By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 7 pages
of 7
Welsh variation of James
We don't think a boy would want to be called a sham.
Welsh variation of John
A more authentic -- and difficult -- version of Sean.
Welsh variation of George
A nice beachy name, but one that would require constant explanation.
Welsh
"sun born"
Said to be the name of the most learned man in ancient Wales, in this country it would be open to mispronunciation, making it rhyme with Julien.
"shield"
Country singer Travis Tritt is partial to the letter T for his children's names: he has a Tyler, a Tristan, and a son named Tarian. Tarian is a unisex Welsh name which, though used more for girls in…
Welsh, meaning unknown
Especially if you have Welsh roots, this prominent saint's name could be an interesting and more masculine alternative to Taylor.
Welsh, from Greek
"gift from God; ruler of the people"
A medieval Welsh form of Tudor. Rhys ap Tewdwr was an 11th-century king of Deheubarth in Wales
Trefor is a masculine Welsh name derived from the Welsh elements 'tref' meaning 'town' or 'homestead' and 'mawr' meaning 'great' or 'big,' which evolved to 'Trefmawr' and eventually shortened to…
"of privileged birth"
Too close to the name of a bodily fluid.
Folant is a rare masculine name with possible Germanic or Eastern European origins. The name may be related to archaic terms meaning "wanderer" or "traveler," though its exact etymology remains…
Gwallter is a traditional Welsh masculine name that serves as the Welsh equivalent of Walter. Derived from Germanic elements meaning "ruler of the army" (from "wald" meaning rule and "hari" meaning…
"fertile upland"
An appellation that couldn't be more Ivy League or sound less Welsh. The name of the University is taken from the surname of college benefactor Elihu Yale. In the movie Manhattan , Yale Pollack is…
Welsh variation of William
"resolute protection"
If you want to go waaaaay beyond William, consider this Welsh form, which can also be spelled Gwilym, Gwilim, or Gwillym.
Celtic, meaning unknown
The connection to a knight of the Round Table in Arthurian legend gives this name a hint of nobility. Geraint Thomas was a Welsh cyclist who competed in the 2008 Olympics.
Aeddan is a masculine name of Welsh origin, a variant of the name Aidan. Derived from the Old Welsh element 'aed' meaning 'fire,' the name carries connotations of passion, warmth and spirit. In Welsh…
"wheel, circle"
Rhodri, the name of an important ninth century Welsh king known as Rhodri the Great, a renowned warrior who was the ancestor of many of the later dynasties of Wales, was revived in modern Wales. Has…
Cornish and Welsh place name and surname
"top of the heath"
Penrose – an ancient locational surname derived from several villages in Cornwall, Wales, and the Welsh border country of England – might work as a first name, although the "Rose" syllable might lead…
"to love"
Ceri is traditionally a Welsh masculine name which historically has been Anglicised to "Kerry", but we love the Welsh original. Famous Ceris include British painter Ceri Richards and New Zealand…
"the sea"
Llyr is a name with a great meaning and a lovely sound, but that sound is going to be next to impossible to get non-Welsh speaking people to pronounce (google the double L sound in Welsh). If you are…
"below the grove"
Islwyn is the name of a mountain in Wales which has a pleasant fluid sound. Islwyn has recently been made more familiar through Runescape.
