Alys or Alice

[wildpoppy]

Thoughts please?

Alys is the English spelling of the name, historically. (We Welsh borrowed it thus from the neighbours!) It's from the Old French Aliz, and as The Oxford Dictionary of English Christian Names says "By the 12thC ... it was a very common name in England as well as France ... In England it was usually Alys...In the middle of the 17th C it was regarded as an old-fashioned, country name and fell into general disuse, until its revival in the middle of the 19thC by the romance writers, often in the latinized form Alicia. CMY says of it (1863) 'now with constantia and Edith a favourite fancy name'".

So historically, Alice is the made-up, fancy name, and Alys the traditional English spelling. Alys was good enough for Chaucer, certainly - it's the name of the Wife of Bath in the Canterbury Tales.

I think Alys is very pretty, and the spelling isn't made up.

Alys if you're Welsh. Otherwise Alice.

It's not Welsh.

I love Alys.

But I would probably go for Alice because it's easier.

Alys is an older spelling of Alice.

Can you take the wrong-headed judging if you plump for Alys? That's what you have to decide, really.

Alys and Alis are both valid spellings in Wales. Alys the Anglicisation of the Welsh I believe.

I prefer Alys it looks much nicer.

When I see Alice I can't help but focus on the lice part, it makes me itch.

Alice is the nicer spelling, but I don't like the sound of it at all. I've never liked the name for some reason. It's somewhere between sugary sweet and itchy.

"Alys the Anglicisation of the Welsh I believe."

No, it isn't. Alys is the old English spelling. Read PattyPenguin's post.

Alys.

But God there are some ignorant people on this thread though.

Ah, you live and learn

Love both but Alys is a bit more special. We've let these names slip away, bring em back I say.

I like Alys. Not made up, not forrin and not a made up spelling. I have an Alasdair though and do have to spell it all the time.

Is Alys even a name?

Of course it bloody is. It's the established Welsh spelling. However, unless you're in Wales, OP, your DD going to have a lifetime of ignorant people assuming that it's a 'younique' spelling.

Alys was on my list (we had a boy). I'm welsh and it's definitely an established welsh variant. However we live in england and I do feel it would have been awkward. I have a name spelt strangely and it is a PITA.

Once again. You DO NOT have to be Welsh to give your child an ENGLISH name with an old-fashioned spelling.

I daresay Alys is and has been in use in Wales, but that does not mean it is the exclusive preserve of the Welsh. It is an ENGLISH name as well.

Ivory, you're wasting your time, this happens every time a Welsh name (or indeed one merely more commonly used in Wales) is mentioned on here.

It's only okay in Wales, apparently .

Makes me want to call mine Gwellian Myfanwy and move to the Home Counties.

I really like Alys, but dislike Alice, which I find rather staid.

Alys is fine if you're not Welsh. Many names have originated in other countries.