Winifred is a feminine given name, an anglicization of Welsh Gwenffrewi, derived from the elements 'gwen' meaning 'fair' and 'ffrew' meaning 'stillness'. The name is associated with Saint Winifred, a 7th-century Welsh martyr, whose story of decapitation and the miraculous healing spring that arose where her head fell has been a significant part of Christian folklore and pilgrimage since medieval times.