 62
2022 67 67
2021 50 50
2020 52 52
2019 38 38
2018 29 29
2017 33 33
2016 28 28
2015 22 22
2014 13 13
2013 9 9
2011 8 8
2010 7 7
2009 7 7
2008 6 6
2007 7 7
2005 6 6
2001 7 7
1991 7 7
1990 5 5
1989 7 7
1974 13 13
1973 7 7
1972 6 6
1971 10 10
1970 7 7
1969 13 13
1968 7 7
1967 10 10
1966 6 6
1965 14 14
1964 17 17
1963 11 11
1962 16 16
1961 8 8
1960 12 12
1959 20 20
1958 19 19
1957 25 25
1956 18 18
1955 28 28
1954 24 24
1953 20 20
1952 34 34
1951 31 31
1950 36 36
1949 36 36
1948 33 33
1947 53 53
1946 23 23
1945 29 29
1944 26 26
1943 32 32
1942 41 41
1941 45 45
1940 43 43
1939 57 57
1938 39 39
1937 51 51
1936 60 60
1935 41 41
1934 57 57
1933 60 60
1932 67 67
1931 62 62
1930 66 66
1929 86 86
1928 75 75
1927 105 105
1926 125 125
1925 137 137
1924 131 131
1923 145 145
1922 159 159
1921 152 152
1920 160 160
1919 135 135
1918 166 166
1917 147 147
1916 161 161
1915 139 139
1914 94 94
1913 87 87
1912 65 65
1911 66 66
1910 47 47
1909 39 39
1908 41 41
1907 45 45
1906 35 35
1905 25 25
1904 34 34
1903 33 33
1902 28 28
1901 32 32
1900 40 40
1899 30 30
1898 32 32
1897 24 24
1896 31 31
1895 32 32
1894 31 31
1893 27 27
1892 26 26
1891 21 21
1890 24 24
1889 21 21
1888 36 36
1887 21 21
1886 18 18
1885 22 22
1884 11 11
1883 16 16
1882 18 18
1881 8 8
1880 9 9

Top States for Winnifred (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
MI 6
100%