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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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Lululoop · 13/06/2023 18:06

Anything but Blod!!!

GogLais · 13/06/2023 17:42

@Riverlee , you have misspelt Angharad and Eleri, and I've not seen or heard Anwena before but I know a few women called Alwenna.

@Phphion , I'd forgotten the name from the Mabinogi. Thanks for the reminder. Definitely tragic.

Riverlee · 13/06/2023 17:33

Suggestions
Anghared
Elleri
Carys
Eluned
Rhiannon
Ffion
Anwena

Riverlee · 13/06/2023 17:29

I agree with the comments above that there’s nothing wrong in choosing a a Welsh name, but choose one more ‘less Welsh’, if that makes sense.ie. One more easily pronounceable/spelling in English.

Phphion · 13/06/2023 17:19

Hard to pronounce Welsh names are not any more Welsh than easier to pronounce Welsh names.

Goleuddydd was an endlessly tragic character from the Mabinogion. Since it is otherwise hardly ever used as a name in Wales, it is difficult to escape that association.

GogLais · 13/06/2023 15:35

@YnysMonCrone , Bronwyn is awful. The -wyn ending is masculine. Bronwen is nice.

@salamithumbs , Rowena isn't welsh but is possibly derived from Welsh

@Hottoffeesauce , Arianwen seems a bit made up, and will get said as Arry Anwen when it's Arr-YAN-wen

@SemperIdem , I can assure you that London's "inhabitants will manage just fine with Welsh names." is not true. They'll cope just fine with some Welsh names.

SemperIdem · 13/06/2023 15:21

London is the most multicultural city in the UK. It’s inhabitants will manage just fine with Welsh names.

I’d perhaps be less confident of the inhabitants of somewhere in Dorset managing them though.

Spanielsarepainless · 13/06/2023 14:14

A relation in almost exactly your position has Betsan and Idris so the English contingent stand a chance.

GogLais · 13/06/2023 13:58

I'd double the n in Anest to get Annest, or it might get said as Anussed.

Most Welsh names will sound a bit different when said by someone who doesn't speak Welsh, but it depends on whether you/DD mind.
I wouldn't like to be called Beffun or Ree-un, but might not be too annoyed if someone said Marie for Mari.

PickledScrump · 13/06/2023 13:33

I’ve seen a lot of people recommend Eira, I have an Eira and still have the pronounciation problems. Even in wales there’s an ay-ra vs eye-ra divide. Plus people often mishear it for Ava. I still absolutely love it and doesn’t bother me at all but may bother some.

CaffiSaliMali · 13/06/2023 12:26

Esyllt is my favourite name but the Ll will be butchered. It would be mispronounced as Ess-ilt.

Most welsh names will have pronunciation issues IME (my name is simple but oft mispronounced) but some names are more likely to be butchered e.g. Lleucu or Buddug.

I would go for something like:

Nia
Mali
Mabli
Eira
Nansi
Alys
Cadi
Catrin
Efa
Anest
Mari
Tesni

London's very multicultural, lots of people have names from all over the world here but DH's list are all names that people will find trickier compared to other Welsh names.

GogLais · 13/06/2023 11:35

@CornishTiger , the c is like k in English. The other letters do not have equivalent sounds in English. The easiest way to try to say it is 'Lucy'

GogLais · 13/06/2023 11:31

Lleucu - lovely
Esyllt - lovely
Heledd-Flur - misspelt and hyphenate names are naff. Heledd and Fflur are fine
Goleuddydd - is it a name? Looks like Golau and Dydd tacked together and means 'Light of day'

I think your DH is pulling your leg. Those names will mean almost constant correcting or putting up with misspelling and mispronunciation.

Blod is blimmin awful, and if your DH is welsh he won't want to use Blodwyn as the spelling is Blodwen. The - wyn ending is masculine.

Gwen is fine.

halfsiesonapotnoodle · 13/06/2023 09:36

Maddy70 · 12/06/2023 23:48

Myfi

She'll spend half her life explaining it's not Miffy. Pronounced Muvey.

CallieQ · 13/06/2023 01:24

Rhiannon
Carys

Not Blod!

CallieQ · 13/06/2023 01:24

Aeronwy

IvysMum12 · 13/06/2023 00:17

My lovely Welsh godmother was called Eirlys. I believe it means "Snowdrop."

CornishTiger · 12/06/2023 23:53

Also interested in how to pronounce Lleuclu.

I have a popular welsh girls name and it’s often misspelt or pronounced.

Maddy70 · 12/06/2023 23:48

Myfi

Maddy70 · 12/06/2023 23:48

Siani
Sionnned
Rhiannon

Anotherblueday · 12/06/2023 23:43

jannier · 12/06/2023 21:21

kianet shortened to Kia is lovely

That's not Welsh. There is no K in the Welsh alphabet

fishfingerSarnies · 12/06/2023 23:36

Ll is hard for English people to
say I loved both lleucu and Esyllt but my English family would have struggled. Plenty of pronounceable Welsh names.
Buddug was another one I loved but couldn’t use because I’m English.

cadi
mabli
mali
begw
nanw
nansi
efa
non
haf

DilysPrice · 12/06/2023 23:23

London kids are used to all sorts of names, and Esyllt in particular is a beautiful name, but honestly I think the English will butcher all of those even if they're trying their hardest. I'd probably butcher them and I've got 3 Welsh grandparents.

DelphiniumBlue · 12/06/2023 22:35

Am interested how to pronounce Lleuclu , I've not come across it.
I wouldn't worry how other people will pronounce the name you chose- most metropolitan schools these days have children and names from all around the globe. As a teacher, I just ask, and get them to correct me if I'm wrong . The other children in the class are only too happy to tell me the correct way to say it.

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