The name Carys is a girl's name of Welsh origin meaning "love".

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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 nineteenth century, and even then, it wasn't a mainstream choice until the middle of the twentieth century. Pronounced as CA-riss, the beginning sound is like the one cat or Catherine, not said to rhyme with Claire. 
 
These days, it is a familiar name in Wales and England, but it was only properly introduced to America when Welsh-born actress Catherine Zeta-Jones and husband Michael Douglas chose it for their daughter in 2003. It subsequently gained a brief spell of attention in the US but it has since fallen out of favor, give to around 30 girls (compared to sound-alike Karis, chosen for nearly 90).
 
Even in England and Wales, Carys has fallen back to the latter half of the Top 1000 after its 2004 peak, when it ranked at #130. Nevertheless, it has some notable namesakes, including writers Carys Davies and Carys Bray, footballer Carys Hawkins, and neurosurgeon Carys Bannister — an early Carys born in 1935, and the second woman in the UK to lead on brain surgery. 
 
Derived from the Welsh element caru meaning "to love", blended with the -ys suffix of Gladys and Dilys, it is related to the ancient sounding Caradoc. Cerys is an alternative form, pronounced as KEH-riss.
 
Carys is not however linked to Charis, a Greek name meaning "grace, kindness" and pronounced as KA-REES.

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