Striking name of a legendary princess and a Welsh river that feels both moody and modern. It is currently popular in Wales.

This early Welsh saint's name is unusual and lovely, waiting to be discovered. Saint Arianell was a member of the Welsh royal family who was possessed by a spirit which was exorcised by Saint Dyfrig, who became Arianell's spiritual teacher.

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 put the "lyn" part at the end: Evelyn, Madelyn, Brooklyn.

If you like soft, lispy Welsh names like Gwyneth, or want an alternative to Delilah, Adele, or Edith, consider this out-of-the-ordinary option.

This unusual (to non-Welsh speakers) is near the top of the charts in Wales, carried by the recent taste for native Welsh names. Those in Wales say it's already on the way down, but for outsiders wanting to honor their Welsh heritage, it still makes an intriguing choice.

Intriguing Old Welsh name being revived there, but would have major pronunciation problems here.

Unusual floral name which would be perfect for a spring baby girl, if you can pronounce the Welsh double L correctly. It's a tricky sound for non-native Welsh speakers, kind of halfway between an H and an L.

Olwen is a Welsh favorite, the name of a legendary princess in what is believed to have been the earliest Arthurian romance, and in fact one of the first recorded examples of Welsh prose.

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.

A mythological Welsh name with an intriguing sound, Ceridwen appears in several Welsh legends, in which she is an an enchantress and the owner of the cauldron of poetic inspiration. She is also associated with the great bard, Taliesin, with one 16th-century tale recounting that when her servant consumed a potion of wisdom, intended for Ceridwen's son, Ceridwen swallows the servant, who is then reborn through her as the bard.

Penrose – an ancient place-name and surname derived from several villages in Cornwall, Wales, and the Welsh border country of England – would make for an even more unexpected alternative to quirky nature name Primrose. Intuitive nicknames Penny or Rosie make it feel more wearable.

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.

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".

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 original is up for reappraisal.

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.

Olwyn is a popular Welsh name that might be an alternative to the more familiar Bronwen or Rhonwen -- though in Wales the female form is usually spelled -wen and the male one -wyn.

"Help Me, Rhonda. sang the Beach Boys -- help me convince my parents not to give me this sixties name.

Tanwen is a far more singular and colorful alternative to Bronwen.

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

This 1950s Welsh bird name sounds less dated than our fifties Robin.