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Original poster

thoughts on Berwyn

36 replies

Mlc2022 · 31/05/2022 21:20

Me and my DH really like the name Berwyn (pronounced bear-win) but we have had mixed reactions. We love the name Bear and Bear will be his nickname but i think Berwyn is a better full name especially when his an adult. It is a very uncommon name but we really like it, just don't want my child to be picked on for an unusal name!

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KirstenBlest · 01/06/2022 14:13

If you want a welsh name that shortens to bear, you can't go wrong with Arthur

AmandaMirandaPanda · 01/06/2022 16:39

Not immedately relevant, but there are a handful of towns called Berwyn in the USA (and one in Canada, I think). I have family near one and the local pronunciation is something like b'rr-WIN or burr-WIN, similar to Berlin if you substitute a w for the l. Only mentioning it as I suspect that might be the default pronunciation for a non-Welsh-speaking English speaker seeing "Berwyn" for the first time.

I can easily see a baby Berwyn being called Bear, but wouldn't have thought of it as a way to get to Bear. But if you love both, why not?

Starbeach · 01/06/2022 17:37

As you can see even the welsh people in this post can't agree on how to pronounce it due to regional dialects.

Personally, I know 2 one is a relative and they both pronounce it Bur-win. I've never personally never heard it pronounced Bear-wyn and you and your poor child will have to spend the rest of his life telling people how to pronounce it especially if your not welsh or living in Wales

bbqhulahoop · 01/06/2022 17:46

SummaLuvin · 31/05/2022 21:29

Unappealing and clunky.

I would also make the incorrect assumption that its was a girls name based on the 'wyn' ending. This might be a me issue. It also might not bother some parents, I have a unisex name myself and it doesn't phase me I am frequently assumed to be a man based on name before people meet me, but thought it worth mentioning.

I don't think it would cause bullying, but I'm very much of the opinion that while names can be used as ammunition by bullies, they are very rarely the route cause and a child won't be picked on because of their name, especially in modern days where there is a much wider variety of names than just Emily, Hannah, James, and Daniel. Worth remembering that kids can make any name into a cruel nickname if they want "psycho Sarah" was in my school and it's hard to imagine a more popular name for the time.

The wyn end actually makes it masculine in Welsh. Wyn is masculine version of white, wen is feminine, that's why Bronwen is the Welsh spelling, I think Bronwyn might be Irish?

KirstenBlest · 01/06/2022 17:57

Starbeach · 01/06/2022 17:37

As you can see even the welsh people in this post can't agree on how to pronounce it due to regional dialects.

Personally, I know 2 one is a relative and they both pronounce it Bur-win. I've never personally never heard it pronounced Bear-wyn and you and your poor child will have to spend the rest of his life telling people how to pronounce it especially if your not welsh or living in Wales

It's not down to regional dialect. Welsh is entirely phonetic.

The Be-oh-wyn and the Bear-win ones are both incorrect.

-wyn is masculine. Bronwyn is an anglicised version.

Starbeach · 01/06/2022 19:06

KirstenBlest · 01/06/2022 17:57

It's not down to regional dialect. Welsh is entirely phonetic.

The Be-oh-wyn and the Bear-win ones are both incorrect.

-wyn is masculine. Bronwyn is an anglicised version.

Show quote history

As a welsh speaker I beg to differ that it's not regional dialect Southern Welsh is very different to Northern or West Wales Welsh

KirstenBlest · 01/06/2022 19:11

Some words, but not a word like Berwyn. I can't think of anywhere in Wales where mother-tongue speakers would say it as Bear-win or Be-oh-win.

Honaloulou · 01/06/2022 19:19

I've known an Edward nn Bear, which I like.

AllThatGlistensIs · 01/06/2022 19:24

Please don’t do this. Especially if you aren’t Welsh, and it certainly isn’t pronounced like bear.

BestIsWest · 01/06/2022 19:28

I’d say Berr Win but the ‘e’ sound is a shortened version of the ‘ea’ sound in bear in my accent (SW Wales) so I kinda get it. I like it.

KirstenBlest · 01/06/2022 19:41

If it was pronounced like Burr-win (assuming a rhotic accent), it would be written Byrwyn which is a bit ridiculous

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