International Baby Names
By Sophie Kihm · Updated September 2026
Across 8 pages
of 8
Cornish
"praise"
In its native Cornwall, Mawgan is identical in pronunciation to Morgan, a Welsh name of separate origins. Mawgan comes from the Old Welsh mawl , meaning "praise," and is the name of a Cornish saint.…
Latin, Cornish
"better; honey"
Unusual and lush Roman name adopted, improbably, by the Puritans. The Cornish version, pronounced mel-YOHR-ah, has been in use since the 13th century.
"violet"
A lyrical, and very rare, hidden flower name.
"a profit from the sea"
A medieval Cornish name which despite sounding similar to the French name Emeraude, is actually connected to the Welsh name Morfydd. Pronunciation rhymes with Herod -- and yes, the final d is…
"sea brow"
Cornish variation on Meriadoc and Meriadeg.
"June"
An unusal alternative to June or Junia.
"sea holly"
Morgelyn is a Cornish compound name derived from the Welsh mor , meaning "sea" and kelyn , "holly." Sea holly is another name for the Eryngium plant, which showcases prickly purple blooms, making…
"fair lady"
A sweet modern update on Morgan.
"mermaid"
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 ,…
Cornish saint's name
St. Neot was a Saxon saint in the Middle Ages, whose name is used for a town in Cornwall, England. Some sources say the little-known name is Hebrew and means "pleasant pasture," but there is really…
Cornish variation of Pascal
"Easter"
Pascoe was popular in medieval times and is definitely deserving of revival, especially for a child born in the Easter season. Other spellings are Pasco and Pascow.
Cornish variation of Paul
Pawly has catapulted into the lexicon with the advent of Pawly the pet dog robot. It's a cute version of the more serious Paul.
Cornish and Welsh place name and surname
"top of the heath"
Penrose – an ancient place-name and surname derived from several villages in Cornwall, Wales, and the Welsh border country of England – would make for an even more unexpected alternative to quirky…
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…
Cornish place-name
Penryn is the name of a parish in Cornwall, the peninsula in the southwest of England.
"holy headland"
Penzance is a port town at the very tip of Cornwall. With its associations with operetta and pirates, Penzance packs quite a bit of zip for a name.
"little dark one"
Also spelled as Piran, this Cornish saint's name is thought to have derived from the Irish Ciaran. Borne by a 5th-century monk who founded a monastery, it also appears as a place name in Cornwall, as…
"fourth"
Following Kensa (first), Nessa (second) and Tressa (third), this unusual Cornish number name would be a distinctive choice for a fourth child.
It may be a longshot – especially since it was given to less than 5 boys in the US in 2021 – but Piran could conceivably be a future Kieran, which is shaping up to being the next Kevin. Piran is the…
Cornish place name
"meadow of waters"
Prideaux is a Cornish place name and surname that is occasionally attested as a girls' first name. It likely stems from the French phrase "pré de eaux", meaning meadow of waters. For fans of Margaux,…
