Active discussions

Help protect children from gaming harms.

Take our survey

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Baby names

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

Original poster

Welsh girls names that work in English

106 replies

Greendaisydays · 08/03/2020 20:35

So far we have
Glesni
Elin
Mali
Lowri
Cadi
Sian

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
MikeUniformMike · 26/03/2020 09:55

A quick search for Welsh girls' names brought up a list (www.wales101.com/welsh-baby-girls-names - not linked it deliberately) containing some bonkers suggestions.

Another had Eria - a typo presumably.

If you look at such lists, ask someone who speaks welsh before you start using it. You might think that Aberfa, Dwyn, Olwyn or Gwenwyn would be a pretty name but others might not.

MikeUniformMike · 26/03/2020 09:55

being not having.
Gwyneth will get Gywneth and Gwynedd. - many people can't hear the difference between dd and th (th in the and th in thing).

MikeUniformMike · 26/03/2020 09:49

Gwyneth hasn't been popular for about 70 years, despite an Oscar-winning actress having the name. I think of it as having a bit like Harriet. The downside is that people will say it as Gweneth (yuk). Similarly, people will say Gwen as Gwyn. (and -wyn for -wen).

Back to Harriet - this is phonetic, so sounds the same in English and Welsh, and that might be a good compromise. (I named mine with the English names being mangled by welsh relatives in mind)

Another example is Lisa - although I love the welsh version Leusa.

Another option is to use the English name on BC and use the Welsh version as a day-to-day name. Examples could be Catherine (Catrin/Cadi) or David (Dafydd/Dewi/Dai/Dei).

GattinaGattona · 26/03/2020 06:13

I’m a Cerys, I love my name but I’m constantly spelling it out or correcting people, I get called serris, serise, cherris, sereez, shereece etc I’m used to it and doesn’t bother me, but might to some.
My grandma was Gwyneth which I love, I know a Nia, Myfanwy, Angharad, Dilys, Rhian, and Ffion.

s3tut0y3r · 22/03/2020 21:12

Yvar

MikeUniformMike · 11/03/2020 21:03

It's pretty. Due a comeback.

daisypond · 11/03/2020 20:35

How dated is Enid these days? Due a return - if pronounced correctly?

MikeUniformMike · 11/03/2020 20:29

Another suggestion: Eos. Again, not really a name, it means Nightingale.

MikeUniformMike · 11/03/2020 20:25

Tirion isn't really a name but it's a pretty word and means Gentle.
I also like Ffydd and Fflur but I think they'd be too troublesome.

MikeUniformMike · 11/03/2020 20:24

Mared, Mererid , Malen,
Siwan, Eldeg, Ffion, Non, Cari,
Tirion, Elysteg, Gaenor, Mai, Siriol.

Lily2000 · 11/03/2020 19:52

Seren
Carys
Eira
Lois
Anwen
Gwen
Mali
Rhian

MikeUniformMike · 11/03/2020 18:29

It's beautiful.
I like Nest. Know a couple of them and it's such a pretty name. Might be a PITA outside welsh wales. The e is long, to almost rhyme with waist.

sawdustformypony · 11/03/2020 18:20

Buddeg is wrong. It is Buddug.

Yes - sorry, my typo. I like the name.

MikeUniformMike · 11/03/2020 18:08

Eluned is pronounced El-IN-ed not El in idd @rockinnana.

rockinnana · 11/03/2020 17:45

Eluned (pronounced El in idd)

Angharad is lovely

MikeUniformMike · 11/03/2020 17:43

Buddug is lovely but a lot of people can't distinguish between th (th as in thing) and dd (th as in the)
After you explain that it isn't Bud-ug, you will get Bith-ig.

Tegwen is so dated. A great-granny name. It would work.

MikeUniformMike · 11/03/2020 17:31

Buddeg is wrong. It is Buddug. The Budd part rhymes with 'with' and the ug bit is 'ig'.

sawdustformypony · 11/03/2020 17:16

or Buddeg ? - sounds fine - looks bad.

sawdustformypony · 11/03/2020 17:15

My Mam says that you shouldn't address parents and grandparents in informal Welsh - she uses 'sut dych chi' for her parents, said she would never dare use 'sut dyt ti' for them. Is that true generally? My Nain a Taid are quite formal and old fashioned so not sure if this is just a family rule...

I remember my sister had a friend that started calling her 'chi' - 50 years ago this way - still upset by it.

No derail here - how about Tegwen ?

Iwalkinmyclothing · 11/03/2020 16:52

Eleri
Bethan
Nia

My cousin has a daughter called Sioned, one of the most beautiful names ever but I imagine you'd get sick of explaining how it's said

binkyblinky · 11/03/2020 16:35

Rhian is a very lovely name, it's mine!

ThePolishWombat · 11/03/2020 16:30

I know a Cerys and an Enfys

Dylanpickle · 11/03/2020 16:28

Cariad

Delyth

MikeUniformMike · 11/03/2020 16:25

@Greendaisydays. yes but the first syllable is very short, and the -ra bit is like the ra in rat or rabbit.
The first syllable is like the ey in Hey!. It's not like the ay in Hay or a Fonz Heeey.

What you will get is Eye-ruh or Ay-ruh, which to my delicate ears is painful.

I'd avoid Eirian. Not that it isn't pretty but it's dated (1950s and 60s), and you will get Erriun or Erry-Ann.

I know a woman called Eirian and her DP calls her Erriun. obviously she should LTB

Original poster
Greendaisydays · 11/03/2020 15:05

I have always liked Eirian

OP posts: