Boy · Old English · Christian
Godwin
GodwinSay it GOD-win
- Meaning
- Friend of God; from god 'God' and wine 'friend' Bosworth-Toller, entries 17294 (god) and 35887 (wine)
- Say it
- GOD-win
- Other spellings
- Godwyn, Goodwin
Godwin
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Godwin meaning
Godwin is a Christian boy's name of Old English origin.
Friend of God; from god 'God' and wine 'friend'
Godwin is the Old English name Godwine, joining god, 'God', and wine, 'friend', a warm word that Bosworth-Toller also records for a protector or a beloved lord. It therefore means 'friend of God', though some read the first part as gód, 'good', giving 'good friend'. Its most famous bearer was Godwin, Earl of Wessex, father of King Harold, who fell at Hastings in 1066. In India Godwin is used by Christian families in Kerala and Tamil Nadu, who like its clear Christian meaning.
Source: Bosworth-Toller, An Anglo-Saxon Dictionary (1898), entries 17294 (god) and 35887 (wine) · entry god; wine · See the entry · checked 25 Oct 2026
References: Bosworth-Toller, god · Bosworth-Toller, wine (friend)
Famous namesakes
- Godwin, 11th-century Earl of Wessex
Spellings
Godwin · Godwyn · Goodwin