By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 13 pages
of 13
Welsh
"fair, blessed"
The most modern choice in this group, and the most distinctive; the Gwyn form is a common male name in Wales.
"berries; battle, slaughter"
Aeron is the name of a river in modern-day Wales, that possibly takes its name from a Celtic war goddess (Agrona). Alternatively, it could come from the word aeron meaning "berries, fruits, plum,…
"white ring, circle"
Gwendolen, an ancient Welsh favorite, retired decades ago in favor of the short form Gwen, but now, as in the case all across the naming board, the nickname has faded and the more distinguished…
"white breast"
Bronwen is widespread in Wales, but still rare enough here to sound somewhat international — we think Bronwen is a real winner. (Note: the Bronwyn spelling is an Anglicization, since the -wyn ending…
Polish
"serene"
Seren, meaning "star", is one of the top girls' names in Wales, but as a boys' name it has a different derivation. It's a rare Polish form of the Latin Serenus, mostly used to refer to the Saint and…
Variation of Emmeline or Emmalyn, or from Welsh
"rival; round the valley"
As a girl name, Emlyn is likely to be a contracted form of Emmeline or Emmalyn, appealing to those who like drop the middle sound of the aforementioned names, and want something concise, stripped…
Celtic
"gold"
An unusual name for a child with golden hair. Auron is a Welsh female name with the same meaning.
"son of David"
This is a both fresher and cooler spin on David.
"very fair, beautiful"
Anwen is one of the simplest and best of the classic Welsh girls' names, more unusual than Bronwen but with the same serene feel.
"battle"
Cadell is a surname that is unlikely to win many supporters, except perhaps from parents looking for an alternative to Caden. But while Cadell is more distinctive, that L ending is weaker and less…
Variation of Gwendolen, Welsh
"white ring"
The Gwendoline form may introduce pronunciation confusion -- does that last syllable rhyme with wine or win or when? We vote Gwendolen as not only the most proper but the clearest spelling, followed…
"warrior chief"
Now that Kimberly is no longer one of the top girl names, Kim or long form Kimball feel more gender neutral.
Wendolyn is a feminine name that appears to be a variant of Gwendolyn, a name with Welsh origins meaning 'white ring' or 'blessed ring.' By dropping the initial 'G,' Wendolyn creates a slightly more…
"May hawk"
With a noble air and a distinctive yet familiar sound, Gawain is drawn from Arthurian legend, in which he is one of King Arthur's loyal knights and his nephew. Also appearing as the hero of the 14th…
Welsh and Galician variation of James and Jacob
Iago, the villain of Shakespeare's Othello , was so treacherously evil that his name has hardly ever been heard offstage. Try the much-more-benign Inigo.
"maiden"
Morwenna is an ancient Cornish name now being revived in Wales, deriving from a Celtic word meaning "maiden", although the Mor- syllable means that it's often associated with the sea. It's been heard…
Welsh and Romanian variation of Theodore, Teodor, or Theodoric
"gift from God; ruler of the people"
Known as a British royal family line as well as a style of architecture, this name feels both solemn and formidable, but with an intriguing "dark-academia" feel to it too. Currently in the Top 1000…
"small"
This familiar but never popular Welsh surname name might be a good Sean alternative-- and we're starting to hear some berrybuzz about it. Vaughn is an alternate spelling. There have been three major…
"wild"
Now that the midcentury sound-alike name Gail for girls is sailing out to sea, Gael is becoming an increasingly popular name for boys -- and could make the gender switch in the opposite direction…
Gwynne is a feminine name with Welsh origins, derived from the Welsh word 'gwyn' meaning 'white,' 'fair,' or 'blessed.' Traditionally used for both genders in Wales, it has become predominantly…
