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Baby names

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

Definitely want a welsh name, any thoughts on shortlist?

112 replies

nightandthelight · 10/07/2015 19:15

Girls:

Aneira
Arianwen
Ceridwen
Enfys (too much like envy?)
Nesta
Tagwen

Boys:

Aneirin
Bleddyn
Emrys (has this been ruined by BBCs Merlin?)
Heddwyn
Maredudd
Seth

OP posts:
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nightandthelight · 10/07/2015 21:02

I went to uni with a non Welsh non living in Wales Gwilym laquila and no one blinked!

OP posts:
SocksRock · 10/07/2015 21:02

Laquila, I am English living in England and have a Gwilym. He does have a Welsh speaking father though.

SocksRock · 10/07/2015 21:03

And no one has ever commented.

Cherry321 · 10/07/2015 21:06

Idris, Ioan, Iestyn and Steffan for boys

Eleri, Rhiannon, Bethan and Meinir for girls.

pob Lwc!

polkadotdelight · 10/07/2015 21:07

I know a little Esyllt (Esi). Its my favourite welsh girls name now.

mamapants · 10/07/2015 21:17

I don't understand how Anwen is translated to most beautiful?

Laquila · 10/07/2015 21:30

Thanks night and Socks! I actually also went to uni with one (although I think he was Welsh) and didn't love it at the time but it suddenly "came to me" in a flash a few weeks ago and now I'm bloody obsessed with it! Socks I think you have an advantage though with Welsh heritage ;)

longdiling · 10/07/2015 21:30

I reall like Gwen and Gruffudd from your revised list - also Taliesin!

Sophronia · 10/07/2015 21:56

I like Arianwen and Emrys best, I also like Emlyn for a boy.

confusedandemployed · 10/07/2015 23:07

Taliesin rocks!!!

Very rich name historically too.

Can I give one final shout out for Glesni for a girl? Pronounced Gless-knee, means purity. A name owned by the most beautiful person that ever lived so it must have good vibes.

littlejohnnydory · 11/07/2015 00:29

Esyllt
Seren
Eluned
Elliw
Alaw
Awel
Elin
Fflur
Awena
Beca

Nedw
Ianto
Huw
Ioan
Iwan
Llewelyn

LovelyBranches · 11/07/2015 09:35

Lovely names OP but if you need more food for thought my top names are;
Rhianydd
Alys
Celyn

Osian
Llew
Tyvion
Macsen

LovelyBranches · 11/07/2015 09:39

Ohh I forgot to add Idris and Teilo.

PattyPenguin · 11/07/2015 10:24

Seth is Biblical, and therefore Hebrew. A lot of Biblical, particularly Old Testament, names used to be popular in Wales due to the influence of nonconformism.

(My favourite name of a haulage firm from donkey's years ago - Tyssul Ebenezer. In your face, Norbert Dentressangle!)

Anwen is actually a fairly recently devised name, but it's a combination of the traditional elements An- (which in names is usually an intensifier, so Angharad is from *An-carata = much-loved) and -wen (originally a suffix applied to women's names meaning 'blessed', implying that they were very holy women or saints, so original name Cain (beautiful) + wen = Ceinwen).

Might be worth trawling through lists of Welsh saints' names and Welsh literature - the Pengwern cycle of poems (Heledd, Llywarch Hen), the Gododdin, the medieval tales, etc.

Heledd (dd is a voiced th, the sound at the start of the words 'the' or 'thee') is lovely - a friend of mine brought up a daughter of that name in
SE England without too many problems.

I would love to have called a daughter Ffreuer, after one of Heledd's sisters in the Pengwern cycle, but having an English family-in-law couldn't have coped with her being called Fryer / Friar.

YoureAllABunchOfBastards · 11/07/2015 10:37

Gethin?

CakeRattleandRoll · 11/07/2015 10:57

Wow, you are so lucky being able to use Welsh names OP! I have Welsh heritage, but DH vetoed every Welsh name I suggested.

I LOVE all of your girls list, several were on my shortlist, along with Tirion, which had to be dropped due to GoT. Also on my list were Aderyn, Adara, Aelwen and Eirwen.

Also love most of your boys list, just ambivalent about Seth. My favourite is Osian and I'm another one who is a HUGE fan of Taliesin.

You have the best lists (IMO) I've ever seen!

forago · 11/07/2015 11:11

I love the majority of these name, and love welsh names in general. Sadly we have no welsh heritage at all so only dared a Dylan - though why that's acceptable for non-welsh people to use, as is Seth, but Gwylim isn't, I don't know. There is one at work who is Scottish and I don't think Idris Elba is entirely welsh?

nightandthelight · 11/07/2015 11:17

Thanks cake that's really lovely of you :) I am so sorry that your DH vetoed them!

Just came across Aderyn and I love it! Also patty thanks for reminding me about heledd! Idris and taliesin are also growing on me :)

Loving all the suggestions, my list is going to be so long at this rate!

OP posts:
Branleuse · 11/07/2015 11:23

Blodwen

AbbeyRoadCrossing · 11/07/2015 11:30

I know it's a controversial one on mn, but some Welsh names are popular with those with no Welsh heritage at all in England (I'm in south east)
Lots of little Dylan, Owen (slightly older), Seren and Carys round by me. Lots of non Irish using Irish names too.
I think it's quite nice really but I know others disagree.

Oh and Idris Elba is called Idrissa but I guess he shortened it at some point

WhyCantIuseTheNameIWant · 11/07/2015 12:44

Eirlys is welsh for snowdrop

I love it. Not biased at all...

SocksRock · 11/07/2015 12:46

Aderyn means bird - would be nice as a name

BikeRunSki · 11/07/2015 12:51

My fantasy Welsh children are called Elin, Carys and Rhodri.

Of your list, l like Aneira, Anreirin and Emrys.

Penguinandminipenguin · 11/07/2015 12:51

Our DD is due in 3 weeks, and we've gone for Eleri. I absolutely love it. English friends/family are a bit Hmm by the choice, but oh well! If we ever had another DD, we would go for Anwen.

SirVixofVixHall · 11/07/2015 13:04

Eleri is really pretty. I like Teleri too.