Gwen

[negligeh]

How do people think about this?

We are planning names, not sure of the sex yet.

I am Welsh and dh is English. We live in London.

If we have a girl, I really want to call her Gwenllian, and will call her Gwen. This was my grt grandmas name and I think Gwen for a girl is lovely

Dh really isn’t keen. He doesn’t really like welsh names and prefers more mainstream/english/popular names like Olivia and Lily. But these are not my cup of tea for my kids.

One of the nicest girls I know is a Gwen. No one gets her name wrong.
It's a lovely name, very Welsh but easy for us Englishers to say.

Gwendolyn is a different spelling of Gwendoline, probably the anglicised version of Gwendolen, which is pronounced Gwen-DOLL-enn

I used to really like Gwenllian, and I tried to learn proper Welsh pronunciation, but I concluded proper Welsh isn't as pretty as obvious, but wrong pronunciation. I would really want to use this name, but not with proper pronunciation, but using name you pronounce wrongly is just lame, so I quit the loving Gwenllian.

People will struggle with the îan bit (EE-ann, not Yun or EE-un)
so it will get Gwenly-un or Gwenthly-Ann, or some other ghastly mangling.

Very pretty name but not if your DH and others can't say 'LL'

My DD is Gwen, short for Gwendolyn. I think it's beautiful and I've had the opposite experience of a PP, most people seem to think it's a lovely name. But obviously if your DH doesn't like it then it's irrelevant

I like Gwenllian and Gwen - a shame your DH doesn't.

I'm in a similar boat to you in terms of wanting a Welsh name but DH not being so sure. Especially as he finds it annoying when people mispronounce my own Welsh name (this seems to bother other people a lot more than it bothers me).

Would he be more likely to go for a Welsh name if he knew it was popular in Wales? This seems to appeal to my DH.

These are the Welsh girls names currently in the Welsh top 100:

Mali (20)
Alys (30)
Ffion (33)
Seren (43)
Eira (46)
Megan (51)
Lili (69)
Cadi (71)
Nansi (72)
Efa (75)
Eleri (81)
Elsi (87)
Nia (87)
Elin (92)
Lowri (96)

Would something like Alys, Lili, Nansi, Mari or Nia appeal to him?

@webuiltthiscityonrockandwheat

My DD is Gwen, short for Gwendolyn. I think it's beautiful and I've had the opposite experience of a PP, most people seem to think it's a lovely name. But obviously if your DH doesn't like it then it's irrelevant

Gwendolyn is a beautiful name.

It's a very ugly sound.

I'm in exactly the same boat. I want a Welsh bame, he wants English.
Baby due any day and no compromise yet. Sorry for no solution but I feel your pain!

Love it. Both full and short form
Olivia and Lily are fine but dull
I think Gwen will get more popular soon so get in quick

What's wrong with just Gwen. I thinks it's a cute simple name, easy in Welsh and English. Classy unlike a modern name like Lexi.

@Luredbyapomegranate I hope it doesn't get popular, I'll be gutted!

@webuiltthiscityonrockandwheat

My DD is Gwen, short for Gwendolyn. I think it's beautiful and I've had the opposite experience of a PP, most people seem to think it's a lovely name. But obviously if your DH doesn't like it then it's irrelevant

My DD is Gwen too. Most people seem to recoil in horror that it's an old lady name. I personally think it's lovely and always liked Gwen Stefani. I used Gwen as we are both Welsh but live in London now.

Is anyone good with the stats.. how can you see how many were born in the last 5 years?

The short formof Gwenllian is Llio, not Gwen.

Oh interesting, I didn’t know this. My DH’s gran was a Gwenllian who went by Gwen. Personally I love it but we decided it’s an impossible name for non-Welsh speakers to properly pronounce so it would need to be ‘just’ Gwen if we used it.

@brunettesippy, names.darkgreener.com/#gwen

@SurelyitscoffeetimeIf you were telling someone to smile (as in 'cheer up luv, it might never happen' or 'say cheese') you'd say 'Gwena'

Gwen is lovely

Stoidiybdeman

Oops, wrong thread.

Gwen is perfect. Your dh is an idiot.

@KirstenBlest Well I’ve learnt something new today! Thanks so much.

Gwen is a beautiful name ❤️

We’re exactly the same I love Seren, FFion or Carys for our upcoming baby but DH (English) isn’t fussed on either because they sound “weird” 😬

I love the name Gwen, but then I love welsh names too.

I was born in wales and DH is English and we live in London. Our daughter is Cerys. It amazes me how many people don't know how to say it! Most people say seris which annoys me more than it should.

DH actually suggested her name as he thinks Cerys matthews is really cool.

@Callingallskeletons

Gwen is a beautiful name ❤️

We’re exactly the same I love Seren, FFion or Carys for our upcoming baby but DH (English) isn’t fussed on either because they sound “weird” 😬

Mine vetoed Eirlys because 'it looks and sounds like a disease'.

I had him convinced on Taliesin and was thrilled but it turned out he thought it was a girls name - he was horrified that it was a boys name.

He does quite like Seren though.