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Baby names

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

Original poster

Seren/Steren

35 replies

mummyofboys30 · 19/01/2019 16:58

Seren = Welsh
Steren = Cornish
Both mean star. Which do you prefer and why? Also would you use as a first name or do you think they would be best as a middle name?

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MikeUniformMike · 20/01/2019 19:34

Ah, ok.
I'm a mother-tongue Welsh speaker.
Seren is pronounced SER-en, the e in the Ser part is like the e in the English word Set, and the en bit is pronounced like the en in the word end.

MikeUniformMike · 20/01/2019 19:27

I don't like either of them. How about Stella or Astrid instead.

Icklepup · 20/01/2019 08:45

I think Matilda Seren is nice.

Cariadxx · 20/01/2019 08:09

Exactly. Sounds terrible if you pronounce it the wrong way

Phphion · 20/01/2019 00:09

It's to do where the stress is placed, @RosiePosies. In Welsh, the 'ren' part is stressed, so Seh-Ren, but English people would say Seh-Rn.

It's similar to Joseph, which Welsh people pronounce as Jo-SEPH, but English people as JO-sf.

RosiePosies · 19/01/2019 23:34

@Cariadxx I thought Seren was pronounced like Derren?

RedDwarves · 19/01/2019 21:38

Seren.

Steren sounds masculine.

aroomwithaperfectview · 19/01/2019 21:08

I've never heard of Seren but my daughter's middle name is Sterenn which also means star in Breton. I'm originally from Brittany but she was born near Paris and quite like having a first name and a middle name with a strong cultural identity.

Ngaio2 · 19/01/2019 20:38

Typo there . Of course I meant Seren in both places . B... autocorrect

Ngaio2 · 19/01/2019 20:37

Serene has a nice “feel” soft on the tongue but a strong name, iykwim
Mathilda is getting rather popular if that would worry you at all. Serene Mathilda goes well

SemperIdem · 19/01/2019 20:18

I’d go with Seren.

Matilda Seren is lovely.

AngeloMysterioso · 19/01/2019 19:17

Seren makes me think of Sarin gas.

GB54 · 19/01/2019 19:05

Yes, I’d say so!

Original poster
mummyofboys30 · 19/01/2019 18:52

Would Seren go nicely as middle name to Matilda? So Matilda Seren?

OP posts:
threesenoughthanks · 19/01/2019 18:49

Yep another vote for Seren. Steren sounds like a contraceptive to me.

GB54 · 19/01/2019 18:43

I really like Seren, I love Welsh names in general.

WisdomOfCrowds · 19/01/2019 17:59

We considered both but went with neither. i'm Cornish, dp has welsh family. I love Seren but really wanted something Cornish, but Steren sounds too much like sterile to me. We went with Merryn in the end :)

SilverySurfer · 19/01/2019 17:56

Seren is lovely, Steren makes me think of Steradent.

CloserIAm2Fine · 19/01/2019 17:41

Seren is lovely (I love in wales so used to seeing it)

It’s far more common as a name than Star is in English so I don’t think it’s really comparable in that way. I know loads of young Serens

Cosmoa · 19/01/2019 17:34

Steren makes me think of Sternum.. Plus I'd be worried people would shorten it to Ste or something!

Thesearmsofmine · 19/01/2019 17:28

Oh yes Stella is nice and unusual too.

MadeInCornwallx3 · 19/01/2019 17:28

I'm in Cornwall and Steren isn't really used, even here. I think Seren has a much lovelier sound.

My cousin has used it but her husband is Welsh.

If you like Cornish names there are lots that are very pretty with lovely meanings.

Lowenna (Joy)
Kerenza (Love)
Sennon (place name)

Etc...

Thesearmsofmine · 19/01/2019 17:28

I would go for Seren(Welsh roots here) I think it sounds much nicer than Steren.

HollowTalk · 19/01/2019 17:27

Why wouldn't you go for Serena instead?

daisypond · 19/01/2019 17:26

Stella means star as well. That's nice.