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Baby names

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

Original poster

Welsh girl names - Help

179 replies

Cookalia · 14/07/2020 17:17

We are really struggling with girl names.
It needs to be Welsh but work in Welsh speaking Wales and English speaking Wales and can't have a LL in it.

We have tended to like 'dated' names over current popular ones.

Megan, Bethan, Rhian, Carys etc are all nice but too run of mill.
Siân and Sioned also can't be used and nothing that begins with a T

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AncientRainbowABC · 15/07/2020 17:27

This has tuned into an interesting thread! I’m not Welsh but often follow these threads out of curiosity because I have a vague connection with Wales.

To the resident Welsh gurus on here: I often see Seren suggested on MN as a Welsh girl’s name, and it certainly ranks highly in the name stats. Is Seren a new(ish) name or one of those 90yo ones that has seen a revival? Hard to gauge its “feel”.

Also, is Matrona a Welsh name? I always thought it was Russian (albeit would probably be Matriona in English) but recently someone English living in Wales said it was Welsh. Stuck in my mind as, if true, the two places hardly have anything in common.

ILoveStickers · 15/07/2020 16:36

My aunties were Blodwen and Ceinwen but I suspect those are irredeemable! Grin

@MikeUniformMike, is Betrys just pronounced Bet-riss, or something else?

MikeUniformMike · 15/07/2020 15:42

@Sportsnight, Betrys is the welsh form of Beatrice. The double t isn't welsh.

CaffiSaliMali · 15/07/2020 15:29

[quote MikeUniformMike]@AdaColeman, she should have posted on here before naming her children. One of them has the middle name Olwyn.[/quote]
And this is precisely why people should double check these things and ask native speakers.

I know an Olwyn (parents misheard and misspelled Olwen). My Mam burst out laughing when I mentioned her name and said 'let's hope she never moves to Wales'.

Sportsnight · 15/07/2020 15:27

I once met a very lovely (and very Welsh) Bettrys (which she pronounced to rhyme with Tetris)

CaffiSaliMali · 15/07/2020 15:26

My girls list is:
Alys
Eira
Mari
Morwenna (saint Morwenna was born in Wales and did her saintly deeds in Cornwall)
Tesni

My favourite Welsh girls name is Esyllt, but like you I'm avoiding the Ll.

Mair
Catrin
Cadi
Ffion
Nia
Nerys
Carys
Cerys
Eirys
Eirlys
Eiry
Elin
Eleri
Enfys
Sali
Mali
Nansi
Gwendolen

WellTidy · 15/07/2020 14:38

Catrin? Its my favourite Welsh name.

MikeUniformMike · 15/07/2020 14:33

Tegwyn is a boy's name.
Bronwyn isn't but is a misspelling of Bronwen.

MikeUniformMike · 15/07/2020 14:26

@AdaColeman, she should have posted on here before naming her children. One of them has the middle name Olwyn.

AdaColeman · 15/07/2020 14:23

Stella McCartney's daughter is named Dilys, obviously no one had told Stella that it was an an unfashionable name!

MikeUniformMike · 15/07/2020 14:20

If it was a french thread and someone suggested Annette, Michelle, Sandrine and Jacqueline, and another poster said they were middle-aged or older women's names, they would be accused of being arsey.

If they suggested Junko, Jiaxin and Priya and another poster said they're not French, they'd be accused of being arsey

YippieKayakOtherBuckets · 15/07/2020 14:12

If someone asked for French names and posters suggested Japanese and Greek ones, the poster who points out that's wrong wouldn't be seen as 'arsey' I don't think.

They would if they did it in an arsey way! Grin

MikeUniformMike · 15/07/2020 14:01

I'd say 80 or 90-yr old's name. It's pronounced Dillis.

Most of the names I really love would get mangled, or will be misspelt.
You can't teach someone sounds that they can't say.
Examples are: Leusa, Llio, Lleucu, Mair (It's like Myra without the a. or My with a rr on the end)

Gwenhwyfar · 15/07/2020 13:54

@AdaColeman

Whatever you do, don't suggest Dilys, as we've already been told that it's "not very nice". Bad luck on the three lovely people I know called Dilys! Confused
I agree that it's a bit dates. Makes me think of a 60 year old piano teacher rather than a little baby, but I realise that names can come back into fashion. Elsi is also on this thread and I suppose that's one of the ones that's gone from being a 90-year-old's name to being a baby's.
Gwenhwyfar · 15/07/2020 13:51

@ZoyaTheDestroyer

It was a gentle joke, Gwen.
I know what you were trying to do.
MikeUniformMike · 15/07/2020 13:51

More suggestions:
Alwen
Alwenna
Morwen
Morwenna (Cornish)
Alaw (Melody)

IamMaz · 15/07/2020 13:50

Tegwyn
Bronwyn

MikeUniformMike · 15/07/2020 13:50

@ZoyaTheDestroyer, I'm more than willing to offer an opinion on a name.

@AdaColeman, it is very dated.

MikeUniformMike · 15/07/2020 13:40

Haf is a bit meh as a middle name, but I like it as a first name.
Only for summer-born girls though.
Same goes for Mai, but May-born.

ZoyaTheDestroyer · 15/07/2020 13:40

It was a gentle joke, Gwen.

AdaColeman · 15/07/2020 13:39

Whatever you do, don't suggest Dilys, as we've already been told that it's "not very nice".

Bad luck on the three lovely people I know called Dilys! Confused

Gwenhwyfar · 15/07/2020 13:36

@ZoyaTheDestroyer

I’m beginning to think that any MNer looking for a Welsh name should just PM Mike and Gwenhwyfar directly.
Well, I would suggest getting input from Welsh speakers if you want a Welsh (i.e. Welsh language) name. The other option is to consult books or websites to check the suggestions given here.

If you were looking for English names, you'd probably ask English speakers or consult books.

Gwenhwyfar · 15/07/2020 13:32

@tiredanddangerous

I love Mali and Cadi.
I agree that these are nice. Along with Mabli they're pretty popular as girls' names at the moment. Cadi is a diminutive of Catrin of course.
MikeUniformMike · 15/07/2020 13:31

Some names that might not have been suggested:
Lona
Siriol
Menai
Mona
Rona
Gwennol
Gwylan
Gaenor
Elen

Names like Meinir, Einir and Eirian will get mangled.
They'll get Meneer, Enneer and Erryun. Not pretty.

Biblical names are generally OK but they may vary in spelling and pronunciation.
Efa (Eve)
Esther
Ruth
Lois (pron. Loyce)
Deborah (Deb-OR-a)
Elisabeth
Sarai (Sarah) - not used but Sara is.
Rahel (Rachel)
Rebeca
...

Arianwen is pronounced Ar-YAN-wen not Arry Anwen.

ZoyaTheDestroyer · 15/07/2020 13:30

I’m beginning to think that any MNer looking for a Welsh name should just PM Mike and Gwenhwyfar directly.