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Baby names

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

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Original poster

Help with Welsh baby names

82 replies

Issy42 · 23/07/2009 22:03

I'm Welsh and would like to give my baby a Welsh name, but don't want to choose something that sounds too old or too odd for a child living in England. Always thought I would use Rhian/Rhiannon/Rhianedd for a girl but since the Rihanna umbrella song, I think it's a bit of a teenage mum name now. I'm not religious so trying to avoid names with meanings relating to God. Also can't begin with T, C or M.

Currently have:

Girls
Arwen (means fair/fine)- love the 'rw' sound but too Lord of the Rings?
Anwen (fair and beautiful)
Branwen (beautiful raven)
Eira (snow) - good for a winter baby, but too old?
Aneira (snow)

Boys
Vaughan (little)
Rhys (enthusiasm)
Gethin (dark-skinned - I'm very pale)

Also like Leon for a boy, though not Welsh. Would it be better for a boy to use a more popular first name with a Welsh middle name?

Any thoughts/other suggestions?

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Mammina · 23/07/2009 23:24

What would Branwen be shortened to do you think?

Sorry not keen on Vaughan. there was a Vaughan at school who was a bit dull & everyone called him Vaughan Yawn..

bronze · 23/07/2009 23:24

Flame- Gusg?

Flamesparrow · 23/07/2009 23:20

Lol not offended - we did think about it when we chose it

Vaughan - not desperately moved by it either way tbh.

bronze · 23/07/2009 23:20

Never been bullied in my life about it. Cos I was lanky and thats more obvious maybe but they always find something. Its because it means weasel which of course has a white breast.

Flamesparrow · 23/07/2009 23:19

I am still on the hunt for a welsh name that can be shortened to Gus, otherwise this poor child will grow up very confused about why his brother insists on calling him Gus

Original poster

Issy42 · 23/07/2009 23:19

Thanks TAFKA - getting sidetracked by Question Time so cross posting again.

Sorry Flame - my post seems really insensitive now. I do love the way Bronwen sounds though and I'm sure not many people will make the breast connection.

Thanks Jas.

No-one has commented on Vaughan - any thoughts? Mixed reactions from friends - they either love it or think it's for 90-year olds.

OP posts:

Dysgu · 23/07/2009 23:19

I love the name Ieuan - but we have two girls. Seren was on our short list but we opted for something else in the end.

Flamesparrow · 23/07/2009 23:18

I'm Flame - 28 weeks and on the hunt for names

We knew what the name meant when we chose it, but couldn't remember what any of our classmate's names meant so couldn't see it as being that big a bullying problem. I think our main issue is how pissed off she is when she finds out that she got fair breasted and her brother got immortal

Mammina · 23/07/2009 23:17

Am going through the same thing at the moment and love Eira, actually prefer Eiry but 1) am having a summer baby 2) I think it would be pronounced Eye-rah/Eye-ree as someone else pointed out.
My fave name is Aneira but DH isn't keen - I think it's beautiful. Might have it as a middle name.

So our shortlist is:
Girls:
Cerys (middle name Aneira as a compromise with DH)
or
Cassi - 2 'n's so that it's not pronounced Casey (although don't have a middle name, don't think Aneira goes with it?)

Boys
Osian (middle name Lewis)
or
Gruffydd (middle name ?)

Strange as I also considered Leon, pron Layon rather than Leeon..

I couldn't use Ms either which is annoying as there were loads with M I loved.

I can't use them but like Iago or Ianto

Original poster

Issy42 · 23/07/2009 23:15

Frizbe - who's Flame?
rokersmum - Seren is lovely isn't it.
bronze - Thanks for replying. I knew a Nia from Neath when I was younger. I love the sound of Bronwen but it means white breast and one of the baby name sites mentioned quite a lot of bullying associated with it. Sorry any Bronwens/mums of Bronwens out there.

OP posts:

Jas · 23/07/2009 23:14

Not good on Welsh names, but I would like to say that Leon is a particularly lovely name

Flamesparrow · 23/07/2009 23:11

I have a Bronwyn (wen is the "proper" welsh), and an Emrys

I love Aneira (DH has vetoed it )

I had a thread a while back where people gave me oodles of names, and I have forgotten most of them (intending to print it out and make DH read it, so was not a wasted thread).

TAFKAtheUrbanDryad · 23/07/2009 23:08

It's pronounced "Yan-toh" and is a form of John, AFAIK. So it would mean "Gift of God", I think.

bronze · 23/07/2009 23:05

I have a Nia
nice and easy to say and spell. Get the occasional Mia bu only from people who havent heard clearly.

Also Bronwen is a cracking name

I love quite a lot of the names but when tested out I found people got the wrong. Thing slike Eira seemed obvious to me but seems not to muh to some people

Frizbe · 23/07/2009 23:05

Bumping for Flame!

rokersmum · 23/07/2009 23:03

I love Seren ... didn't know it was unisex how exciting could cover number 2 due in January whatever their sex!

Original poster

Issy42 · 23/07/2009 22:57

Hi lowrib I think we've been on a thread together before. Is 'normal' good or bad? My name was the most popular girl's name in my school and I hate it, so going for less popular, but does that mean bullying? Lowri is lovely. I'm glad so many people like Eira - I love it and the meaning is good for a January baby.

TAFKA - I love Swansea - went to uni there. I've not heard of Ianto before, how is it pronounced?

GwarchodwrPlant - Not heard of Irda either, do you know what it means?

OP posts:

TAFKAtheUrbanDryad · 23/07/2009 22:43

Lowri is a lovely name. My mate (from Swansea!) is Lyndele.

I love Welsh names, my dd has a Welsh first name and a Cornish second name. We have Cornish ancestry but no familial connection to Wales at all, I just like it!

lowrib · 23/07/2009 22:40

Osian is a fantastic name too, and with a great story behind it.

I've heard of a few Serens in England, lovely name again.

Lowri is my (middle) name!! I like it and I get compliments from English people saying it's a pretty name.

lowrib · 23/07/2009 22:33

All lovely names

I particularly like Eira and Gethin, fantastic names.

Rhys sounds most 'normal' IMO

Original poster

Issy42 · 23/07/2009 22:26

Sidge - I love Tegan too but my name begins with T and I'd like them to have something different. Memories of a friend getting his exam results opened by his dad (same name) by mistake.

OP posts:

GwarchodwrPlant · 23/07/2009 22:25

Lois is nice for a girl

Irda for a boy?

Original poster

Issy42 · 23/07/2009 22:22

Lots of cross posting - thanks for all the replies. Lots of great suggestions.

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Sidge · 23/07/2009 22:22

I know a Taliesin and a Seren.

How about Brynn, Rhodri or Dillon for a boy, and Lowri, Eleri or Tegan for a girl?

Original poster

Issy42 · 23/07/2009 22:20

Thanks MrsM. I like Aneurin too, but wasn't sure if it was too girlie.

I like Cerys too but can't use a name beginning with C - would remind me of a particularly unpleasant family member. Not keen on Gwen though I like the meaning and the wen sound - thankfully you can add wen to the end of so many Welsh names.

Mama - I had IVF and embryos were called Idris and Myfanwy as joke names. I'm only expecting one so bean's name is Idry now. Gethin is the blue peter presenter who was on Strictly but I had it in mind before I knew that.

I like Seren. It's a unisex name too.

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