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Welsh Names

  1. Nerys

    • Origin:

      Welsh

    • Meaning:

      "chief, lady"

    • Description:

      A sweet yet substantial name of Welsh origin, Nerys has the fresh feel of Carys, but the vintage charm of Mavis, Morag, and Lois. Likely borrowing from the Welsh element nêr meaning "lord, chief", Nerys is a feminization and could then mean "lady".
  2. Tanwyn

    • Origin:

      Welsh

    • Meaning:

      "white fire"

    • Description:

      Tanwyn is a modern Welsh name that can work for either sex depending on the spelling -- wyn is the traditional boys' spelling, while wen as in Tanwen is the girls' version.

      Famous bearers include surfer Tanwyn Travers and the hero of a Victorian Welsh legend titled Envy Burns Itself.

  3. Bethan

    • Origin:

      Welsh diminutive of Elizabeth, Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "pledged to God"

    • Description:

      Very popular in Wales, this perfectly nice name's only problem is its similarity to the dated Beth Ann. But if you're looking to honor an ancestral Elizabeth with a distinctive rare choice, Bethan might be on your short list.
  4. Sian

    • Origin:

      Welsh variation of Jane

    • Meaning:

      "God is gracious"

    • Description:

      Simple and pretty and user-friendly, the Welsh Sian was used by U2's Dave "the Edge" Evans for his daughter. In Welsh, it is also spelled Siân.
  5. Owen

    • Origin:

      Welsh

    • Meaning:

      "young warrior; well-born"

    • Description:

      Ever since singer Michelle Branch gave it to her daughter in 2005, Owen has started to be used for a small number of girls each year as well. Just 39 baby girls received the name in 2021, compared with over 8700 boys.
  6. Carew

    • Origin:

      Welsh

    • Meaning:

      "fort near a slope"

    • Description:

      Noted bearers of this surname include a metaphysical poet, a Nobel Prize winner, and a baseball Hall of Famer, so there's plenty of hero-name inspiration.
  7. Madoc

    • Origin:

      Welsh

    • Meaning:

      "fortunate, benefactor's son"

    • Description:

      Also spelled Madog, which was the name of an early Welshman, Madog ap Owain Gwynedd, reputed to have been the first European to discover North America in 1155. Maddox, the name of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt's oldest child, is a stronger and more familiar choice.
  8. Tudor

    • Origin:

      Welsh and Romanian variation of Theodore, Teodor, or Theodoric

    • Meaning:

      "gift from God; ruler of the people"

    • Description:

      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 in England and Wales, it is also used in Romania and Moldova.
  9. Adeon

    • Origin:

      Welsh

    • Description:

      This name of a legendary Welsh prince could serve as a more original alternative to Adam or Aidan, though it does sound a tad chemical.
  10. Lleucu

    • Origin:

      Welsh

    • Meaning:

      "dear light"

    • Description:

      Lleucu is often considered the Welsh equivalent of Lucy, as it shares the same meaning of "light", and a similar sound. (Lwsi and Liwsi are the phonetic Welsh spellings of Lucy.) It's a statement choice even within Wales, and the spelling/pronunciation would make it extremely bold in other countries.
  11. Glenda

    • Origin:

      Welsh

    • Meaning:

      "fair and good"

    • Description:

      There aren't many Glendas under forty.
  12. Morys

    • Description:

      Morys is a masculine name of Welsh origin, representing a traditional Welsh form of 'Maurice.' The name ultimately derives from the Latin 'Mauritius,' meaning 'dark-skinned' or 'Moorish,' referring to the people of North Africa. While relatively uncommon in contemporary usage, Morys has deep historical roots in Welsh-speaking communities. It shares linguistic connections with Morris and Morrison. The name carries a dignified, somewhat antiquated character that connects to Welsh heritage and medieval European traditions. Morys might appeal to parents seeking a distinctive name with Celtic origins and historical significance, though its traditional nature and uncommon spelling may require occasional clarification in non-Welsh contexts.

  13. Sion

    • Origin:

      Welsh variation of John

    • Meaning:

      "God is gracious"

    • Description:

      This Welsh form of John is pronounced Shaun. But most Americans certainly wouldn't know that.

  14. Bleddyn

    • Origin:

      Welsh

    • Meaning:

      "wolf's cub"

    • Description:

      Unusual two-syllable choice with a real pronunciation challenge.
  15. Gwendoline

    • Origin:

      Variation of Gwendolen, Welsh

    • Meaning:

      "white ring"

    • Description:

      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 by Gwendolyn, with Gwendoline a distant third.
  16. Lowri

    • Origin:

      Welsh, from Latin

    • Meaning:

      "laurel"

    • Description:

      This unusual and appealing form of Laura is popular in sections of Wales.
  17. Dilys

    • Origin:

      Welsh

    • Meaning:

      "genuine, steadfast, true"

    • Description:

      Common in Wales, but would really stand out here. One of the middle names of Stella McCartney's daughter Reiley; Dilys Powell was a well-known British film critic, Professor Dilys Derwent a Harry Potter character., a witch who worked as a Healer at St. Mungo's Hospital, and was a celebrated Headmistress of Hogwarts School..
  18. Gael

    • Origin:

      Welsh

    • Meaning:

      "wild"

    • Description:

      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 again.
  19. Rhian

    • Origin:

      Welsh

    • Meaning:

      "maiden"

    • Description:

      Popular in Wales, but likely to be mispronounced as Ryan here.
  20. Gaynor

    • Origin:

      Welsh

    • Meaning:

      "white and smooth, soft"

    • Description:

      Gaynor is an early androgynous name with a positive association, related to the Cornish megahit name Jennifer.