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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

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MikeUniformMike · 09/03/2020 11:31

Eira and Eirlys won't work because you will get Ay-ruh or Ira, and Air-liss or Errliss, Eyr-lees etc.

Not keen on Dilys.
Delyth is probably in her 50s or 60s, so a granny name.

Gwenie isn't welsh. Neither are Gwennie and Gwenna.
Gwennol is nice.

Efa will be pronounced like heifer without the h.

Rhian is dated IMO, likely to have been at school with Delyth. It is pronounced RHEE-ann not Ree-Anne, or REE-un.

Cariad is awful. It is pronounced CARR-yad not Carry-ad. It isn't a name, it's a term of endearment.

Cerys will be Cerise or Serris.

RH is a single letter is welsh and sounds like R and H being said at the same time.

MikeUniformMike · 09/03/2020 11:19

Eleri - El-ERR-y not El-airy or Ellery. In some accents the middle syllable might sound like 'air', but it's not right.
Lowri - difficult to get the ow right if you don't speak welsh
Eluned, - El-LYN-ed
Sian, Shahn, but the a is flat and broad
Seren SERR-enn - awful,sorry.

The E in Eluned and Eleri are barely pronounced, and the names sound almost like LYNNed and LERRy.

MikeUniformMike · 09/03/2020 10:55

@mytypeonpaper, Angharid is Angharad. It doesn't shorten to Annie as there is no n in Angharad. Ng is a single letter, not two letters.

kevintheorangecarrot · 09/03/2020 10:45

Cariad

MikeUniformMike · 09/03/2020 10:42

@mytypeonpaper, Anwyn is not a welsh name and it is awful, Gwendolyn isn't welsh - Gwendolen is but is pronounced Gwen-DOL-en.

MikeUniformMike · 09/03/2020 10:39

Glesni - not keen
Elin - yes, but you'll get Ellen, Ellin
Mali - yes, but you'll get Marley
Lowri - yes, but they will get Lowry
Cadi - yes
Sian - yes, but you'll get Cyan and Shah-n.

@84TinsOfBeans, Wynne isn't a girl's name.

Heartofglass12345 · 09/03/2020 10:28

I love Nia, if I had a girl it would be a contender (although I love phoebe too but it's not welsh haha)

KoaLove · 09/03/2020 08:16

I'm a childminder and look after an Anwen - beautiful name, she gets Annie for short! Have also looked after a Saoirse and Aoife who were sisters Smile

Sleepycat91 · 09/03/2020 00:24

My friend just called his daughter Arianwen, they call her Ari for short

WantToBeMum · 09/03/2020 00:15

Thanks @Firecracker2019 Smile

Firecracker2019 · 08/03/2020 23:34

Eleri - Elle-air-eee
Lowri - the ow is as in 'low' not as in 'owl' and then ree
Sian - Sh-ah-n
Eluned - Elle-eee-ned
Seren - Seh-ren

thetoddleratemyhomework · 08/03/2020 23:13

Maren

WantToBeMum · 08/03/2020 23:11

What would be the correct way to pronounce Eleri, Lowri, Eluned, Sian, Seren?
Reading this thread with interest realising that I've probably mispronounced all of these at some point, i.e. I've pronounced Eleri to rhyme with celery, Lowri like the painter, Eluned as el-ooo-ned, Sian as Shaaan, Seren to rhyme with seven. Would love to be corrected please!

Firecracker2019 · 08/03/2020 23:05

Lowri, Angharad and Sian will be forever misprounced outside Wales and often in Wales too.

Firecracker2019 · 08/03/2020 23:03

I love Anwen myself.
Dilys is an old name and not in a good way IMO.

Firecracker2019 · 08/03/2020 23:01

Mari
Mali
Gwen / Gwenna / Gwenann
Bethan
Erin
Anwen
Tegwen
Nia
Eleri
Manon
Madi
Betsan
Arwen
Sara
Cariad
Enid
Elinor

Luzina · 08/03/2020 22:51

I likes Anwen, Rhian, Angharad, Nia, Gwenan

CoffeeandLotsofCake · 08/03/2020 22:47

Having a Welsh name myself which is ALWAYS mispronounced and having a Cadi, Eleri, Rhian, Lowri, Eleri and a Sioned in my family, I would say that they will all get mispronounced.

Cadi as kay-di. Eleri to rhyme with cellery. Rhian as rhi-un. Lowri as lowry (blame lowri turner for this). And Sioned as absolutely all sorts.

I actually live in a heavily Welsh speaking area and it still surprises and annoys me.

Think very carefully about the variations and how much it is likely to annoy you.

AndNoneForGretchenWieners · 08/03/2020 22:45

I like Eluned, but it is tricky for people to remember how to say it - I have a friend called Eluned who spends her life correcting people. I think it's really pretty though.

FunnysInLaJardin · 08/03/2020 22:38

Nerys or Nia?

HeartshapedFox · 08/03/2020 22:33

Celyn - means holly
Enfys - probably more likely to get mispronounced, but means rainbow
Delyth - not very popular now with little ones, more likely to be their mum’s name!

Troels · 08/03/2020 22:26

I just remembered Menna, and Elin.

Troels · 08/03/2020 22:22

I like
Cadi, Lora, Tesni, Lowri, Nerys, Anwen, Branwen, Bronwen.

Numbness2020 · 08/03/2020 22:12

Don’t bank on even easy welsh names being spelt correctly. It’s so frustrating. Don’t regret my daughters name at all though.

Two of her names have been mentioned on this thread.

Mopmum35 · 08/03/2020 22:10

Rhian pronounced Rhi-un not Rhianne
Meghan