Gwynedd is a principal area in north-west Wales, named after the old Kingdom of Gwynedd. Although one of the biggest in terms of geographical area, it was also one of the most sparsely populated. A large proportion of the population being Welsh-speaking, it became once again a centre of nationalism, with Plaid Cymru gaining a toehold which helped the party on to greater successes.

In the fictional universe of the Deryni novels of Katherine Kurtz, the Kingdom of Gwynedd is one of the Eleven Kingdoms and the central setting for many of the events that take place in the books. It bears the same name as the modern Welsh county of Gwynedd, and both are named after the medieval Welsh kingdom of Gwynedd.