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Baby names

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Original poster

Ellis & Cai proper welsh names or chavy?

191 replies

firefirejugdypantsonfire · 29/04/2018 15:25

I need a welsh boys name for DS3. My DH is welsh but never suggests anything. I'm English.

I want something shortish and that can be easily read by non welshies.

Are Cai & Ellis options or not really Welsh names ? Hmm

I quite like Euan / Ewan but is the welsh version Iuan ? As sure that would be said differently in welsh and in England ( where we live I guess it would end up as Ian)

In the family there is already Bryn, Gareth, Huw, Dylan, Rhys, Ianto

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englishmummyinwales · 16/05/2018 10:46

As you can see by my name, I'm English but DH is Welsh. We live near the border, non Welsh speaking. DS1 is Iwan. We pronounce it the same as Ewan although I'm aware that Welsh speakers would say You-Ann or even Ew-Ann. Even though we are (just) inside Wales, he has to spell it all the time as everyone presumes it's with an E. Fortunately he doesn't mind and likes having a Welsh name.

If you are in England then you would need to be prepared for some people thinking that you've made it up! I usually refer to Iwan Thomas. His brief involvement in Strictly was a great help! (He grew up in England btw - Welsh parents). Obviously I am biased but ten years on, I still love the name.

MikeUniformMike · 14/05/2018 19:33

No need to apologise, I read it in a newspaper and it didn't have the circumflex in the article, but it should have one. (Alt+0244).

Luckyme2 · 14/05/2018 19:27

Aled, Osian and Steffan are my favourites

BestIsWest · 14/05/2018 19:25

Siôr sorry.

BestIsWest · 14/05/2018 19:24

Never heard Sior before but I do like it very much.

MikeUniformMike · 14/05/2018 19:01

I think a non-welsh speaker seeing the name Osian for the first time would guess it to be Os-eye-an or Osey-un.
That farmer bloke off the telly has a son called Siôr which I think is rather nice. Not sure if it would work outside Wales. It is pronounced like Shore and is welsh for George.

gallicgirl · 14/05/2018 10:09

Welsh boy names are difficult. I feel they're either VERY Welsh and therefore difficult to say/spell in England or feel they're English names with a Welsh accent.

We looked for a Caltic male name to go with Alys and considered Gareth, Owain and Macsen but opted for an English name in the end.

I have to say, if I'd known about Taran I might have considered it because my DS really is a flipping thunderclap sometimes!

sabinaapplecross · 14/05/2018 10:05

? Alwyn, Dafydd and Morgan

ILikeyourHairyHands · 14/05/2018 09:56

I'm an English person (married to a Welshman) who doesn't pronounce Ll as Cl!

My pronunciation is very good apparently (Which is a good job as we have a Llewelyn).

ICantCopeAnymore · 14/05/2018 09:41

I have not yet come across an English person who doesn't say the Ll as Cl. I tried to teach someone to say Llanelli last week and they jsut couldn't get it at all - it was like Joey trying to learn French.

ICantCopeAnymore · 14/05/2018 09:39

Cai is really chav, sorry.

Popular Welsh boys names at the moment judging on children I teach are :

Ioan, Iestyn, Evan, Rhys, Osian (soooo many), Dylan and the odd Griff, Gwilim and Gethin.

I'm Welsh but I think in England Osian would be said Ocean.

SirVixofVixHall · 14/05/2018 09:36

Rhydian is lovely, but again, the rh, so in England it will become Ridian.

Gwenhwyfar · 13/05/2018 19:58

Mostyn's a bit odd if you have no connection with the place or a relationship to Lord Mostyn imo.

MikeUniformMike · 13/05/2018 12:24

Back to baby names, how about Mostyn?

ABitOTT · 13/05/2018 00:32

I know a little Idris & a slightly older Rhydian. Both already suggested & both solidly Welsh names.

Loving Osian!

Strokethefurrywall · 12/05/2018 21:39

Caius is a fab name, my name for mythical DS3 is Griffin.

freakinbananaspiders · 12/05/2018 20:49

Welsh names are beautiful. We once stayed with an Alwyn on holiday which I always liked.

BestIsWest · 12/05/2018 20:48

A friend used to talk about a place he called ‘You’re still our Vera”. It took me a while to figure out he meant ‘Ystalyfera’.

SirVixofVixHall · 12/05/2018 20:42

Although that seems to get Lan die low, rather than Clan, for some reason I can’t fathom !

SirVixofVixHall · 12/05/2018 20:41

Haha to Clanethly. Ditto Clan die low

Andthatsthat · 12/05/2018 20:38

Ellis, yes, great name.

Cai, no. Too Rooney.

I like Evan or maybe Griff?

BestIsWest · 12/05/2018 20:38

Lol, And what about Clanethly?

SirVixofVixHall · 12/05/2018 20:32

Clecryd for Llechryd springs to mind .

MikeUniformMike · 12/05/2018 20:29

Oh god yes. You're right.
Not a baby name but I hate hearing about Plide Coomry and Innis Monn.
(Plide Cumry and Unnis Mone are not too bad).

Some place names are now just referred to by the anglicised pronunciation which is such a shame when the real pronunciation is so much prettier. The same tends to happen with baby names.

SirVixofVixHall · 12/05/2018 20:21

I’ve also noticed English people using CL rather than Ll, and a K sound for Ch.

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