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Calling all taffs - the name Heulwen - will she hate me?

42 replies

Mammina · 03/08/2009 10:18

Thinking of using this as a middle name for DD - I love the meaning and would be naming her after her great aunt, but is it too middle aged lady?

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pixiestix · 03/08/2009 14:15

I'm not keen, sorry, but also not a taff so ignore me!

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GrimmaTheNome · 03/08/2009 14:27

I'm not a Taff either, but in general, I thought that the whole purpose of middle names was as a way of pleasing great aunts without inflicting a middle/old aged lady name as the name actually used to call the child.

What does Heulwen mean?

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mejon · 03/08/2009 14:38

It is quite old fashioned but not as bad as say, Olwen or Dilys which really are old lady names! I quite like it. When are you due? DD's middle name is Haf (bday today ) an autumn baby's middle name could be Medi...

Gyda llaw - nes i ateb dy ebost/CAT bron yn syth - ges di fy ebost i?

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Deemented · 03/08/2009 14:40

My first ever midwife was called Heulwen. She was lovely.

Not keen on it tbh, but it's an ok second name - as long as you choose something nicer as a first name you should be ok.

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belgo · 03/08/2009 14:41

Fine as a middle name, especially as there is some family meaning behind it. How is it pronounced?

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MrsBadger · 03/08/2009 14:44

IMO middle names are ideal places for old lady trad names

dd's is my grandmother's name

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runningmonkey · 03/08/2009 14:44

I love it, in fact it was on the list for DD's name will def be on the list for any future DD we may have. We discounted it on the basis that we live in England and didn't want people mispronouncing it. Stupid tho as we ended up choosing a Welsh spelling of a well known name that everyone already misspells!

LOL mejon, Olwen is DD's middle name, was v nearly her first name too! I obv have a thing for old ladies

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BitOfFun · 03/08/2009 14:46

Is it Welsh for Helen? That means light.

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mejon · 03/08/2009 15:31

Ooops sorry runningmonkey. I had a very elderly spinster aunt called Olwen (and a Dilys too) hence the connotations for me.

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Mammina · 03/08/2009 15:37

It means sunshine, and it was a sunny day when she was born (last sunday).
Belgo, it's quite hard to write down how it's pronounced - sort of HAIL-WHEN.
Runningmonkey Olwen is becoming quite popular again, I know a couple under 2.
Did think of Haf mejon but DH not keen. My first choice was Fflur but DH vetoed it AGAIN. Any other suggestions? Ideally it would be quite soft sounding & needs to be welsh.

Mejon do nes i ateb - nath o ddim cyrraedd?

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beanieb · 03/08/2009 15:42

I always find female Welsh names quite harsh sounding. It's not too middle/old aged though and is probably better than a lot of Welsh names IMO.

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Mammina · 03/08/2009 15:44

Hi beanieb, how's things with you? Are you married yet?

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belgo · 03/08/2009 15:45

Heulwen sounds lovely. Teleri and Gwenno are also lovely sounding welsh names.

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beanieb · 03/08/2009 15:45

Hey there Migols... am married !!!! It feels no different to being not married TBH

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mejon · 03/08/2009 16:16

Migola - naddo, ond paid a phoeni mae gen ti bethau pwysicach i feddwl amdanynt! Llongyfarchiadau a croeso i'r babi newydd !

Love Fflur - I considered that and it would have been quite apt as we are now very near Ystrad Fflur - but like you, DH not keen.

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Deemented · 03/08/2009 17:00

What about Ffion?

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Mammina · 03/08/2009 17:04

congratulations beanieb! hope you had a fantastic day.
I know what you mean about it not feeling different but it's a good excuse for a party
diolch mejon
DH not keen on Ffion either. He's VERY fussy!

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Deemented · 03/08/2009 17:07

Ok... Eleri or Mali or Marni?

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blushingm · 04/08/2009 11:32

Cariad? maybe
Delyth
Anwen
Seren (very popular at the moment though)
Rhiannon/Rhianydd

Heulwen is pretty - i love the meaning sunshine

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barristermum · 04/08/2009 11:51

I think it's beautiful! The best thing about middle names is the way they tell something about a person's heritage - their family, or culture or whatever and this combines the taffiness and the story of her birth. So it will always be a conversation point.
We called our little girl Cerys - from Cariad, and more often spelt Carys - and we already get a bit of Sarf London "cerise" from non-welshers - but so what!

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Mammina · 04/08/2009 12:02

Good point barristermum, you've almost convinced me. It's weird that DH wants to go for it and he's English! I guess he doesn't know of the old lady connotations & just loves the meaning.

She was nearly called Cerys actually, and did consider it as middle name but doesn't go with her first name.

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barristermum · 04/08/2009 12:12

TBH, only a few welshers would even have the old-lady thing reaction - everyone else will only be aware of the sheer welshness. My DH isn't welsh but he loved that - is it had been a boy we'd have done Irish-celtic for his side. Maybe next time
Anyway, bravo and good luck on the next few weeks of sleeplessness. (Max Boyce singing "Swansea Town" used to get my LO all calm and sleepy)

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Mammina · 04/08/2009 13:05

thanks

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RetroMum1 · 04/08/2009 13:52

How about Menna? But i actually do like Heulwen too and don't find it to old ladyish!. I also know a couple of toddlers called this in the Neath area.

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Mammina · 04/08/2009 14:13

can't use menna although it's a cool name isn't it mejon

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