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Baby names

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

Original poster

Welsh origin baby names that northerners can say and spell!

40 replies

Whatelsecouldibecalled · 15/10/2019 14:05

Help please!

My DH is welsh and I’m a Yorkshire lass! He would like to use a welsh name and I’m not adverse to the idea as long as I like the name and northerners can pronounce it properly. We live in a Yorkshire city. I looked through the thread the other day but still want a bit of inspiration. I’m a teacher so a bit funny about names at best of times! Hit me with your suggestions both boy and girl. So far we like Elis for a boy and Carys for a girl but not 100% decided. Thanks

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lostindumfries · 15/10/2019 21:17

I disagree about avoiding certain names, vowels etc. I think you should go for whichever name you like, people will get used to it.

This. People are used to lots of different names which don't observe conventional spelling. Siobhan, Sean, Michaela, Hermione, Phoebe... these are just names that most people have learned to pronounce because they encounter them, or because famous people have them (Hermione Granger, Sean Connery!). Welsh names need to be heard beyond Wales for people to learn about them. Go for it!

(Ha, can you tell I gave my kids Welsh names that nobody can pronounce... but I don't regret it)

Canklesforankles · 15/10/2019 19:22

Evan
Llewelyn
Gethin
Rhydian (maybe too hard)
Lloyd
Griff
Macsen
Lewis
Nye
Bryn
Emrys
Gareth
Rhodri
Idris

Morgan

Gwen (Gwennan or Gwenllian - I know GwenLLian is super hard but cute!)
Bronwen Branwen
Anwen
Morwenna (Cornish/Welsh origin)
Arianwen
Betsan
Catrin
Mabli
Megan
Manon
Tegan

071019DD · 15/10/2019 18:59

Really like Cerys and Rhys.

Whiteandblue · 15/10/2019 18:50

I’ve always like Bethan and it’s phonetic.
Nia gets confused with Mia. Rhian is nice but there are variants which can get confusing.
Bryn is strong boys name.

MikeUniformMike · 15/10/2019 17:56

The reason I say avoid them is that people don't get used to them or can't say them.

As much as you like a name, think long and hard about how practical it is.

If you said I love the Conn and Penny but my husband is French, people would say don't name your DTwins those names.

If you love the name Euryn and name your DS it, how long before you get sick of explaining that it isn't pronounced like that.
Euryn is a perfectly nice name meaning golden one.

DanBiggarsHair · 15/10/2019 17:32

I always loved the name Catrin!

SillyCalamari · 15/10/2019 17:11

I disagree about avoiding certain names, vowels etc. I think you should go for whichever name you like, people will get used to it.

We have friends with a son called Elis (no, he doesn't get called Elsie) and our son is Ivor, a name we really love.

funkt · 15/10/2019 17:10

Brownwen or Rhys.

Sparklypurpleunicornsaremyfav · 15/10/2019 17:05

My middle name is sian and my youngest daughter has the middle name cerys never had any problems with spellings or pronunciations

Ricekrispie22 · 15/10/2019 16:29

Bethan
Megan
Elinor
Enid
Sian
Nia
Reece
Erin
Gwyneth
Rhian/Rhiannon
Seren

Harri
Owen
Rhys
Dylan
Bryn

Original poster
Whatelsecouldibecalled · 15/10/2019 16:18

Oh hope your baby girl arrives soon @welshgirl1980. I like Seren but we have 3 friends with Dd called this!

Thanks for lots of advice @MikeUniformMike

OP posts:
welshgirl1980 · 15/10/2019 15:23

I love the girls name Seren! I'm from Wales but live close to the border and this is the name I will be using for my baby girl who is due today!

I can't help with boys names as I could never find one i really loved.

MikeUniformMike · 15/10/2019 15:22

I missed out
ew e.g. Dewi and
cy e.g. Cynan.

MikeUniformMike · 15/10/2019 15:07

Avoid the letter combinations
ow, yw, uw, ei, eu, ae, au, ai, aw, iw. ce, ci, ge, gi, ngh, wy, ar, ir

Avoid f (ff is a single letter not two letters), rh, ll, dd, u

Avoid -in, -en, -an endings unless you don't mind the anglicised pronunciation.

Other anglicised names: Tudor, Owen

I dislike Dylan, Cariad and Seren.

Another option would be to go for a name that doesn't sound awful in a strong Welsh accent. I like Mary but ruled it out because it would have been pronounced Merry by relatives.

MikeUniformMike · 15/10/2019 14:42

Congratulations.
I would probably use the welsh name as a middle name, unless you are confident that it won't get mangled.
I have posted before about letters and letter combinations to avoid.

A good compromise would be something like Vaughan or Lloyd, both great names in themselves.

Elis will get his name misspelt, and will get called Elsie a lot. In my age group it was every Neil being called Nelly. Smile

If you search for Welsh names there are loads of threads usually with me on them