Anwen or iola

Cariad is terrible. Please don't.
There is a comedian called Cariad Lloyd. The name is how you would refer to Lloyd's girlfriend.

Name changed for this as massively outing - I am a Iola. I basically agree with everything Titty says. Don't limit yourself to names English people can pronounce easily.

Half my family are English and I have always lived in South Wales where you never hear the name Iola. Yes it is mispronounced by people the fist time they see it. This really isn't a big deal though, as someone posted upthread, it's a very simple name with 2 syllables. 'Actually it's Yollar not Eye-oh-la'. Job done. The hard of thinking or deliberately obtuse struggle with this but that's good - it's like a little test to see if people are worth my time. For most, ordinary, perfectly pleasant people, it's a nice little ice breaker as they ask me about its origins.

I will admit to getting quite excited if I'm ever in North Wales and people pronounce it properly first time though!

My DH is English, he has the dullest surname in the world but it is a damm sight easier to spell than mine was. I wanted everyone in our family to have the same name so I changed mine as per convention. Not having to spell my name constantly was just a bonus.

My DH is also English. His name is a damn sight more complicated than mine, but my decision not to change my name had nothing to do with that.

When considering names for DD, there wasn’t any doubt that her name would not be an English name. Not one name was vetoed due to being too hard for English family member or friends to pronounce. “They’ll learn”, he said.

Iola - the 1st syllable rhymes with doll not roll. It doesn't rhyme with Cola or Lola.
Will be confused with Lola, Iona or Viola. It's ok.
Anwen - I think it's very dated and am not keen but lots of people like it.

As you would pronounce Iola as Yohla - I'd say pick Anwen, but there are plenty of other Welsh names you could choose (but I probably wouldn't be keen on any of those either).
Anwen's fine.

I like Iola too, but I am also Welsh.
My favourite Welsh girls' name is Angharad.

Anwen...
Or Arwen

Iola is gorgeous - Anwen not so much.

My DH is English, he has the dullest surname in the world but it is a damm sight easier to spell than mine was. I wanted everyone in our family to have the same name so I changed mine as per convention. Not having to spell my name constantly was just a bonus.

I hadn’t actually spotted that.

It was the name change/waiting for marriage/man’s name is easier stereotype.

Sorry my not me ! My ability to spell and grammar check sadly got no better with my shiny new surname!

Until I got married I spent a long time spelling out my surname I thought I would spare me DC that, I got very bored of it.

Indeed titty my DC have none of the names on your list and I ruled a couple of names like Siobhan that I liked because I thought they would fail the Starbucks coffee test. Until I got married I spent a long time spelling out my surname I thought I would spare me DC that, I got very bored of it.

My sister went to a Welsh speaking school and had a friend called Iola, I always thought it was kind of pretty and can't remember any issues with it but then they all spoke Welsh.. Anwen is more accessible and I'd say on balance a nicer name too. My cousin called his daughter Liliwen, I thought that was pretty cute as an alternative suggestion.

I can’t even see an issue with Angharad.

Ang - as in sang
Har - as in Harry
Ad - as in had.

Now, I can see the issue with Esyllt or Myfanwy

if my dc was likely to have to spend a lot of time explaining how to pronounce their name I would spare them that by picking another name.

So no:

Sara/Sarah
Clare/Claire/Clair
Stephen/Steven
Philip/Phillip
Mathew/Matthew
Linda/Lynda
Amy/Aimee
Ian/Iain
Catherine/Kathryn/Cathrine
Leanne/Lianne
Debra/Deborah
Stuart/Stewart
Jane/Jayne
Lauren/Loren
Elliot/Elliott
Tracey/Tracy

Even “straightforward” names can have different spellings/pronunciations.....

Anwen

Welsh is mainly phonetic so there is no mystique about pronouncing Iola. On seeing the name written down speakers of many languages would assume a pronunciation which would be correct or very close. 4 letters, 4 sounds. It really isn't that difficult.

That said I still prefer Anwen

I wouldn't veto it for others but if my dc was likely to have to spend a lot of time explaining how to pronounce their name I would spare them that by picking another name. I'm not English and speak more than one language but picking an easy to pronounce and spell name just seems future proofing for my dc. A Spanish friend ran a couple of names choices by me to sense check how easy they were to read and pronounce in English so I don't think it is that odd to consider this.

I know what you mean Titty. English are spectacularly (proudly?) bad at languages, or being told how to say something.
but what can you do? They are not going to change.

But if you haven't been taught a language it's not surprising you don't know how to pronounce words in it. When I attempted to pronounce Iola, I ran it through my head in the languages I know, that is all anyone can do.

Indeed. But surely all it needs is for someone to tell you how to pronounce the name?

Or is that so much hassle that all not-easy-for-English-monoglots-to-say names should be vetoed?

titty It really isn't just Welsh names, You have the same issue with some Gaelic names as well. But if you haven't been taught a language it's not surprising you don't know how to pronounce words in it. When I attempted to pronounce Iola, I ran it through my head in the languages I know, that is all anyone can do.

I've an Angharad and yes it's been quite funny

Both gorgeous names IMO

i know right, titty. But it's indicative of general English attitudes about what lies beyond the bridge..
Imagine an English person saying 'Angharad'..:)
Most of them would not even manage 'Iola'. she would get called 'eeey --ohh - larrr' or 'Lola'

I really like the name Iola but nobody outside of Wales will have heard of it or know how to pronounce it.

Funny that this is only ever an issue with Welsh names......