Is it daft to use Gwilym if we're not Welsh?

[Laquila]

This is pretty much the only boys' name I like. My husband's worried that it's "a bit Welsh" (well...duh), although he loves Wales and has a lot of good memories from there. What do you think? Would you automatically assume a Gwilym was Welsh?

Is it William?

Look in the mirror. Say the following words out loud.

"Yes, pronounced Gwi-lim.
Yes, it's Welsh.
No, I'm not.
No, he isn't either.
No we just really liked the name"

Repeat twenty times and if you still love the name then go for it.

I guess it's the Welsh equivalent of William. It's a very old name, I think.

Hah Rita so I take that to mean you'd assume were Welsh ;)

I'd maybe expect to be asked if we were, but I wouldn't think I'd have to clarify pronunciation that often...would I?! Is it really that little-known in England?

The pronounciation isn't that tricky but I do think that everyone will assume you're Welsh and you will have to explain that no you're not. But that's not the worst thing in the world, and as long as you can live with it then why not.

I know a 50 yo man with this name, who has Welsh parents. He hated it growing up, but nowadays there are many more names around. However, even now he is constantly having to tell people how to pronounce it and spell it, and many people just get it wrong all the time!

I would not if you are living in England, so many English people are v scathing about anything Welsh and he will prob end up being called 'sheep shagger' or some other original thing when he is at school.

yes.

So is it pronounced Willam?

I think Willam is a nice name but do the mirror thing before you decide to do the whole Welsh spelling

I wouldn't. DF is welsh with a very welsh name. It speaks volumes of his life long difficulty with spelling it out that DPs chose to give us "normal" (his words!) English names, which are also used in Wales, rather than they welsh equivalent.

Think Ann rather than Angharad.

FWIW I like Gwilym, but would not use it unless you live in Wales or are Welsh.

Yes. I'd think there's a welsh connection. Nice name though. Move to Wales before you have the baby?

is it really that little known in England?. Yes. Probably because it's not English; it's Welsh...

I would definitely assume someone with that name was Welsh and I don't know how it is pronounced but I don't think that means you shouldn't use it if you like it! We are using a girls name that is apparently Hungarian!

Thanks all - food for thought!

Flogging - it seems you're right, and that it's not that well-known in England, but I'm not sure that the logic really follows - there are looooads of non-English names that are well-known in England!

Dame - it's pronounced Gwi-lim, as although it's sort of the equivalent of William, it's still very much a name in its own right (I guess a bit like Guillaume, from which I've always assumed William came).

I'd assume it was (and you were) Welsh, yes.

I think some Welsh names have become mainstream (like Seren) to the point of not needing to be Welsh to use them... but Gwilym is just mega Welsh, so I don't think you could get away with it.

Guillaume is French. William is originally from Willahelm.

What's wrong with plain old William, it smacks of pretension (I'm sure you're not). E.g. would you want to use Johannes instead of John, or Pierre instead of Peter

I wouldn't. FWIW I'd never heard of it (English, a few holidays in Wales, don't live anywhere near Welsh borders).

I love love love the name Eilidh. But I'm not Scottish, DH isn't Scottish, no family connection etc - so no. I would use e.g. Fiona - which is Scottish but common as an English name too.

I don't like the look of that, but I had Olwen on my list. So I say use it if you want to. I don't think people would have given me twenty questions if I'd used Olwen. I kjnow a Bethan and she's never asked if she's Welsh. I'd say about a third of English people have one grandparent who is Irish/Scottish/Welsh. Disclaimer, I plucked that wildly out of thin air! But it is how it seems to me, just chatting to people (not vey scientific I know).

If you like it use it- I have a fairly unusual welsh name and live in England (although I am of welsh parents) - I am only very very rarely asked if it and I am Welsh.

It's an absolute stunner of a name IMHO. Mostly shortened to Gwil or Wil for English relatives who show no inclination to learn how to say the name of their youngest grandson

Your pronunciation is likely to be a bit ropey, also. You not being Welsh and all.

Names like Fiona has no English version, I think that makes it more 'ok' somehow.

It is a very old man name

I knew a Gwillem from Holland - so it's not exclusively Welsh.

Different spelling, different pronunciation, Dilliguf