Welsh Names for Boys
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About this list
Welsh names for boys are finding a home in the wider world, with Welsh boy names such as Owen and Dylan becoming popular in the US and less common choices such as Idris and Bowen making a name for themselves.
Welsh male names have achieved international fame via films like Lord of the Rings. The Welsh boys' name Maddox was made famous when Angelina Jolie chose it for her oldest son, and the unusual Idris was introduced by actor Idris Elba.
The top Welsh name for boys in the US right now is Owen, in the Top 25. Trending Welsh boy names include Ellis, Rhys, Emrys, and Evan, the Welsh form of John. This list of Welsh boys names will introduce you to both the popular and the rare selections.
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The names
Owen
Welsh
"young warrior; well-born"
Owen, a resonant Celtic name, has ranked among the Top 100 boys' names in the US for 20 years and is now at its highest point ever. Why do so many parents love Owen? It's a classic with a genuine…
Dylan
Welsh
"son of the sea"
Dylan still feels poetic and romantic after years of popularity. It still ranks highly on the charts, among the top boy names starting with D , so if you choose it, be aware that yours may not be the…
Gael
Breton
"Gaelic"
This cross-cultural name, found in Wales, Brittany, and Spain, is a surprise star in the U.S in recent years, largely thanks to actor Gael Garcia Bernal. Also written as Gaël, it's a popular choice…
Dawson
English
"son of David"
Dawson was scarcely heard as a first name before the debut of Dawson's Creek in 1998, at which point it leaped up more than 550 places in one year. The character Dawson Leery, played by James Van Der…
Evan
Welsh variation of John
"God is gracious"
Evan has a mellow nice-guy image that has kept it popular, while it has been widely used in Wales since the nineteenth century. And interestingly—and surprisingly—enough, Evan charts highly for boys…
Maddox
Welsh
"son of Madoc"
Maddox, a previously obscure Welsh family name with a powerfully masculine image, suddenly came into the spotlight when Angelina Jolie chose it for her son in 2003. By the following year it was in…
Ellis
English surname derived from Elijah or Elias or Welsh
"my God is Yahweh; benevolent"
Ellis is a former Old Man Name turned gender-neutral choice for the 21st century. It's one of the less used names in the currently popular El-family, unless you're in the UK, where it's a Top 100…
Bowen
Welsh, Chinese
"son of Owen; wave of writing, wave of literature"
Bowen is a Celtic surname representing two separate Celtic strains, one Welsh and one Irish, and entered the US Top 1000 for the first time in 2011. Football Hall of Famer Drew Brees named his son…
Rhys
Welsh
"ardor"
Rugged but gentle, Rhys is the traditional Welsh spelling of this name, which can also be anglicized as Reese or Reece. Up until 2010, Reese was the preferred spelling in the US, perhaps because…
Kane
Celtic
"warrior"
A name of multiple identities: a somewhat soap-operatic single-syllable surname, a homonym for the biblical bad boy Cain, and, when found in Japan and Hawaii, it transforms into the two syllable…
Morgan
Welsh
"sea-born, sea-song or sea-circle"
Morgan, once split evenly between the sexes, is a strong and attractive Welsh favorite, still a common boys’ name in Wales. Morgan is now more often a girls' name in the U.S. – about 2000 girls were…
Reese
Spelling variation of Rhys
An Anglicized spelling of the Welsh Rhys, this traditional boys' name got a big boost for girls in the early 2000s, thanks to the high-profile Ms. Witherspoon (who was actually born Laura Jeanne…
Trevor
Welsh
"from the large village"
Trevor, a British standard, took a long time to cross the Atlantic, but finally began its rise here in the 1980s. It is now a thoroughly naturalized citizen, though it still retains a touch of Anglo…
Idris
Welsh; Arabic
"ardent lord; studious, interpreter"
A name that crosses cultures, Idris was virtually unknown in the US before the emergence of the charismatic actor Idris Elba, first on The Wire and then for depicting Nelson Mandela. Since then, the…
Marvin
Welsh, variant of Mervyn
"sea hill"
Marvin has been neglected for so long that it's hard to believe that it has windswept Welsh roots. It also has some strong namesakes going for it -- singer Marvin Gaye, composer Marvin Hamlisch and…
Mervin
Welsh
"sea hill"
A blend of Mervyn and Marvin that is every bit as dated as either of the originals. That -erv sound is difficult no matter what. Mervin is still used today among Amish families.
Griffith
Welsh
"strong lord"
A classic Welsh name, softer than Griffin and friendlier to spell than Gruffudd - that hasn't had as much love as it deserves elsewhere. Namesakes range from medieval kings to the philanthropist…
Buell
Welsh
"dwelling"
The Dutch meaning (Buell is the Dutch occupational name for a hangman) is enough to keep most people away.
Kimball
Welsh
"warrior chief"
Now that Kimberly is no longer one of the top girl names, Kim or long form Kimball feel more gender neutral.
Price
Welsh
"son of Rhys"
Some names referring to expensive things -- Tiffany, Armani, Porsche -- are in fact declasse, but Price transcends that label with its simplicity and strength.
