The women in Bruce Wayne/Batman's life have affected him in impactful ways, with some more than others.
Since the inception and debut of Batman in 1939, a vast number of characters have been added to the Dark Knight's mythology. With approximately half of the cast and extended DC Universe being female, the women in Bruce Wayne's life, before, during, and even after his time as Batman in certain incarnations, have influenced the Caped Crusader in some shape or form.
These special women are considered important, inspiring, and even life-changing people in the world of Bruce Wayne and his alter-ego, Batman. Regardless of the kinds of relationships these particular women have with Bruce, they each hold a place somewhere in the character's heart.
10 Dr. Leslie Thompkins
Dr. Leslie Thompkins is an ally and parental figure of Bruce Wayne/Batman. Depending on the writer, the good doctor was among the few people who genuinely consoled Bruce in the immediate aftermath of his parents' murders. Since she learned Bruce is Batman, Dr. Thompkins has felt guilty and responsible for not helping Bruce move past his trauma.
Though Leslie disapproves of Batman's vigilante methods and his involvement of children in his war on crime, she still provides Bruce and his allies with medical aid and assistance whenever the situation arises.
9 Kate Kane/Batwoman
Kate Kane is not only Batwoman but is also first cousins with Bruce Wayne (on his mother's side of the family). The two, despite their familial relations, were never really close until many years later, after Kate had become Batwoman by the time Bruce was already Batman.
Once Bruce had eventually bonded with Kate over their vigilantism, the cousins managed to work together to lead the Gotham Knights, a team of youthful heroes that included Red Robin, Spoiler, and Orphan, as well as a reformed Clayface.
8 Andrea Beaumont/The Phantasm
Andrea Beaumont was Bruce's first love in the DC Animated Universe and appeared in the 1993 film, Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, as a love interest and primary antagonist of Bruce Wayne/Batman. When they were younger, Andrea's love is enough to sway Bruce away from starting his crusade as Batman, only for tragedy to strike.
Years after her father was murdered by a mafia assassin, Andrea returned to Gotham in order to kill off the criminal syndicate responsible. By the film's climax, Wayne and Beaumont fail to reconcile, with the former ultimately staying true to the side of justice, instead of giving into vengeance like the latter.
7 Rachel Dawes
Rachel Dawes was created as a childhood friend and love interest of Bruce Wayne in director Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight trilogy. Although Rachel was portrayed by two different actresses in separate movies, she remained an important person in Bruce's life and was influential in her friend's rule against killing and using firearms, several years before he became Batman.
With Rachel's tragic death in the 2008 film, The Dark Knight, as a result of the Joker's plans, an emotionally distraught Bruce would become a recluse for 8 years, after defeating the criminal mastermind and accidentally killing Harvey Dent, who had become the scarred and unhinged vigilante, Two-Face.
6 Julie Madison
Julie Madison was Bruce Wayne's first girlfriend and love interest in the comic books. After decades of not being included in most stories since then, Julie eventually reappeared and had a more significant role during The New 52. Following a violent confrontation with the Joker, Bruce, having lost most of his memories (especially his time as Batman), started a relationship with Julie.
Unfortunately, the couple's romance ends with Julie knowing that Gotham needs Batman more than she needs Bruce. With that, she helps her boyfriend recover his memories as the Dark Knight, via one of his inventions, so that he can help save the city from the current crisis.
5 Barbara Gordon/Batgirl/Oracle
Barbara Gordon, also known as Batgirl and Oracle (before The New 52), is Police Commissioner Gordon's daughter and an ally of Bruce Wayne/Batman. She also happens to be an occasional love interest to the hero in the DCAU and the animated adaptation of Batman: The Killing Joke, despite their age difference.
Regardless of their relationship being romantic or not, Barbara is considered an important woman in Bruce's life because like with other close associates, she provides strong emotional, as well as heroic support in the field. And as the information broker, Oracle, Barbara is an even more invaluable ally and friend.
4 Talia al Ghul
Talia al Ghul is the daughter of Batman's immortal enemy, Ra's al Ghul. A former love interest turned (mostly) supervillain to the Detective, Talia is also the mother of their child, Damian Wayne, who Bruce had taken on as his latest Robin, until recently.
Despite their mutual animosity and respect at times, Bruce and Talia's relationship remains somewhat tenuous and complicated (much like many of Wayne's past romances). Still, Talia is regarded as an important woman in Bruce Wayne's life for good reason: he deemed a confrontation with her necessary for his quest to marry Selina Kyle.
3 Diana Prince/Wonder Woman
Princess Diana of Themyscira, better known as Wonder Woman, is one of Bruce's strongest and closest allies in the Justice League and the DC Universe's superhero community. Although the two have been romantically linked in certain depictions, Bruce and Diana remain good friends for most stories.
Diana is among Bruce's truest friends and is a vital figure in his life. It's Diana's purity of heart that helps the Byronic hero remember that despite the bad, there is also good in their world. Diana's friendship and similar goals also remind Bruce he is never truly alone, both as a human and in his pursuit of justice.
2 Selina Kyle/Catwoman
Selina Kyle, also known as the master thief and anti-heroine, Catwoman, is the most famous love interest of and in recent years, an ally of Bruce Wayne and Batman. The two have a unique but iconic relationship that strengthened and eventually led to their engagement in DC Rebirth, prior to their breaking it off at the altar.
Despite their separation in the comics, Selina remains one of the most important women in Bruce's life, for having helped to make changes to the hero with regards to his own pursuit of happiness, plans for a brighter future, and a desire to be a better person.
1 Martha Wayne
Martha Wayne (née Kane) is the wife of Thomas Wayne and mother to their son, Bruce. Of all the women in Bruce's life, Martha is considered the most important, for, without her and Thomas's tragic murders, there wouldn't have been a Batman to help protect Gotham City and by extension, the world and even the DC multiverse.
It's Martha's influence, as much as Thomas's, which was instilled into Bruce to ultimately be a good and virtuous man, in spite of the darkness that motivates him to operate as Batman. Furthermore, in Batman: Whatever Happened to The Caped Crusader, written by Neil Gaiman and illustrated by Andy Kubert and Scott Williams, it's Martha, not Thomas, who speaks with a dying Batman, before he's reincarnated as an infant Bruce Wayne.