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Arwen.... Is it a proper Welsh name?

47 replies

OhWhatAPalaver · 16/03/2016 08:16

DP really likes the name Arwen, to the point of which he (and his family!!) is already calling her Arwen all the time and I'm only just 26 weeks!

I do kinda like it too but still not sure about it. I've heard it's an old Welsh name but not sure if the LOTR connections are too much... I might prefer something a bit more traditionally Welsh but have had trouble convincing DP otherwise!

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TinklyLittleLaugh · 16/03/2016 10:57

The only Arwyn I know is male. Arwen is definitely made up. But nice.

EBearhug · 16/03/2016 11:16

I think you probably would get a few raised eyebrows and worse, if you were to name a child Arsenal!

(It's okay, my phone makes inexplicable autocorrects, too )

OhWhatAPalaver · 16/03/2016 11:41

Yeah, I read somewhere that Arwen is the feminine of Arwyn but you never know what to believe on t'internet.

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AuntJane · 16/03/2016 12:48

If you want a Welsh name similar to Arwen, try Eirwen. However, be warned that it translates as "Snow White".

OhWhatAPalaver · 16/03/2016 16:36

Thats a nice interesting one... Is that pronounced 'Air' at the beginning? Or is more of an 'Ire' sound?

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AuntJane · 16/03/2016 18:23

It's Ire-wen.

Doilooklikeatourist · 16/03/2016 18:26

Isn't it spent Awen , in Welsh ( lives in Wales and that's how I've seen a little girls name spelt )

OhWhatAPalaver · 16/03/2016 18:37

Thanks AuntJane
Do you mean Arwen or Eirwen tourist?

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thatstoast · 16/03/2016 18:38

The ei sound is pronounced like ay (as in say). So more like ay-r-wen. Also bearing on mind that welsh e is softer, more like eh/air.

UmbongoUnchained · 16/03/2016 18:51

Why would she get teased? My name is from a very very popular recent film (well, I came before the film!) and from Norse mythology. I have never been teased about it. I'm sure all the Arwen's, Khaleesi's and Kylo's are going to grow up absolutely fine. Providing they don't sign up to mumsnet.

spiderlight · 16/03/2016 19:10

Crying at Arsenal - please call her that!! Grin

OhWhatAPalaver · 16/03/2016 19:14

Grin I actually read somewhere that a bloke managed to convince his wife that Lanesra was a nice girls name and they chose it for their daughter. He only told her afterwards that in fact it is just arsenal spelled backwards!!

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OublietteBravo · 16/03/2016 19:18

you probably would get a few raised eyebrows and worse, if you were to name a child Arsenal!

DS went to primary school with a boy called Everton. I wouldn't be all that surprised to meet an Arsenal.

Savagebeauty · 16/03/2016 19:21

I have an Aunt Eirwen who is 93. It's a lovely name.

Doilooklikeatourist · 16/03/2016 19:37

Awen is how I thought Arwen is spelt in Welsh ( there's a lovely lingerie shop in town called Awen's )

PattyPenguin · 16/03/2016 19:37

The origin of the -wyn male names and the -wen female names is actually quite interesting.

'gwyn' means 'white' but it also used to mean 'blessed'. The element was added to the names of saints, or supposed saints, particulary those with one-syllable names -wyn for male saints and -wen for female. So you have supposed daughters of Brychan - Dwynwen (patron saint of lovers) originally Dwyn; Ceinwen, originally Cain, meaning 'beautiful'; and also you have Meirwen, from Mair, the Welsh for Mary (the Virgin, obviously).

And then, of course as a PP has mentioned, there's Branwen, from the Mabinogi - both her name and her brother's, Bendigaidfran, mean 'blessed crow' and they are very probably demoted gods or demi-gods, so the 'blessed' epithet may well predate Christianity.

Over time some male names ending in -wyn, both saints' names and names invented later, were turned into female names, so as to have a child named after the father, a grandfather or an uncle in some cases, or because the family just liked the sound. So Tegwyn gave Tegwen, Eirwyn gave Eirwen, Carwyn gave Carwen, Elwyn gave Elwen, Alwyn gave Alwen (also a river name and sometimes used for that reason, as well as in the form Alwenna) - and Arwyn gave Arwen.

-wen was considered such a standard ending that names were invented with it - Anwen from Ann + -wen; Arianwen from Arian (silver) + -wen; Bronwen from Bron (breast) + wen, which is actually a name for the weasel; Blodwen from Blod, an element meaning 'flower', + -wen - these are all fairly recent names.

CalicoBlue · 16/03/2016 19:40

I think Arwen is a lovely name. Dh wanted to call DD Aeronwen, though I think Anwen and Arwen are prettier, and easier to spell.

Lorna is another name that was made up in a book.

PattyPenguin · 16/03/2016 19:40

Oh, and Awen is a separate name. It's a modern one, taken from the word meaning 'inspiration'. You see the word on the front of the Millenium Centre in Cardiff - "Creu Gwir Fel Gwydr o Ffwrnais Awen" - creating truth like glass from the furnace of inspiration.

whitehandledkitchenknife · 16/03/2016 19:45

Another vote here for Eirwen. Beautiful (and genuinely Welsh) name. An old friend's name.

OhWhatAPalaver · 16/03/2016 20:13

Wow Patty that's really interesting, thank you :) so Arwen is a proper Welsh name after all!

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dementedma · 16/03/2016 20:17

I know a little Arwen. Lovely name

leoniethelioness · 18/03/2016 18:55

I know a grown up, Welsh speaking Awen. Would that do?

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