By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 9 pages
of 9
Welsh
"hill"
Bryn is an up-and-coming gentle, yet substantial, Welsh name that would also be effective in the middle spot. In Wales it's a traditional boys' name, but it's far more popular for girls now in the…
English variation of Carys, Welsh
"love"
This much less popular variation draws more from Karin.
"darling, pretty"
Tailored Tegan is a Welsh name, developed from the element teg meaning "beautiful, pretty". Sweet but tough, is interpreted to mean "darling, or favorite", and is also the Welsh word for toy.…
Diminutive of Linda, English, Welsh
"pretty, soft, tender; lake"
Lynn arrived in the 1940s, spinning off from the wildly popular Linda to become a top mid-century middle (and first) name, ranking at #58 during its 1956 peak. Now, however, Lynn is out of the…
French elaboration of Lynn or Welsh
"idol"
Linda begat Lynn which gave way to Lynette, which peaked in the late 1960s. Lynette has been off the Top 1000 for a couple decades now, and the Lynn variations finding the most favor are those that…
Feminine variation of Evan, Welsh
"God is gracious"
Evanna is the name of a Harry Potter actress who pronounces it ee-vah-na. This might be considered another international feminine form of the many variations of John; Ivana, Giovanna, and even Joan…
Variation of Gwyneth, Welsh
"white, fair"
Gwenyth is one of those names it's easy to spell "wrong", as many a delivery-dazed parent has discovered when they named their new baby Issac or Pheobe. If you really mean Gwenyth or Issac or Pheobe,…
Welsh variation of John
Evan is a boys' favorite that has been given the feminine touch by talented actress Evan Rachel Wood. If you want to move beyond Eva and Evelyn and like unisex names, this may be a good bet for you…
Welsh, Turkish
"star or sail mast"
Seren is a top girls' name in Wales – and a lovely choice almost unknown elsewhere. Seren, in the Sirona form, was an ancient goddess of the hot springs. Seren only recently fell out of the girls'…
Possibly a form or Claudia or Welsh
"land, nation"
Hard as it might be to believe, Gladys was the Harper of 1900, emerging almost out of nowhere to take the naming world by storm. It became a favorite among parents — and writers of romantic Edwardian…
Spelling variation of Guinevere, Welsh
"white phantom, white wave"
An alternative spelling of the Arthurian Guinevere, which may feel fresher and more contemporary, or just more appealing to those who don't like the Guin- combination. Meaning "white phantom" or…
"ardor"
Less than ten percent of the babies named Rhys are girls, whereas Reese is given five times more often to girls than to boys, thanks to Ms. Witherspoon. It's a sleek and attractive name, but one that…
"white breast"
One of the loveliest of the Welsh names , striking the perfect balance between being familiar and unusual. In Wales, the female spelling is always Bronwen, but Americans usually see a "y" as adding…
Welsh form of Molly or Thai
"jasmine flower"
Seems unfamiliar, till you realize everyone will just hear it as Molly. In Wales, Mali is a Top 100 name.
"young warrior; well-born"
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…
Light, pretty and distinctive in appearance, Carys is one of that sweet group of girl names with a loving meaning. A relatively modern name, it didn't come into use in its native Wales until the late…
"white spear; famous friend; fame and joy"
A fabled storybook name via the heroine of Sir Walter Scott's novel Ivanhoe (1819), which featured a heroine called Rowena of Hargottstanstede, and also a Harry Potter name, as Rowena Ravenclaw,…
"immortal"
Traditionally a masculine name in Wales where it is used as a form of the saintly Ambrose and as an epithet for the wizard Merlin, Emrys has seen increased use for girls in the US in recent years.…
"life, spirit"
This Celtic goddess and Arthurian name may sound terminally old-ladyish to many ears--but so did names like Ella and Etta not so long ago. So Enid is yet another forgotten four-letter E-possibility:…
You say Bryn, he says Bryana -- here's a name you might agree on.
