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Baby names

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

Original poster

Anwen or iola

53 replies

Babybrain12345 · 09/09/2018 17:47

Hi I am welsh and live in Wales although not a welsh speaker but would like a welsh name for our baby girl but can't decide between Anwen or iola. DH loves iola (pronounced Yohla) but it is quite rare where we live so is getting mixed reactions, what do u prefer?

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Sungura · 10/09/2018 05:56

Another vote for Anwen here.

sonlypuppyfat · 10/09/2018 02:52

I live I England and DS has a proper welsh name beginning with an I people struggle to read it but it's never presented any real problems

Movablefeast · 10/09/2018 02:13

I love the pronunciation of Iola! But Anwen is also lovely.

Frustratedboarder · 10/09/2018 01:47

Anwen much nicer - like PPs I think Iola will get mistaken for Lola and sounds too much like areola!! You really don't want your daughter to get called nipple....

BackToSquareOneSigh · 10/09/2018 01:40

Anwen is beautiful.

Kizzybeau · 10/09/2018 00:52

I once taught an adorable little girl called Iola and instantly loved the name, plus it suited her perfectly! However if you were open to other welsh names I really like Mali and taught another little girl called Cariad (translated to love in welsh) which is also lovely.

Shadow1234 · 09/09/2018 23:10

Another thumbs up her for Anwen 👍

MadMaryBoddington · 09/09/2018 23:04

A friend has a Iola. For the first couple of years I kept reading it as Lola because I’d only seen it written down on Facebook and I thought she was just careless with capital letters.

I much prefer Anwen.

dinosaurkisses · 09/09/2018 23:01

I really like Iola - it’s a bit different but still authentic.

Not fussed on Anwen- it’s a bit Lord of the Rings for my taste, but a solid name all the same

moredoll · 09/09/2018 23:00

Not keen on either tbh.

LeeMiller · 09/09/2018 22:58

Anwen

Sophronia · 09/09/2018 22:28

Anwen

pumpkinspicetime · 09/09/2018 21:27

I am usually pretty good at pronunciation but totally messed up Iola. So I would go for Anwen just to prevent the girl constantly having to correct people like me.

FourFriedChickensDryWhiteToast · 09/09/2018 21:19

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

Nopoohbear · 09/09/2018 21:15

Love anwen. Similar to Arwen which we can’t have as it’s too similar to dc1’s name!

HairyToity · 09/09/2018 21:13

Love both names. Too me they are not unusual welsh names. I live in North East Wales but not a Welsh speaker.

My favourite is Iola.

serenmoon · 09/09/2018 21:07

Outside of Wales no one will know how to pronounce Iola so on that basis I’d choose Anwen.

kenandbarbie · 09/09/2018 21:04

Both lovely I think

SuperstarDJ · 09/09/2018 20:57

I much prefer Anwen.

Susannach · 09/09/2018 19:42

I like both, but love Anwen.

pumpkinyael · 09/09/2018 19:00

Both sounds really nice (to my non-Welsh ears).

But Anwen does sound a little nicer in my personal opinion.

Congratulations :)!

seven201 · 09/09/2018 18:52

anwen is lovely.
Iola reminds me ariola (no idea how to spell it, but the bit around the nipple) for some reason

manicinsomniac · 09/09/2018 18:47

I like Anwen.

I thought I really liked Iola but I assumed it was Eye-oh-la (like Iona). I'm not keen on Yoh-la.

Sugarpiehoneyeye · 09/09/2018 18:42

Anwen.

SouthwarkSkaters · 09/09/2018 18:36

I like both. Only recently moved to Wales, there’s a Iola in my daughter’s class. I had never heard it before but I like it.