Cornish Baby Names

Variation of Rowena.

Derived from Cornish brano, meaning "crow; raven".

The masculine version of Rosen, pronounced ROH-zen, is a German and Bulgarian name, commonly seen as an element in Ashkenazi Jewish surnames. But Rosen, pronounced ROZ-en, is a modern Cornish word name used predominantly for girls.

A modern Cornish word name with a sturdy natural namesake. Derwa is a related Cornish saint's name.

Wenna is an early Cornish forms of Gwen, belonging to two 5th-century Cornish saints. Wenna could also be a shortened form of Conwenna, another beautiful Cornish name.

The middle name of Captain Ross Poldark in the BBC series. Vennor is a Cornish surname which may be related to Fennor(e), which in turn is related to Guinevere.

This Cornish word name would make an excellent choice for a first-born daughter.

It looks like an alternative spelling of Izzy/Issy (and may well have been used as such), but Issey is actually a Cornish place and saint's name.

Ancient martyr name that sounds totally modern, but perhaps too close to rumor.

Cador is said to be one of the ancient rulers of Cornwall who, according to Arthurian legend, was the guardian of Guinevere. The name Cadbury is said to come from his four hill-forts.

Kerris is a much easier if less authentic phonetic spelling of the popular and pretty Welsh name Cerys.

Gwenora teeters on the line between unique gem and modern invention. But it's not a smoosh name fashioned from Gwen and Nora but an old Cornish form of Guinevere, like its much more famous sister Jennifer.

Treave is a Cornish place name derived from tre or trevow, denoting a village, farmstead, or dwelling. This tailored and attractive name easily translates across cultures and makes a wonderful choice whether you have Cornish heritage or not.

Intriguing combo of elements.

Kenver is derived from the ancient British name Cunmorus, meaning "great chief." We much prefer this newer iteration.

Morvoren derives from the Cornish mor, meaning "sea," and moren, "maiden," taking on the meaning of "mermaid." The Mermaid of Zennor, a local mythological figure, was associated with morvoren, although it wasn't until after the 20th-century revival of the Cornish language that Morvoren became the mermaid's name rather than her species. In recent years, the name has been given to baby girls a handful of times in its native Cornwall.

A subtle Cornish fruit name meaning "cherry." Keresen has only been in use as a name in recent years, following the Cornish trend of adopting names from the dictionary.

St Elwen is venerated in Cornwall and Brittany, and lent his name to several regional place names. It is also found as a surname, especially in Norfolk, England.

The meaning of Edern is disputed, with some saying it comes from the Latin name Aeturnus, meaning "eternal" or "immortal." The more plausible etymology is that Edern derives from the Welsh edyrn, meaning "great," "immense," or "wonderful."

Bryher, a homophone of Briar, is the name of an Isle of Scilly off the coast of Cornwall. It was the penname of novelist Annie Winifred Ellerman, who chose the name in honor of the island. Today, Bryher is seen as a girl name in Cornwall, where it is used as a variation of up-and-coming Briar.