What Is Winnie Short For? 27 Full Names for Winnie
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Love the nickname Winnie but aren’t sure what Winnie is short for? Then this list is for you! If you’re not sold on Winifred or Edwina, check out these 27 full names for the nickname Winnie, each with notes about their origins and style.
Winnie fits in well with other popular grandma-revival names like Sadie and Josie. It is charming, classic and laid-back. Personally, Winnie is one of my all-time favorite girl names.
That’s why I spent too many hours to count researching possible names Winnie could be short for. I really wanted to use the name and wanted to know I had considered every possible option for a Winnie’s full name.
This list is the result of those countless hours of research. I hope that my hunt for the perfect formal names for a Winnie can benefit someone else on a similar quest. I used my own database of over 2000+ names, forums, websites and baby books to curate this list of names Winnie can be short for.
Last hitting peak popularity in the 1890’s, Winnie is starting to come back in vogue. Indeed, Winnie’s star is on the rise — it reentered the top 1000 U.S. baby names in 2019 and has been climbing since.
This focuses on full names for female Winnies but Winnie is also occasionally used for boys. Winnie would be an adorable nickname for boys named Edwin, Corwin or Winston. In fact, Winston Churchill was sometimes called Winnie.
And if you like deep-dives on full name ideas for nicknames, check out my list of full names for the nickname Will, including 22 ideas for girl names that could be nicknamed Will or Willie (which has a similar vintage vibe as Winnie).
Now let’s dive into the formal name ideas for a future Winnie.
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What is Winnie short for?
Traditionally, Winnie is short for classic names like Winifred, Gwyneth, Edwina, Winona and Gwendolyn. However, as the list below highlights, Winnie can be used with any name with a “win” or “wen” sound somewhere in the name.
Modern options for Winnie to be short for include Winter, Rowen, Liliwen, Elowen and Winslow. Unique names that Winnie can be a nickname for include Winslet, Winsome and Windy.
For much of history, Winnie has also been given as a standalone name that was not short for anything. As a given name, Winnie was the #183 most popular name for girls in the 1890’s. It fell off the charts in the mid-1900’s but reemerged in 2019. It is quickly moving up the charts, jumping to #690 by 2021.
Below you’ll find 27 great full names for Winnie. With each name, there is a blurb about the names origins and how it works for the nickname Winnie.
27 full names for Winnie
Here 27 long names with the nickname Winnie.
Arwen
Arwen is a rare Welsh name that gained notoriety when J.R.R Tolkien used it for his elf princess in the Lord of the Rings. If the LotR’s reference isn’t too much for you, Arwen is a lovely, gender neutral name for a future Winnie.
Bowen
More commonly seen as a boy’s name, Bowen can be used as a gender neutral name. It means “son of Owen” but that type of meaning hasn’t deterred girl parents from other -son names like Madison (“son of Matthew”) and Addison (“son of Adam”). In addition to Winnie, Bo is another cute nickname option.
Bronwen
In its original Welsh, Bronwen is the feminine spelling and Bronwyn is the masculine spelling. However, in the U.S. the ‘Y’ is often substituted in names to feminize it so Bronwyn is a slightly more popular stateside.
Ceridwen
Ceridwen is a Welsh name pronounced Ce-rid-wen. In Welsh lore, Ceridwen was an enchantress which is a decidedly cool name meaning. Ceridwen is a rare pick making it a very unique option for a formal name for Winnie.
Edwina
Edwina is a grandma-chic name that is truly rare. It hasn’t even cracked the top 2000 names for girls. Though, Edwina may see uptick in popularity from the wildly popular Bridgerton series. In addition to Winnie, Eddie would also be a cute name for Edwina (it makes our list of great girl names with boyish nicknames).
Elowen
Elowen is a beautiful name that surprisingly hasn’t broken into the top 1000 names yet. It’s flowing vowel sounds feel similar to current favorites like Evelyn, Eloise and Everly. I had this name on my own list and won’t be surprised to see it continue to rise in the coming years.
Guinevere
You may be more familiar with the variation of Guinevere that hit #1 in the 1970’s: Jennifer. Guinevere is a lovely Welsh name that is heating up among modern parents, making its top 1000 debut in 2021. Guinevere is a less obvious full name for Winnie.
Gwendolyn
Gwendolyn is one of the more traditional formal names for Winnie, along with Winifred. Perhaps the most well known fictional Winnie, Winnie Cooper from the Wonder Years, was named Gwendolyn. Gwendolyn has enjoyed steady popularity in the U.S. over the last century so it is also timeless.
Gwyneth
With the notoriety of Gwyneth Paltrow, it may seem like Gwyneth is a common name when in fact, it is rare. Gwyneth has only snuck onto the top 1000 list three times and it was still low ranking. At its peak in 2013, Gwyneth was only given to 288 girls. That puts Gwyneth in that sweet spot of being both very recognizable and very unique. With it’s “wyn” sound, this Welsh name for “happiness” also works as a full name for Winnie.
