By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 9 pages
of 9
Welsh
"wave"
St Dwynwen is the Welsh patron saint of lovers, and her feast day on January 25 is the equivalent of Valentine's day in Wales. The short form Dwyn may be more manageable for the non-Welsh.
Guenevere is a feminine name of Welsh origin, representing an alternative spelling of Guinevere, the legendary queen and wife of King Arthur in medieval literature. Derived from the Welsh name…
Diminutive of Dwynwen
Short, but still kind of a mouthful.
Variation of Guinevere
"white shadow, white wave"
An offbeat way to get to Gwen.
"genuine, steadfast, true"
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…
"primrose"
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…
"woman of silver"
Spelling variant of Arianwen. Note that in Welsh, the -wyn suffix is usually masculine.
"small glen, valley"
The feminine version of the common Welsh name Glyn became somewhat known in this country via the charming Welsh actress Glynis Johns. Variations include Glenys and Glynys. With other Welsh…
"riverbank, shore; pure"
Glenys, like Glynis, is a Welsh name that has never caught on outside Wales.
"bird"
This 1950s Welsh bird name sounds less dated than our fifties Robin.
Old Welsh variation of Gladys
Gwyladyss is an Old Welsh variation of the New Welsh Gladys, pronounced like the more familiar form, but modern English speakers can be forgiven for not knowing that. Gladys would be a difficult…
"pretty and blessed"
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.
"beloved friend"
A diminutive of the (male) name Dafydd, the Welsh form of David. In the US, it's strongly associated with the candy.
Variation of Gaynor, Welsh
"white and smooth"
A strong, classic, simple name that has nonetheless never been overexposed.
"white and smooth, soft"
Gaynor is an early androgynous name with a positive association, related to the Cornish megahit name Jennifer.
"white flower"
An unusual floral -wen name which was the name of an 1878 opera by Welsh composer Joseph Parry.
"beautiful"
A traditional Welsh name that looks like a variant of Arden, but actually derives from the Welsh word for "beautiful".
Welsh variation of Agnes
This is the most popular Welsh form of Agnes. Variants include Annest and Nest. There was an eleventh century Nest who was known as 'Helen of Wales' for her beauty and the problems it caused.
"foxglove"
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…
Cordi is a feminine name that likely originated as a diminutive form of Cordelia or Cordula. Cordelia has Celtic roots meaning 'daughter of the sea' or Latin origins meaning 'heart,' while Cordula…
