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Baby names

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Original poster

Welsh Baby Names Living in London

81 replies

QuintillaTortilla · 12/06/2023 20:33

So DH is Welsh, and I'm technically English (lived overseas for 80% of my life). We live in London now.

He wants to name our little girl a Welsh name, so far he has:
Lleucu
Esyllt
Heledd-Flur
Goleuddydd

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GogLais · 03/07/2023 14:48

He obviously doesn't.

sunglassesonthetable · 03/07/2023 14:24

Of course.

But we all have a different approach to life. Kids included.

I still think Piotr would prefer his own name, with all its heritage, than actually having the given name Peter.

GogLais · 03/07/2023 14:20

@sunglassesonthetable , people can call their children whatever they like, but it's the child who has to live with it. Look at the Klelia thread for how people have commented. Klelia? | Mumsnet

I can't argue with Piotr saying that he dislikes people saying his name as Pee-Otter.

Klelia? | Mumsnet

What do you think? Or Clelia is better?

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/baby_names/4836563-klelia

sunglassesonthetable · 03/07/2023 14:07

Yep my point being only give your kids really simple names in case someone in the future is unfamiliar with it.

Obvs 🙄 don't really think that.

I'm English in Wales and have learned and enjoy a cornucopia of names I didn't know before. And learnt to pronounce them.

GogLais · 03/07/2023 13:58

I know quite a few welsh Anns, Johns and Susans. I don't think they are popular names for babies right now though. Young ones would be more likely to be Anni/Anna, Jac and Lili

sunglassesonthetable · 03/07/2023 13:42

people don't usually ask, they read your name and say it how it looks to them.

Probably best to keep to Ann, John, Susan then. 🙄

Saschka · 03/07/2023 13:35

Lockdownmummy · 12/06/2023 21:28

All would struggle being pronounced correctly without being told - depends if that's a deal breaker for you?

Also think about how it might be pronounced in a London accent... I have a Bethan and where we are gets pronounced Beffan which I find highly irritating

Yep - I was put off Olivia for life by hearing “Oh-Livvy-AARGH!” being bellowed across the playground.

GogLais · 03/07/2023 13:29

@sunglassesonthetable , people don't usually ask, they read your name and say it how it looks to them.

I know an Andrzej, Piotr and Joao who go by Andrew, Peter and John. When I asked why, I got the 'because nobody can say and spell it properly'.

If I started a thread on Caoimhe, there probably wouldn't be much agreement on the pronunciation, and it would be misspelt quite a few times, and there would likely be at least one post saying to spell it the anglicised way.

Teuntje is something like Toontchuh. Tonia/Tonya seems a lot easier

sunglassesonthetable · 03/07/2023 09:50

they may well do, but names with sounds not in standard English tend to get mispronounced and misspelt. Would you know without asking how to say Andrzej, Piotr, Caoimhe, Jabier, Joao or Teuntje? Would you know how to spell them if you heard them?

Life is not a quiz. It's fine to ask or to be told how to spell or pronounce a name. 😁

I don't expect to automatically know how to pronounce or spell every name I come across in a multicultural world! Why would I?

OneLittleFinger · 03/07/2023 09:40

The protagonist in BBC's Hidden was called Cadi which I love.

JoyLuck · 03/07/2023 09:23

GogLais · 03/07/2023 09:16

@JoyLuck , they may well do, but names with sounds not in standard English tend to get mispronounced and misspelt. Would you know without asking how to say Andrzej, Piotr, Caoimhe, Jabier, Joao or Teuntje? Would you know how to spell them if you heard them?

I know how to pronounce all but Teuntje, and as someone who had a child with a non-phonetic-in-English Irish name (both first name and surname) who spent his first eight years in London and elsewhere in England, it was never an issue. People often didn’t know how to pronounce or spell it the first time they encountered it, but they learned. I also have an Irish-language first name and surname, and have lived all over the world.

GogLais · 03/07/2023 09:16

@JoyLuck , they may well do, but names with sounds not in standard English tend to get mispronounced and misspelt. Would you know without asking how to say Andrzej, Piotr, Caoimhe, Jabier, Joao or Teuntje? Would you know how to spell them if you heard them?

JoyLuck · 03/07/2023 08:48

TheYear2000 · 12/06/2023 20:42

I teach in central london and there's a huge range of names ranging in origins. Often that I need to hear pronounced to know how to pronounce them. I wouldn't be put off by the non-anglophone spelling/pronunciation, if you both like the names!

This. My north London NCT group had Polish, German, French, Irish, west African, and Brazilian names.

GogLais · 03/07/2023 08:46

I can't see either working in London. They seem like an old woman's name to me.

ladybee2 · 03/07/2023 08:34

Eluned or Ceinwen are lovely Welsh girls' names.

user1492757084 · 03/07/2023 08:27

Do more research and come up with some names that you like the sound of and are Welsh. It is sweet to have a meaningful name. Ask for a list of the names of your husband's forebears and cousins.

peaceinourtime · 03/07/2023 07:54

Go with Nia, Bronwen, Gwen or Ffion.

SallyWD · 13/06/2023 19:27

Lululoop · 13/06/2023 18:06

Anything but Blod!!!

That's what I thought!

WellTidy · 13/06/2023 18:51

I’m Welsh, living in London, and Catrin was my first choice of welsh girls name. We had boys so didn’t get to use it. But it would be my number one choice.

SallyWD · 13/06/2023 18:49

I know Welsh girls living in England called Anwen, Nia, Elin, Gwen abd Cerys. To me these names are a lot easier for non-Welsh speakers and I think would make your girl's life easier too!

KnickerlessParsons · 13/06/2023 18:40

How do you pronounce:
Lleucu
Goleuddydd
Esyllt?

I have no idea how to write Lleucu and Esyllt phonetically but it's
Ll-eye-key and Ess-i-ll-t

Goleuddydd is Gol-eye-th-I-th where the th is hard like in the or that

cathyandclare · 13/06/2023 18:36

I’m Welsh but those are a bit challenging for me, some of them were the jokey names my mum suggested when we had our DDs. Esyllt is pretty, but ll is a challenge, she’s more likely to be spat over than have it pronounced properly!

I loved Betsan but DH said it sounded like a toilet cleaner, I had so many Sians, Siwans and Catrins at school that I didn’t want those, so we chose a couple of the easy to pronounce names that are on many, many of the lists.

Hyppogriff · 13/06/2023 18:25

we have a Welsh girl’s name in London but those ones are a bit far out…

LadyEloise1 · 13/06/2023 18:16

Seren is beautiful as is Carys.
I think of serenity and a soft caress when I hear those names.
I also like Elin.
How do you pronounce:
Lleucu
Goleuddydd
Esyllt ?

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