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Original poster

Nye vs Huw

57 replies

welshnamedilemma · 18/12/2018 22:00

Looking for a welsh name for a baby boy which will be brought up in England.

Front runners are Huw or Nye (we would put aneurin on birth certificate but would use nn of Nye most of the time).

What do people think? Any other suggestions welcomed x

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BackforGood · 19/12/2018 21:16

I like both.
I suspect, in England he will keep getting it written don as Hugh - don't know if that would bother you or not ? For me I think it would be a minor issue as you can esily say "Huw, the Welsh way - H U W".
I think he'd have a lot more trouble having to spell out Aneurin Grin, but, if you intend for him always to be 'Nye' then that saves it happening all the time.
So I'm no help, as I like both.
I do also like Rhys mind.

Whatever you do, don't go for Eifion - my friend has this name and it is so funny hearing the different tangles people with no Welsh heritage get in to, struggling with the sounds Grin
To be fair, Iestyn doesn't fair much better.

EllenJanesthickerknickers · 19/12/2018 21:02

I’m not Welsh but old enough to recognise the Aneurin (Nye) Bevan link. I love it!

Charbovari · 19/12/2018 21:00

I’m not from the UK, that should have said!

MinecraftHolmes · 19/12/2018 21:00

I think both are great names.

My cautionary tale, however, as someone who has a child with a name/spelling that is not native to the country we live in - seriously, and I mean seriously, have a think about how bothered you/your child will be with being called the wrong thing. My DS is 6 and in p2 and he gets very upset when people say his name the way it reads in English, rather than how it’s naturally said in Scots. He’s started asking kids at school who do it to call him by his middle name instead. You’ll have an An-ni-rin, but to everyone who sees his name written before they hear it, it’ll be ar-new-ren.

Charbovari · 19/12/2018 20:58

Aneurin. And the m not from the UK and still knew how to pronounce it.

FogCutter · 19/12/2018 20:58

If Aneurin is making people thing aneurysm, my DP (welsh) says that Aneirin is a valid alternative spelling.

Hopeful8813 · 19/12/2018 20:52

Oh and I just want to say that as someone with a Welsh name that I have to spell on an almost daily basis I would far rather have my lovely name than not have to state the spelling.

Hopeful8813 · 19/12/2018 20:50

Aneurin is a fantastic name :)

Flamingosnbears · 19/12/2018 13:21

Huw...

DareDevil911 · 19/12/2018 12:13

Ieun? Little boy here called that. Didn't know how to pronounce for a while but really like it.

ErictheGuineaPig · 19/12/2018 12:10

Aneurin. Definitely. Such a great history with that name and no complicated sounds like ll or ch for the English folk to struggle with.

It may look vaguely similar to aneurism written down but the pronunciation is completely different. Huw is OK but just not very interesting.

Choconuts · 19/12/2018 12:06

As an English person living in wales I have of course heard of Aneurin Bevan. However seeing it written down without the surname next to it I probably would pronounce it an-er-in or similar.

Saying that though I think the name is lovely and Nye is a cute and cool nickname.

DeeStopia · 19/12/2018 12:04

Love both. Also Rhys, Dylan, Dewi, Ioan.
The only thing with Nye is that Welsh speakers and non-Welsh speakers pronounce it differently, so to me (Welsh speaker) it's ah-NEY-rin, and to non-Welsh speakers (including those in Wales) would tend to say ah-NYE-rin. The ones I know are shortened to Nei, because the Nye sound isn't included in our pronounciation.
Not sure if that'll make a difference though! Nye is still a lovely name.

veggiepigsinpastryblankets · 19/12/2018 12:03

I love Nye but then I am a dyed in the wool lefty! DH has already vetoed it - along with Keir, Clem etc etc - for our hypothetical future son because he is a secret Lib Dem at heart so I think you should go for it Grin

If you're worried you could always give him an English-sounding middle name so he's got that to fall back on if he gets fed up of spelling it or wants to become a Tory MP or an investment banker or something.

EssentialHummus · 19/12/2018 11:57

I’m not Welsh and I love Nye.

Jins · 19/12/2018 11:52

Aneurin/Nye is my favourite.

(Aneurin Barnard is another example)

BitOutOfPractice · 19/12/2018 11:50

Oh imagine the shame of being thought a lefty! Grin

XmasPostmanBos · 19/12/2018 11:47

Nye Bevan is still the most well known Nye for most English people and some may suspect you are a bit of a lefty.

strawberrypenguin · 19/12/2018 11:39

I'd have no idea how to pronounce aneurin OP and my auto correct also changed it aneurism!

bellinisurge · 19/12/2018 11:02

Huw. Google Huw's Nursery. Great role model.

BitOutOfPractice · 19/12/2018 10:59

We think and speak as one Tooty Smile

Tootyfilou · 19/12/2018 10:59

Totally shocked that so many posters have not heard the name Aneurin!
He was the founder of the NHS for gods sake!!
As for names although I love both I think Aneurin/Nye is a fantastic name, really cool sounding and what a heritage to go with it!

Catsandbootsandbootsandcats · 19/12/2018 10:51

I love Aneurin and I'm not at all Welsh. I just love Welsh names.

BitOutOfPractice · 19/12/2018 10:50

How can you have not heard the name Aneurin?

This man's picture is on my wall of heroes and should be the new face on the £50 note in my mind

BitOutOfPractice · 19/12/2018 10:47

Oh I ADORE Aneurin! Definitely go with that. It's so cool on every level, the sound of it, Nye as a NN, the meaning, the connections to Mr Bevan. DO IT!

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