Welsh names

[fishfingerSarnies]

I know it's been done but I'm looking for inspiration.

Don't know what we are having, already have a Cadi and a Morus (pronounced Morris)

Dh is Welsh speaking and the kids will go to Welsh school but my family are English so I'd like something they can pronounce.

Haf - summer
Seren - star
Ffion - foxglove
Sian - Jane
Sioned - Janet
Enfys - Presley
Gwawr Dawn
Eirianwen - No
Gwenllian - Only if you speak welsh
Eirlys - Snowdrop

Now read that list and would you really call your child any of those names. Star? Dawn? Snowdrop?

@MikeUniformMike not me personally haha! I don't like Welsh names but I speak it and they're quite popular ones.

Also your autocorrect of Enfys is amazing! It's rainbow not Presley

I suppose it depends where the op lives, Welsh speaking? All absolutely lovely but non Welsh speaking? No

It's not autocorrect - it was my joke. I don't like 'foreign' or irish names used out of context.

I mean if I had called DD Gisele and insisted that it was pronounced Jissel I'd look a right twat wouldn't I, so why would it be OK if I had called her Rhian but pronounced it ReeAnne). Bah!

I dismissed Eirianwen and Gwenllian because they are too difficult if you don't speak Welsh. The i in Gwenllian has a dieresis (two dots).

Interesting - my dad is an Alwyn and it was the family joke that he drew the short straw by being the only one with a Welsh name in his Welsh family apart from my granddad whose name is dreadful (and very outing because it's so... special). Never knew it was really an English name!

Mike- I've come across lots of Aneiras, and I guess all names were 'made up' at some point.

ps the Presley thing did make me laugh!

Oh, I'd forgotten Sioned. I really like that.

For me it would be Idris and Merryn!

Well that's how my Grandfather and entire family pronounced it and they were all Welsh speaking, the older ones exclusively so.

Medi
Enfys
Angharad
Bethan
Sian
Eira
Ffion
Fflori

Dylan
Aled
Elis
Geraint
Owain
Rhys
Osian

(Welsh) DH and (English) I liked the idea of Dylan only he would be pronouncing it sort of like DuLAN and I would have pronounced Dillan so we shelved it.

Gwenan gwenllian lowri elen delyth Nerys sian alaw eleri

iestyn iolo osian owain elis noa

Olwen / Olwyn is on our list for girl or boy.

What's wrong with names that mean Star ir Dawn or Snowdrop? Why would that be any weirder than Rose or Iris - or for that matter James (supplanter/deceiver) or Daniel (I am surrounded by God) or Philip (loves horses) or Rosalind (gentle horse) or Steven (crowned one) or Jonah (bringer of bad luck)? Names, them is weird.

Fflori? Cute but is just Florrie written phonetically. Merryn is probably Cornish. It's not Welsh. Alwyn surprised me too, Alwen is welsh as is Alwenna.

Hmm about Eifion. Welsh is phonetic and Ive-yon would be Aifion.
Some of the names are sort of dated in the way that Sharon, Tracey, Darren and Wayne are not terribly popular for English babies now.

Made up names - Wendy and Vanessa are supposed to be made up names. I like Vanessa but Wendy not so much.

Wendy was created by JM Barrie, Vanessa by Jonathan Swift. Belinda may not have been made up by Alexander Pope, but he undoubtedly popularised it.

I don't actually mind Welsh names that mean concrete things, like Seren, Eira, Eirlys, Haf, Medi, Heulwen. Somehow to me they sound better than English equivalent names.

It may be that I've read too much Welsh poetry, where nouns are often used to stand for people, to express characteristics such as beauty or youthfulness.

I mean, there's even a female character in the medieval tales, the Mabinogi, called Hirddydd Haf, which is still understandable to Welsh speakers today as Long Summer Day!

I don't like nouns for names. Seren and Enfys especially, there are much nicer names that mean star and rainbow, such as Stella, Astrid and Iris . Eira, Eirlys and Heulwen are established names.

Giving a child a welsh name then mispronouncing or misspelling it seems mean.

Mike you seem very critical of most names listed here. One of the names you criticised for being odd happens to be my name. I can assure you it's the correct spelling and I also know a few others with the same name who spell it the same way.

mike I wonder if the pronunciation of Eira etc is a regional thing? I've only ever heard the 'eye' pronunciation.

Girls = Alis, Angharad, Cari, Eira, Eleri, Llinos, Lowri, Manon, Nia, Seren, Tegan

Boys = Aled, Bryn, Cai, Gethin, Griff, Harri, Huw, Lewys, Morgan, Rhodri,

My mums Welsh and we have in our family Nerys, Megan, Aeron, Sian, Gareth, Ceri, Seren. I also know a Nia and an Elin.

oh and my mum is Maira which I think is Mair with an a at the end

I pronounce the 'Ei' in Eira etc as Ay (as in the english stay).

Agree that the world doesn't need anymore serens or girls called enfys. I love Gwawr though.

If you live in wales and the children will speak welsh then i don't think it's important to pick a name that english people will be able to pronounce tbh.

I've never heard of Aneira but google says it means "truly golden" but i'm not sure how as gold/golden is aur/euraid.

I know a little girl called Annest who is is named after a sister of Gwenllian ferch Gruffydd.

Thanks guys lots of food for thought.

I'm not a fan of the Seren ,Enfys style names as I could never call my child Star or Rainbow, though they sound beautiful the meaning puts me off.

Our sir name rules out anything ending in wen which is anoying.
I love lleucu but my side of the family wouldn't be able to say it so I've had to take it of my list.
There's lots of boys names I've shortlisted from here so thank you.

Really struggling to find a girls name that I love love.
I'm not due until December so I've got time but there only so many Welsh names and I feel like I've heard them all and not found the one or even a short list I like.
Not having a Welsh name is not an option for Dh.
What do people think of Buddug?

I'm afraid I'm not a fan of Buddug or Lleucu, although maybe it's just that they're not commonplace in this part of Wales and I'm not 'used' to hearing them very often (except when I'm watching the Urdd Eisteddfod!).