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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

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Original poster

Welsh speakers advice please

139 replies

wineapotamus · 12/12/2016 10:04

Hi all,
How would you pronounce the name Efa? I'm 3rd generation Welsh and can say things like nos da, mochyn and cariad that my main called me when I was small. My son has a Welsh name that I love and I'd like my little one (due in March) to have a Welsh name too, but I'm getting lots of variation on how this would be pronounced. Like eefah or ever or effer?
Diolch and all that xxx

OP posts:

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MikeUniformMike · 12/12/2016 12:55

Pwyll is a brilliant name.

Efa pronunciation - E like the e in bet, F like English V, A like the a in cat.
Nearest English word - EVvah.

The list of names that people suggest are dated. Nia, Carys, Bethan, etc were hugely popular in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Anwen and Gwyneth were already a bit dated by then. Names ending in 'wen' are very dated.

Please consider abbreviated forms and how a non-Welsh speaker would say the name. I dislike Bethan pronounced Bethun, Lowri pronounced like the chap who painted matchstalk men's name, Angharad Ann Garrod or Ann Harrod, Rhiannon Ree Annun, and Rhys pronounced Reece.

Easy names are ones like Bryn and Glyn for boys. Elin (not quite pronounced like Ellin) and Non are both pretty names for girls.

ElphabaTheGreen · 12/12/2016 12:52

That's just asking for a Saes to call him 'Poo-ill' isn't it, really?

Lleucus? Christ on a bike. My teeth just fell out.

tinkwastaken · 12/12/2016 12:51

There are a few little Efa's coming through Cylch and Meithrin at the moment around here, I heard a non-Welsh speaker pronounce it and it sounded like they were trying to say heifer, put me off it a bit. It does seem to be gaining in popularity here in South Wales though.

Pwyll is from Mabinogion isn't it, not a name I would choose, it's hard even for Welsh speakers to say!

FreezerBird · 12/12/2016 12:39

Ah. Typo. So busy spelling Lleucu....

Pwyll.

Obviously.

WellErrr · 12/12/2016 12:38

Yes, or 'pool.'

BratFarrarsPony · 12/12/2016 12:37

it's dreadful - doesn't it mean 'pit'?

WellErrr · 12/12/2016 12:36

Pwll!? Who in their right minds names a child Pwll??

WellTidy · 12/12/2016 12:29

Eh-va.

I have a Welsh name (I am Welsh) and live in England. Hardly anyone pronounces it correctly. It is really annoying. I do correct people, but they still get it wrong, and then I feel too embarrassed to keep correcting them, so they say my name wrong for life. I include my ILs in this. I don't pronounce my name in an unusual way, either.

To make life easier for your DD, what about:

Anwen
Elsbeth
Megan
Bethan
Catrin

FreezerBird · 12/12/2016 12:22

(Unlike neighbours and friends whose children were variously Rhodd, Cain, Eseullt, Elliw, Mabon...beautiful poetic Welsh names but, Duw, I hoped they never planned on heading too far out of Mam Cymru!)

Like a guy I worked with who called his son Pwll. Fine if he went to uni in Bangor, but...

We seem to be swarming with small Lleucus here.

If Efa works, what about Nia or Ana?

WellErrr · 12/12/2016 12:20

But I know an actual baby Wmffre!?? I'd never heard it in any context until I met him.

ElphabaTheGreen · 12/12/2016 12:16

WellErr In the North West, 'Wmffre' is a nickname reserved for those who are a bit simple. I don't think I'd burden a child with it - not in that area anyway!

SocksRock · 12/12/2016 12:13

I have a welsh husband and we live in England. My girls are Anwen and Eira and people can say them no bother. Eira has to spell hers sometimes and gets called Isla sometimes...

ElphabaTheGreen · 12/12/2016 11:48

Megan is also a classic that no one can get wrong.

WellErrr · 12/12/2016 11:46

Evva. But she'll spend her life correcting it.

DS was Wmffre whilst in utero

I know an Wmffre, cutest name ever!!

aforestgrewandgrew · 12/12/2016 11:41

Efa is lovely.

Also how about:

Nia
Cerys
Carys
Lowri
Arianwen

Veterinari · 12/12/2016 10:33

Angharad works fine in England (I know one) but she mostly goes by Harry

Original poster

wineapotamus · 12/12/2016 10:30

I think my oh would be anger-ad if i had pursued it. *falls off chair having made self laugh so much....

OP posts:

ElphabaTheGreen · 12/12/2016 10:29

I bloody love Wmffre

BratFarrarsPony · 12/12/2016 10:27

Angharad is a beautiful name but in England it would be a disaster - they would be saying 'Anger - ad'

Original poster

wineapotamus · 12/12/2016 10:26

*Moves buddug to top of list

OP posts:

welshweasel · 12/12/2016 10:26

Buddug

DS was Wmffre whilst in utero...

PebbleInTheMoonlight · 12/12/2016 10:25

Eh-va is how we'd pronounce it. I'm fairly fluent but my husband and children are fully bilingual.

You'll have trouble with the "eh" sound in England because it's not the normal way to sound out an E. It's not something I considered with one of my daughter's names and without exception people without a Welsh background of some sort just cannot pronounce her name properly without prompting as the "eh" sound just doesn't stick in their mind for pronunciation. Fortunately like Efa it's a pretty enough name even when mispronounced so not too annoying.

Original poster

wineapotamus · 12/12/2016 10:25

Yes elphaba and weasel I know what you mean! It's not one I heard and thought "ooh that's Welsh", although that's good for oh, as he has vetoed really Welsh sounding ones (sadly waves bye bye to angharad and bronwen). I found it when I was looking through a list of Welsh baby girl names, but don't want to stitch her up too much! I do really love it though!

OP posts:

ElphabaTheGreen · 12/12/2016 10:25

Buddug. Amazing name if she's born at the age of 87 years...

BratFarrarsPony · 12/12/2016 10:23

I have also lived in Mabinogion-land and never heard the name 'Efa' to be honest.
How about a nice name like Buddug?...

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