Llewellyn - a Welsh step too far?

[NorkyButNice]

DH's family are all Welsh although he was born in England.

Llewellyn has been top of my middle name list for a while but I'm seriously considering it for first name - is it ridiculous? Will he ever learn to spell it and will other children be able to pronounce it?

Other first name options are

Isaac
Nathaniel
Alex
William
Felix

Middle names could be

Dylan
Owen
James

Any opinions or other options?

Do you meen Llewelyn ? and not Llewellyn as this would be pronounced differently? I like Dylan.

I actually love the name Llewelyn.

Llewelyn James sounds great.

Eeek I don't know - am not up on my Welsh pronounciation! However it should be spelt for the typical Welsh first name is what we would go for.

I like Alex Llewelyn if we use it as a middle name.

Don't mean to be bitchy, but can you actually pronounce Llewelyn, I mean with the double ll? I don't know many non-Welsh who can manage the soft ll sound (neither lou nor clue), and to be honest pretending it's just a single l (lou-ellen) ain't pretty. What about having Llewelyn as a middle name, where it has less immediate impact. My DH is Irish and we chose Irish names as the DC's second names but first names that were known and pronounceable in a number of cultures - less problem for other kids in the class etc.

I lurve all your other options by the way as first names. I mean, just let Isaac Llewelyn just roll over your tongue - that's a great combo. Or Owen Llewelyn, if you want to keep it consistently Welsh. Both very resonant.

My (very Welsh) dad once informed me that Geraint Llewelyn was their name of choice for me had I been male. Since then, I've never been able to decide if being female has been a blessing or a curse, name-wise.

Ll in Welsh is one sound L is another : L in Welsh is like L in Englih ... I would suspect you meen Llewelyn

Doh, just seen (having read your OP again) that you were considering Llewelyn originally as a middle name anyway. So yeah, go for it.

Quite like Llewelyn, Surely most folk can manage the double Ll ?

Blauer, I was supposed to be Geraint too, thank god I was a girl

You are all right (just checked with DH) - I mean Llewelyn.

Probably a sign not to use it if I can't even spell it myself!

I love the name Llewelyn - I especially love that it can be shortened to Llew (as in welsh for lion!). I have to say though, I've deliberately steered clear of any Ll names for my kids as, although my English DH can pronounce the double L fine I know his family couldn't/wouldn't. I suffered months of my DD Cerys being called Kerry and my son Ioan being called Johann by the ILs. VERY annoying!!

Brilliant name! My ds has Gruffydd as a middle name and loves the fact that it's Welsh and unusual and heroic. Go for it!

I love the name Llewelyn, but then as my children are called Rhys Wyn, Siôn Euros and Carys Angharad I feel I may have a slight Welsh bias...

I know it is turning it on its head, but I like Owen Llewelyn. Sounds like a good strong Welsh boys name. Plus if you live in England it might be worth having the Llewelyn as a middle name as people might not be able to spell it. That is why DS2's middle name is Euros rather than his first, although I loved the name I thought it would probably be pronounced the same as the European currency if he moved to England! I went to uni in Birmingham and nobody could spell/pronounce my name (Delyth) so I know from experience how frustrating it can be.

Llew is a great shortening, but hard to say correctly IMO for a non-Welsh person (even one who speaks some Welsh). There are some fantastic Welsh boys names but if you live in England I might keep Llewelyn for a middle name as Helyg suggests.

Or Owain Llewelyn...

You've probably named your baby by now. Here's my 2p anyway. Our DS is named Llewellyn. He's nearly 5. He likes to be called Welly.

We had lots of family members (in Australia) say that it would be cruel (crueller than Davo, Stevo, Bazza, or Gazza?). It was six weeks before we finally made the decision. A midwife in the hospital made up my mind for me. She said, "Why would you give such a strapping boy a girl's name?" It took me a while to work out that she meant Lou-Ellen. That took the biscuit. Why should I let the under-educated influence our baby name choice?

Llewellyn/Llewelyn is a strong name with a wealth of Celtic mythology and history behind it. If you're proud to be Welsh, then be proud to be Welsh. We're proud to be 1/16th Welsh.

We don't pronounce the Ll, though we have Welsh friends who do (their DS pronounces it with a 'Fl'). Every Welsh person we meet loves it, especially when we visit North Wales (Llewelyn country).

We live in the heart of England and everyone loves Welly's name. He'll no doubt have the same problems learning to spell it as his sister, Phoebe had with hers. It won't last into adulthood (lol). I've met enough Tarquins to know that I didn't make a mistake with Llewellyn.

Love it! esp as a middle name - goes with many options. My boys both have welsh names:
Osian & Ifan

I think it is lovely, use it for a first name

"We don't pronounce the Ll, though we have Welsh friends who do"

do they pronounce the second 'll'?

Can I be the lone voice of dissent here and tell you that It's very feminine?

I like some Welsh names, and in fact, when I say it out loud, Llewellyn is beautiful. That just wouldn't be what I was after in a boy's name.

But the Welsh thing when you're born in England is not a problem imo.

oops, old post.

I love the welsh first name for a boy, Leighton.