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!

There isn't really a way of explaining it.

1.04 s in.

@TheCultureHusks , OP's grandfather wasn't called Idris, Iestyn or Ieuan.
Should we only use names that are 'easier for non-Welsh speakers'?
In the meantime non-Welsh speakers can use Welsh names, choose how they want to say it, and if anyone says they're mangling it they get called 'the MN names police'

Ieuan isn't easy. 'Ya-yan' is awful.

I actually really like it (having never heard it before) but it sounds like it's the Welsh equivalent of calling your child Norman so maybe not!

I am gazing from my garden upon Mynndd Islwyn as I write. For once it's not raining!

I think it's lovely, but if you and he aren't in Wales you will forever be explaining the pronunciation.

I am just getting ready to go to the cinema to see Nye from the National Theatre.
I do like Aneurin as a boys name and also Hywel.

What's wrong with Norman?

It's a beautiful name. I used my one of my Welsh grandfather's middle names for my daughter's middle name as can be male or female. Unfortunately his first name wasn't suitable for a girl but equally lovely.

Oh sorry I missed the grandfather bit!! Ignore other suggestions then OP

Oh and yes, @GogLais , someone can choose to use any name because it will work for their families or where in the country they live. Which is about a million miles from suggesting that folk should ONLY use names because they’re ‘easy to say’. It’s also a million miles from saying that it’s fine to pronounce names any old how, which ironically is exactly what this thread shows, it’s an entire discussion on how to get the name right.

So if you’re the unforgettably irritating poster who I believe used to be called MikeUniformMike and who used to pop up like a bad smell on every single thread on Welsh names, laying down the law in extreme droning detail on every single potential Welsh pronunciation crime possible (translation: not pronouncing things exactly the same way as I do in my particular accent) - do pop off. Your posting style doesn’t change!

Nothing in and of itself. But people were saying all the Islwyns they know are 60s/70s and that it's an old man's name that hasn't come back. So I picked what I'd consider to be an English equivalent - there's lots of baby Wilfreds, Arthurs, Stanleys, Sidneys, Bobbys, Teds etc now but I've never heard of a Norman who wasn't retired.

@miniaturepixieonacid , I quite like it but only because the fashion has changed. Curly in Corrie was a Norman and it was not fashionable at the time.

It was meant lightheartedly @TheCultureHusks , otherwise there would be very few names in use.

If you are Welsh & live in Wales, fine. If you’re not, it would be very unfair to give the boy a name that he would have to spend his entire life explaining how to spell & pronounce.

My father in law is called Islwyn and we pronounce it Is-Loin (we are in South Wales). But he gets called ‘Is’ for short which sounds very aggressive when my MIL calls him 🤣 so I’d definitely consider how it would be shortened if using it xx