Welsh name for a boy?

[Pittapatta]

I'm having a boy in January and live in Wales. I would like to pick a Welsh boys name. I was thinking off Llion. What do you think?

@WorriedMummy2020

It's nice. Name him what you want. It's not the hardest pronunciation. I notice thatMumsnetters always caution against using Welsh and Irish names for fear of pronunciation issues. I don't see that often raised as an issue for names from other cultures which may also be 'hard' to pronounce. And many people in the UK have no choice in having 'hard' to pronounce surnames either.

People who've never come across the ll sound before really struggle with it IME.

I agree that Mumsnet warns people off calling their kids names from the Celtic languages, like Sadhbh for example, and I think that's a great shame. But once people know Sadhbh = "Sive" it's really not hard to say.

But I've been trying to teach my non-Welsh OH the ll sound for years and he just can't do it! The DC can, but only because I've had them in training for a while!

But maybe it's different if you're in Wales? I have Welsh heritage but I'm in England.

Can most people in Wales say ll words properly?

Aneirin - Aneurin is a more usual spelling.
Taliesin - a bit OTT
Osian - very popular in Wales
Eirwyn - grandad name
Idris - Celeb-inspired
Teilo - will be (mis)said as Tie-lo. Tail (pr tile) is manure in Welsh.

I know a gruffydd ( pronounced griffith) griff for short which I think is a fabulous name.

I would avoid if you are below the landsker line. I know lots of children with welsh names and the children don't even know how to pronounce correctly.

@MikeUniformMike

Aneirin - Aneurin is a more usual spelling. Taliesin - a bit OTT Osian - very popular in Wales Eirwyn - grandad name Idris - Celeb-inspired Teilo - will be (mis)said as Tie-lo. Tail (pr tile) is manure in Welsh.

The original Idris celeb

I mean Idris Elba is lovely and all, but he's a johnny come lately Idris celebs as far as I'm concerned!

(Sorry to derail your thread OP).

Osian
Idris
Elis
Gruff

It's a nice name. I went to school with a Llion and worked with another.

I don't see the need to choose a name based on whether people who speak other languages will be able to pronounce it without an explanation.

(If anyone is struggling with LL, say L and blow from the side of your mouth).

Lots to think about here. Most of my family is in Wales but non Welsh speakers (including me) but I wanted a Welsh name. I knew a Llion as a child and liked it.

I had also considered Osian but it is very popular for kids at the moment. So lots around.

I'm fine with the mispronunciation to Lion or Leon. I like those names too. I don't mind my child spelling their name as so many names need spelling but maybe that's mean of me!

@needanewidea
Can most people in Wales say ll words properly?

I'm originally from North East Wales, and the answer is No.
Many can, because they have heard it often from an early age, but those who have had pretty much no exposure to spoken Welsh can't/won't.

When it comes to place names many residents have no idea that the village where they live has a welsh name that isn't pronounced the way they have said it all their lives. They will laugh at you when you say it the welsh way. Examples could be Bagillt, Rhuallt, and Caergwrle. (Welsh speakers do not say Bag-ult, Roo-alt and Kagurly)

When I first started work, locally, the welsh first names were mangled e.g. Huw was Hoo, Dewi was Dowey and Arwel was Ah-wul. This was in the bit of Wales we jokingly called South Merseyside, i.e Deeside.
Even Gwyn (shortened version of his first name) got his name written as Gywn. None of those names are unusual or difficult to say.

You can correct people, but generally people don't like being corrected.

But if no one uses Welsh names they will dissapear into History. Surely that's not great

Elis
Gwydion (god of magic)
Mabon

@Pittapatta, don't worry, the names are being used.

The bad thing is when names become mainstream and the mispronounced version takes hold. Think names like Dylan, Rhys, Rhidian, Rhodri, Rhiannon, Angharad, Meredydd, Siân, Bethan and Rhian.

@worried mummy2020, Nye is a Welsh name in its own right. It means golden! I wasn't suggesting it as a shortening of Aneurin.

Nye isn't a welsh name - it would be almost unpronounceable. It was the nn of Aneurin Bevan, so might have been used as a name in Wales.
The A-nye-rin pronunciation is south walian, it sounds differently in the rest of Wales.

So i'm taking from this thread that people quite like Llion. But it will be mispronounced a lot. Though that's true of a lot of Welsh names including a fair few mentioned on this thread.

@missmouse101, afaik Aneurin means honour.

The name that means golden is Euryn, which sounds quite similar to Aneurin.

I’m not sure if it’s classed as a Welsh name but it’s of welsh origin - Morgan. I absolutely loved that name and wanted it for DS. OH preferred another though

I think Llion has a nice upbeat vibe.

The only things I have against it are that it sounds a bit like the welsh word for towel (llian) and he'll probably get called Leon unless he stays in Wales.

I like most of the Ll names. How about Llywarch? That's nice and so few names have a ch in them.

I like it, it will likely be mispronounced by people outside of Wales and those within it who didn’t grow up there but as you said, that’s likely to be the case with many Welsh names.

My favourite Welsh boys names are Eifion, Idris, Emrys, Taliesin and Elwyn.

Ianto

I pronounce the Welsh ll as hl. How close is that?

I have a Welsh name and a few years ago, I met a Welsh person who said it was normally pronounced a different way. I have been pronouncing my own name wrong all my life.

My favourite Welsh boys’ name is Dylan, but I only like the English pronunciation. Dull’un sounds unflattering in English.

Not close enough.

Dylan isn't Dull'un. it's Dullan an sound is like the an in can.

I have always loved Iestyn and Gethin

Morgan is a good welsh name.
Eifion will be called Avian. It's a nice name. Bit of a grandad name.