Welsh Names

A variation of Alwen and Alwena that helps to avoid it being said as al-WEE-na, Alwenna is an earthy and warm feeling choice. 
 
The exact etymology of the name is obscure, but theories include that it may mean: "white brow" (from the Welsh ael and gwen; "white footstep" as an alternative to Olwen; "nourishing" from a Welsh river name, ultimately from the pro-Celtic *al(aun)o-; "white, bright" as Breton form of Albina; and "elf joy" as a Breton variation of Old English Ælfwynn.

Alwenna

This name of a river in Wales makes a unique option for either gender.

Alwyn

A name with strong, magical sound, Amranwen comes from the Welsh elements amrant and gwen meaning "eyelid" and "white, fair, blessed". Also used as the Welsh word for German or wild chamomile, it is a rare nature-inspired choice, with a similar feel to Angharad or Arwen.

Amranwen

Rarely heard outside of Wales, Arianwen combines the pretty Welsh element gwen with the silvery arian, giving it a metallic and shining meaning. The name is sometimes listed as one of the daughters of the legendary fifth-century king and saint, Brychan Brycheiniog. 
 
Given to 13 girls in England and Wales in a recent year, it is notably borne by actress Arianwen Parkes-Lockwood. In Welsh, it is typically pronounced a-ri-YAN-wehn, though in English, a-ree-AN-wehn may be heard.

Arianwen

The Welsh and Breton word for the artistic muse or inspiration, Awen is a subtly magical feeling choice, connected to poetry and creativity. Given to a handful of babies most years in Wales, it is predominantly used for girls, though it has very occasionally been given to boys too.
 
Not to be confused with Arwen or Owen, it would be said as A-wehn in Breton, but more like OW-ehn in Welsh, (ow like in crow)

Awen

While Blaney might sound like a nickname for the Scottish Blaine (and Blane) — and this is one possible origin for it — it may also be an Irish surname and place name. As such, it refers to either the point or tip of a river (borrowed from the Welsh blaenau) or to a village in Northern Ireland, whose name comes from Bléinigh meaning "creeks".
 
More traditionally used in the last name spot (as in racing driver, Ryan Blaney), it has occasionally be used as a given name too.

Blaney

In the US, there are a handful of baby girls given the Brin spelling of this classic Welsh gender-neutral names, compared with over 800 in one recent year named Brynn and about 150 called Bryn.

Brin

A rare and whimsical Welsh name, Bronmai is made up of the elements bron meaning "breast" and mai meaning "(the month of) May", which could then have the poetic interpretation of "one with May in her heart" or "one with Spring in her chest". 
 Alternatively, the name has been linked to the bryn element too, giving it the meaning "May hill".

Bronmai

The capital of Wales makes a distinct name possibility, with the familiar beginning of Carson and Carter, and the more unusual end sound, nevertheless reminiscent of Kenneth or Gareth. Derived from the Welsh Caerdydd (and the earlier Caerdyf), the name means "fort on the river Taff", Taff being a river that does flow through the city.
 
Cardiff appeared in the US stats for the first time in 2022, and has been used occasionally since.

Cardiff

In Welsh, Ceri is traditionally a male name but can also be used for girls. It's a short form of Ceridwen too, the name of the Welsh goddess of poetry.

Ceri

A Welsh cognate (or variant) of the more familiar Conan, this form has been historically borne by a number of Welsh kings and princes and was the bardic name of the 19th-century Welsh poet, Albert Evans-Jones. Given to a small handful of boys most years in Wales, a more recent bearer is writer Cynan Jones. 
 
Like Conan, it has a charming yet tough meaning of "little wolf".

Cynan

Similar in sound to Avon, Avery, Aidan, Eirian, and Teifion, this Welsh name is the source of an area in the north-west of Wales called Eifionydd (ay-vyawn-ith). An ancient Welsh name, the exact meaning is unknown, but notable bearers include rugby player Eifion Lewis-Roberts and footballer Eifion Williams.

