Islwyn?

[mrswoody10]

Wanting to hear people's thoughts on Islwyn (boy). It's Welsh and was my Grandad's name. Pronounced iss-le-win. I've never heard anyone mention it before, let me know if you know any!

It's a nice name. I think the youngest Islwyn I know is in his 60s, I had a couple of great uncles called Islwyn. Probably due a comeback. (I'm in north west Wales).

I'm not sure how to write the pronunciation, but it only has two syllables.

oh is it maybe izzle-win? thanks for the correction! He actually died before I was born, but my Dad (his son but not born in wales) always pronounced it iss-le-win.

Not sure we are brave enough to go for it but it will definitely be a middle name if not

It's quite an old-man name and very tricky to pronounce - if you're not in a Welsh-speaking area, he'll spend his entire life correcting people. The closest I can get to it phonetically is ISS-looyn.

I would have guessed pronunciation as isle-win. And been wrong.

My friends Dad is called Islwyn, to my none welsh speaking ears they pronounce it ISS (as in hiss) loin (as in tenderloin).

@mrswoody10 , it's 2 syllables. ˈɪslʊɨn
Is (ees) means under, Llwyn is shrub.
It's the name of a mountain and could be a place name.
I link it with author Islwyn Ffowc Elis - Wikipedia

Me too.

I assumed istle-win with the istle being the same as thistle.

The other isle-win I read as isle like an island isle with a silent s?

Is-loin is about the closest pronunciation you can write. The pp nailed it. Its not strictly a 'loin' sound though. Its so hard to put into writing though.

It's lovely,

My uni friend’s stepdad was called this. Iss-loyn is the nearest I can get to what his wife and my friend called him.

It’s a constituency as well, I recall it coming up in General Election coverage and it always makes me think of uni days, happily. So it’s a thumbs up from me.

Is-loin. I also know some (north Wales) and agree it's a lovely name.

Sorry but I think if you have to ask how it's pronounced, you should probably use another name

If you live in Wales (especially mid or North), then go for it! If but, I'd be a bit more cautious.

I actually really like it though (am Welsh)

thanks all. Yes, I think it will be a middle name rather than first for some of the reasons others have outlined!

If you go on YouTube there is a national library of Wales video about the author Islwyn Ffowc Elis by Rheinallt Llwyd. Just after the 1 minute mark he pronounces the name if you want to hear the pronunciation.
It is a old man's name as mentioned but probably due a come back. I would be cautious that it might be difficult for none welsh speakers to pronounce correctly though.

I know 3, all are in their 70s. Which might not bother you

I know one. It’s Iss- loin, pretty much, although writing the exact lwyn pronunciation is quite hard. Agree you should listen to it being said on that interview.

it’s very old fashioned, although I like it. Like calling him Gilbert or Roland. Or something like Stanley or all the other now-fashionable old man names, but this one isn’t !

Idris, Iestyn, Ieuan would all be easier for non-Welsh speakers

I would say it's more like is lieu in
Rather than is-loin just incase you start saying it like this as a few people have mentioned it as it is similar but it's not correct.

I didn't know it was a name - I know it as the borough that my parents live in South Wales.

The ‘oi’ in the ‘loin’ bit has a kind of a different, rounded feel to it, like you’re halfway on the way to saying ‘w’ instead.