After receiving much feedback from the recent announcement for the new name of Mississippi University for Women, university officials have announced three more options.

According to information from the university, the new name will almost certainly include “University” and “Mississippi” in the name. Now, it seems the committee will also include a word that begins with “W” to continue “The W” branding.

Proposals include:

Wynbridge

The first part of Wynbridge comes from the Old English word for the letter W. Borrowing on this history, we pair it with bridge. A bridge connects the past to the future, our alums to our students, and our campus to our community. When the W was founded, it built a bridge from exclusion to empowerment for women. With this name, past, present, and future alumni will all be W grads, creating a continuous connection for our tradition-rich school, while maintaining its forward-looking spirit.

Welbright

The first part of Welbright comes from the idea of wellness, which represents our supportive environment that promotes the well-roundedness of our students. Traditionally each graduation ceremony begins with a reminder of the historic purpose of the university, to “study for light to bless with light.” This idea lives and breathes at the University, embodying a supportive, inclusive, and empowering community. This is a name that reflects our founders’ vision of excellence, positive transformation, and brighter futures.

Wynbright

The first part of Wynbright comes from the Old English word for the letter W. Borrowing on this history, we pair it with bright. Traditionally each graduation ceremony begins with a reminder of the historic purpose of the university, to “study for light to bless with light.” This idea lives and breathes at the University, embodying a supportive, inclusive, and empowering community. This is a name that reflects our founders’ vision of excellence, positive transformation, and brighter futures.

The mission of removing “women” from the name has been ongoing since early 2022.

“For 40 years, we have been co-educational,” a statement from the university reads. “Today, we are facing increased competition for enrollment, and we need to remove any barriers to expanding enrollment. Marketing to some male students, as well as female students, is a challenge, because our name doesn’t reflect who we are.”

A new name is expected to be announced by Feb. 14 with the rebranding completed by July 1.