Welsh boy names

Owen
Morgan
Dylan
Elis
Iwan
Tomos

Hywel

Idris is popular in north wales. No one makes comments on the actor. Its a nice old fashioned name.
Tomos and arthur are also mutual ones that are equally as nice.

Mali is a welsh name. Pronounced Mally and the equivalent of Molly.
Not Mah-lee.

I’m glad we agree then that flatly incorrect pronunciation is not the same as a valid regional variation of a pronunciation.

A better still comparison would be the use of Catherine or David in English and in French. Neither cath-rin or cat-reen, nor day-vid and da-veed, is incorrect.

Never heard of it before until a colleague has named their little girl this and all I can think of is the African country.

@NotAnotherHelen, A better comparison might be Amélie or Elodie. The anglicised Amelie and Elodie are not as pretty, but if you insisted on the original pronunciation, you'd probably get nowhere.

@NotAnotherHelen, None of them are wrong because Helen is Hellin, Hellun, or Hel-en because of accent. Helen is a Welsh form of Helen.

My name is Helen. Most people pronounce it hel-un. Some pronounce it hel-in. My Welsh friend uses a clear hel-en. Are any of those people wrong?

Einir/Enya/Ena might have been a better example.

Einir is not easy but it's a bit like Ey-neerr (like Eynee with as rr on the end). Meinir is the same, and Eilir, a boy's name, follows the same pattern.

As a boy's name, I like Mostyn.

I would add 'I'm not even going to try and say that' (and much worse), 'I can't call you that, I'll call you ...', 'Why do you say your name is Einir when it is Eimear', 'I know how to spell it' (No, you obviously don't), transposed vowels (e.g. Gywn for Gwyn).

Yes, I've had that. Let's say my name is Sian. I've had 'I'll call you Jane instead as it's easier' even 'this is England and your parents should have called you Jane'

Then I've had 'it should be spelled Sharn'. Some people are just very rude.

Most people are complimentary though and make an effort to learn how to spell and say it.

They are all anglicised versions.

What happens is that the anglicised versions become mainstream, and if a Welsh-speaking parent wants to use names like Alun, Angharad, Dylan, Rhian or Rhys, the anglicised form will be dominant.

As a Welsh-speaker, I find the anglicised forms quite unpleasant-sounding, but the Welsh versions are really nice. I wouldn't use any of those names as they were popular in the 1960s so seem middle-aged. I'd probably make an exception for Rhys as I really like the way it is said in Welsh (not Rees), but I know far too many.

[quote DacwMamYnDwad]@ImAllOut, my South Walian friend would be very cross.

By In South Wales names like Rhys, Dylan and Alun are pronounced as they would be in English anyway.
Are you saying that's how a non-Welsh speaker from South Wales would say them, because I doubt it is true.[/quote]
Yes I'm in the south east in a non Welsh speaking area. I had four Rhys' in my class at school, all of whom pronounced it rees. I also know many Dylans who pronounce it dill-un. Also know numerous Ieuans as yi-yun, Eiras as i-ra etc.

[quote DacwMamYnDwad]@ImAllOut, my South Walian friend would be very cross.

By In South Wales names like Rhys, Dylan and Alun are pronounced as they would be in English anyway.
Are you saying that's how a non-Welsh speaker from South Wales would say them, because I doubt it is true.[/quote]
I guess it depends where in South Wales, but I know that in South East Wales, a lot of non-Welsh speakers would pronounce them "Rees", "Dilan" and "Alan"/"Alyn". Other names would be "Ree-un" (Rhian), "Angharud", Bethun"... When we moved there from Swansea (where my world was 90% Welsh-speaking), I came home to tell my mum there was a "Maia" in the school. Turns out it was Mair!

@ImAllOut, my South Walian friend would be very cross.

By In South Wales names like Rhys, Dylan and Alun are pronounced as they would be in English anyway.
Are you saying that's how a non-Welsh speaker from South Wales would say them, because I doubt it is true.

I'm Welsh and in South Wales, we went with an easy to pronounce Welsh middle name. In South Wales names like Rhys, Dylan and Alun are pronounced as they would be in English anyway. In the north they would be considered to be pronounced wrong but in the south that's just how they're said.

Do they, @Bumpsadaisie. Wouldn't they say it as Lou-ellin, andwrite it as Llewellyn?

Llewelyn? Everyone in England knows how to say that.

I would add 'I'm not even going to try and say that' (and much worse), 'I can't call you that, I'll call you ...', 'Why do you say your name is Einir when it is Eimear', 'I know how to spell it' (No, you obviously don't), transposed vowels (e.g. Gywn for Gwyn).

Let's say my name is Einir (it isn't) and ever single time I meet someone new I get called Eye-near or En-ear, or get asked 'How do you say it?' then they try and fail miserably, it gets tiresome.

**Used Einir as it's a pretty and not overused name, but is likely to be a PITA

Thanks Midge75, you have pretty much summed up what I think.

It's not about keeping Welsh names Welsh - it's just that I have heard too many butchered Welsh names and I would hate it.

there are jsut as many who consistently get them wrong - inserting extra letters, or changing emphasis, or changing/elongating vowels - to make them sound like a more familiar name. It's as though they hear one thing and assume my sister made a mistake!

It would drive me nuts, but if you love a name and can handle all the incorrect pronunciations, great!

This is what people have to consider. My Mam thought my name was obvious to people who don't speak Welsh. She was wrong - even my (English) father's family mispronounce it and spell it wrong sometimes.

My Mam gets grumpy when people get it wrong, even the first time, before they are told.

My Dad and I are much more zen about it. It's an unusual name (in England) and most people will need to be told how to spell and say it. That's ok, I just explain and most people manage it once explained. I love my name so don't mind doing it and it's a good conversation starter.

I only get grumpy when people are rude about it, like when people are like 'eurgh, I'll never learn that I will call you Sarah instead' or 'this is England so I'll call you Jane instead'. Fortunately most people aren't that rude!

I live in a diverse area where lots of people have names from a variety of cultures so no-one bats an eyelid at my name here and I have had to ask a few people how to pronounce their names too.

So, I know I can handle using a Welsh name which people won't necessarily get right straight away.

I’m starting to think that there are people deliberately baiting the more prolific and opinionated posters.

We have two boys. Llio (it's pronounced Theo) and Rhos (it's pronounced Ross). We wanted them to have names that reflect their heritage. DH's grandfather was a miner in the Valleys, and my DM was born in Swansea.

Love Iolo and Geraint.
Friend is Dafydd but uses Dai as not in Wales and people struggle with it