Liliwen
Liliwen is a unique Welsh name that means “white lily.” The name can also mean “snow drop” in Welsh. While Lily is the more obvious nickname, playing off the “wen” sound also sets you up for the possibility of Winnie.
Merewen
Merewen has a lovely meaning behind the name: sublime delight. It is another Old English name and would be a cool alternative to names like Elowen, Emery or Emerson.
Owena
Owena is another very rare Welsh name. Interestingly, while Owena remains obscure, it’s masculine counterpart Owen is red hot for boys right now. Owena means noble born or young warrior. Names starting with “O” have skyrocketed for girls in the last decade, driven partly by the name Olivia, so Owena would be a unique way to join that trend.
Rowen
While Rowen is not as common of a spelling as Rowan, this version of the gender neutral name lends itself more to the nickname Winnie. The name is of Scottish and Irish origins meaning “red-haired.” If you like the name Rowen, don’t forget to check out my list of 75 Middle Names for Rowan.
Wendelin
Wendelin has the same cadence and feel as Gwendolyn, with the bonuses of being gender neutral and unique. The name means “wanderer” and comes from German origins. It is debated if the name is more commonly a boy’s name or a girl’s name which is great if you’re looking for unisex ideas. If you like Wendelin, you may also like the name Wendell.
Windsor
With the recent passing of Queen Elizabeth, will using Windsor as a baby name rise in popularity as a homage? This has happened in the past, like when the names Kobe and Gianna were the fasting rising baby names in 2020 after their tragic aviation accident (name trend source). Plus, Windsor has a classic and gender neutral appeal.
Windy
Did you know that Windy is a name? It actually made the top 1000 list for fourteen years starting in 1967, peaking at #553. If Stormi can make the popular baby list, why not Windy? It has the uniqueness and nature connection to appeal to parents today.
Winfrey
If you can get past the Oprah association, Winfrey can be used as a given name. The name comes from English origins and means “peaceful friend.” If you want Winnie to be the only obvious nickname for your baby, Winfrey could be a good option.
Winifred
Winifred is perhaps one of the first full names that come to mind when you think of Winnie. While Winifred may feel aged and clunking, that’s exactly what draws in fashionable parents looking for unique classics. If Hocus Pocus can make a comeback, why not the name Winifred too?
Winn/Wynn
Of the full names for Winnie, I have to admit that Winn/Wynn is my personal favorite. It was my #1 name for a girl because I love the simplicity and the flexibility it’d give a baby in the future. This Welsh name started as a boy’s name but now falls into gender neutral territory (Gwen would be the feminine equivalent).
Winola
If you like the name Winona but it isn’t quite the one for your future Winnie, Winola may be for you. While the names look similar, Winola comes from German roots and means “charismatic friend.” In addition to Winnie, Nola would also make a cute nickname.
Winona
The name Winona may be most known for stars Winona Ryder and Wynonna Judd. It comes from Native American origins, meaning first-born daughter from the Dakota language. Winona saw it’s peak popularity a century ago in the 1920’s so it is perfectly posed to follow the theory that baby name come into fashion in 100-year cycles.
Winslet
Don’t let the strong Kate Winslet association dissuade you from the charming name Winslet. Surnames as given names are very fashionable in baby naming today. Winnie is an obvious nickname and the sound of Winslet fits in well with other popular names like Violet and Scarlett.
Winslow
Winslow was another name on my personal list when I was on the hunt for a gender neutral full name for Winnie. This rare name has never made the top list for either gender, though is slightly more common among boys. It comes from English origin’s meaning “friend’s hill.”
Winsome
As parents have embraced more creativity and freedom with names, word-based names have been on the rise. Names like Royal and Legend can be hits and so can Winsome. Winsome is a name of optimism, meaning “charming,” “appealing in character,” and “joy.” And your Winnie is sure to be the only Winsome in their class.
Winter
If Summer and Autumn can be popular names, then why not Winter? Modern parents seem to agree. Winter is a refreshing full name option for Winnie that has shot up the popularity chart in the last decade. In 2021, 999 baby girls were given the name Winter.
Wynette
The name Wynette may be best known as a surname of country music star Tammy Wynette. However, it also makes for an adorable first name and full name for a baby Winnie. Its sound would fit in well with baby Scarletts and Juliets popular today.
Wynniva
Wynniva is such a unique name that I happened upon on a reddit thread. It feels like a more soft and flowing name than some of other names Winnie is short for, like Winifred and Edwina. The name means “gift of joy” coming from Wynngifu. Another decidedly cool alternative in a similar style would be Wynova.
Names similar to Winnie
If you’re not sold on any of the above names Winnie can be short for, here are some names similar to Winnie that you may like:
- Minnie
- Sadie
- Lottie
- Bonnie
- Tillie
- Sophie
- Fifi
- Ellie
- Hattie
- Wendy
- Billie
- Goldie
- Della
- Flossie
- Ettie
Looking for other baby name ideas? Don’t forget to check out:
