Best known as the princess of the Elves in Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, Arwen is a fantasy-inspired choice that feels perfectly down to earth. In 2022, it entered the UK Top 400, making it one of the fastest rising names, more than doubling in use from the previous year.

A beautiful modern Cornish nature name that is rapidly picking up steam in the States: even spawning variant spellings like Elowyn and Elowynn. In its native region, it wasn't widely used as a name before the twentieth century, when the Cornish language was revived. A fresh and magical member of the fashionable El- family of names, it has a pleasant, evocative sound.

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.

While Gwen may have originated as a short form of Gwendolen and Gwendolyn, these days it frequently stands on its own. Rocker Gwen Stefani has given it a shot of cool, and parents are choosing it as a standalone more and more often—Gwen hopped back onto the US Top 1000 in 2013 after an absence of over 30 years. Gwen could also be short for Guinevere.

One of the loveliest of the Welsh names, striking the perfect balance between being familiar and unusual. In Wales, the female spelling is always Bronwen, but Americans usually see a "y" as adding femininity.

A literary name created by J. R. R. Tolkien for a Lord of the Rings noblewoman of Rohan. Properly spelled with an accent over the first E – Éowyn – it would make an interesting choice for literature lovers or fans of names like Elowen and Evelyn.

Rarely heard outside of Wales, Arianwen combines the pretty Welsh element gwen with the silvery arian, giving it a metallic and shining meaning. The name is sometimes listed as one of the daughters of the legendary fifth-century king and saint, Brychan Brycheiniog.

Bronwen is widespread in Wales, but still rare enough here to sound somewhat international — we think Bronwen is a real winner. (Note: the Bronwyn spelling is an Anglicization, since the -wyn ending is masculine in Welsh).

A mythological Welsh name with an intriguing sound, Ceridwen appears in several Welsh legends, in which she is an an enchantress and the owner of the cauldron of poetic inspiration. She is also associated with the great bard, Taliesin, with one 16th-century tale recounting that when her servant consumed a potion of wisdom, intended for Ceridwen's son, Ceridwen swallows the servant, who is then reborn through her as the bard.

Anwen is one of the simplest and best of the classic Welsh girls' names, more unusual than Bronwen but with the same serene feel.

Olwen is a Welsh favorite, the name of a legendary princess in what is believed to have been the earliest Arthurian romance, and in fact one of the first recorded examples of Welsh prose.

This Welsh river name has possibilities as a place name and nature name that is rare and uncommon.

The delicate and haunting Welsh Rhonwen is still a rarity in the U.S., where her English version Rowena is better known, but would be a lovely choice for any parent in search of a name that was both unusual and traditional, classically feminine yet strong.

A charming Welsh name with a great meaning, borne by E. B. White, author of Charlotte's Web.

If you're looking for an unusual alternative to all those Rose names, Rhoswen might be a good choice. This name has the soft sounds we've come to love from the Welsh language but is still not as familiar as Bronwen and Rhiannon.

Islwyn is the name of a mountain in Wales which has a pleasant fluid sound. Islwyn has recently been made more familiar through Runescape.

This is an attractive Celtic mythological name, popular in Wales and a cousin of the better known Bronwyn. In Welsh mythology, Branwen was turned into a bird.

A sweet Marian name consisting of Mair, the Welsh form of Mary, and gwen, meaning "blessed, white".

Aeronwen is a feminine Welsh name combining 'aeron,' meaning 'fruits' or 'berries,' with 'gwen,' meaning 'white,' 'blessed,' or 'fair.' Sometimes spelled Aronwen, this traditional Welsh name celebrates nature's bounty and purity. The name reflects Wales' rich linguistic heritage and connection to the natural world. While widely recognized in Wales, Aeronwen remains relatively uncommon in other English-speaking countries, though interest in Celtic names has brought increased attention to such traditional Welsh names. The pronunciation (eye-RON-wen) may present challenges for non-Welsh speakers, but its distinctive character and meaningful etymology appeal to parents seeking a name with authentic cultural roots and natural symbolism.

An unusual floral -wen name which was the name of an 1878 opera by Welsh composer Joseph Parry.