fem. proper name, popularized, by Macpherson (1761). It is identical to a Scots Gaelic word for "wine" (and thus perhaps from the same source as vine), but it is sometimes said to be from Scots Gaelic fionn "white" also "fair" (of complexion or hair), from Old Irish find, from Proto-Celtic *windos "white," which would make it cognate with Welsh gwyn (as in Gwendolyn).
Entries linking to fiona
vine n.
c. 1300, "plant which bears the grapes from which wine is made," from Old French vigne "vine, vineyard" (12c.), from Latin vinea "vine, vineyard," from vinum "wine," from PIE *win-o- "wine," an Italic noun related to words for "wine" in Greek, Armenian, Hittite, and non-Indo-European Georgian and West Semitic (Hebrew yayin, Ethiopian wayn); probably ultimately from a lost Mediterranean language word *w(o)in- "wine."
From late 14c. in reference to any plant with a long slender stem that trails or winds around. The European grape vine was imported to California via Mexico by priests in 1564.
Gwendolyn
fem. proper name; the first element is Breton gwenn "white" (source also of Welsh gwyn, Old Irish find, Gaelic fionn, Gaulish vindo- "white, shining," literally "visible"), from nasalized form of PIE root *weid- "to see."