Eifion

A fresh and pretty Welsh nature name whose beautiful meaning would be perfect for a winter baby girl. Pronounced as AIR-wen or IRE-wen depending on the region of Wales from which someone is from, it may appeal to those who like Eira and Elowen. Yet to feature in the US charts, it is given to a handful of babies in Wales most years.

Eirwen

A rare, masculine form of Eirwen, this wintery name may be pronounced as AIR-win or IRE-win depending on the region of Wales from which someone is from. While its feminine counterpart is given to a handful of girls in Wales most years, Eirwyn has yet to enter the stats. 

Eirwyn

Ultimately derived from the Old Welsh elus, Elisedd is one of the sources of the currently popular Ellis. It was notably borne by a 8th century king of Wales, known as both Elisedd ap Gwylog and Elise. Likely pronounced as Eh-lih-seth, it might appeal to writers looking for a historical name with a familiar, modern nickname.

Elisedd

Rarely used outside of Wales due to its unfamiliar spelling and pronunciation, Elliw likely comes the Welsh word lliw meaning "color", lending the name a bright and sparkly feel. The Welsh double LL sound doesn't exist in English but sits somewhere between thl- and sh-. As such Elliw is pronounced (very roughly) as ETHL-ih-oo or ESH-ih-oo. In a recent year it was given to just three girls in England and Wales.

Elliw

The Welsh name Enfys is a unisex name, although it is more commonly used for girls. With the beautiful meaning "rainbow", it is a rare choice in the UK, given to just a handful of babies each year, with 7 girls receiving the name in the most recent stats. 
 
Pronounced EHN-viss, it is a relatively modern name, first appearing in the 19th century, and with the rise of similar Emrys and its appearance in the movie Solo: A Star Wars Story, it may have a chance of catching on. In fact, it did see a boost in 2019, after the film was released, when it was given to 17 babies.

Enfys

The traditional Welsh name for Bardsey Island, located off the coast of North West Wales, Enlli is an short, sleek choice, given to a small number of girls most years in Wales. With the cool, sea-related meaning of "in the currents",  the pronunciation is close to EHN-shee.


Enlli

The son of Lancelot and Elaine in Arthurian legend, Galahad is the purest and most chivalrous of the Knights of the Round Table, and one of the three achievers of the Holy Grail. The derivation of his name is unclear. It may come from Welsh Gwalchafed (hawk of summer) or "gwalch" + "cad" (hawk of battle), or it may be an anglicization of the Biblical place name Gilead meaning "heap of witness". Certainly a bold and brave choice for a baby boy, though perhaps nickname Addy or Ads could ground it slightly. 

Galahad

The name of a loyal knight in Arthurian legend and the hero of the 14th century anonymous poem, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Gawaine is the spelling chosen by Sir Thomas Malory in his influential work, Le Morte d' Arthur. The name itself may come from the Welsh Gwalchmai, meaning "may hawk".
 
While Gawain has been used sporadically and very sparingly over the years (with only 85 boys receiving the name since records began), Gawaine has only ever featured in the stats once, back in the 1950s.

Gawaine

Welsh names have attracted new interest in recent years, both within Wales and beyond. Some Welsh baby names are being newly discovered by parents throughout the English-speaking world, with choices such as Bryn, Owen, Maddox, Dylan, and Evan climbing the international popularity lists.

 in the US Top 1000 include Brynn, Gwendolyn, Morgan, Reese, and Tegan. 

 that rank among the US Top 1000 include Dawson, Ellis, Evan, Maddox, and Owen. In Wales, popular names include Megan, Meredith, Dylan, and Rhys.

, the Welsh girls' name Arwen sparked a fashion for wen-ending names, while previously unknown Welsh baby names such as Carys, Seren, and Bowen are achieving more widespread use. A beautiful yet tiny country, Wales has its own distinctive language and culture and a lovely roster of its own baby names.



The Welsh baby names here are ordered according to the current popularity on Nameberry. 

Welsh names for baby girls and baby boys, with meanings and current popularity, including popular Welsh origin names and rare names from Wales and the Welsh language. (Page 9)