Surprisingly Lovely Cornish Names

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.

Could Lowen be the next Owen? This Cornish name certainly has the right sounds to be an American hit, and is rising dramatically for both boys and girls.

Mirren is a lively and attractive Scottish name, popular in its native country but best known outside Scotland as the surname of the English actor Dame Helen Mirren. It is thought to be a Scottish derivative of the name Marion, from Mary.

St. Merryn, the name of a Cornish town derived from Mirin, a 6th century Irish saint important in Scottish history often as Mirren, is sometimes used in modern times as a girl's name. Lovely, sleek, shimmery feel though many will assume it's invented until you enlighten them on its long history. Also spelled Meryn.

Kerensa, forever romantic, is a rare Cornish name spelled with an 's' or 'z', the most modern of the Karen family. Kerensa (or Kerenza) has ties to the Welsh Cerys.

A rarely-used name even in its native Cornwall, Jory nevertheless feels very wearable, thanks to its similarity to familiar picks like Rory, Corey and Joey. Jory Cassel is a minor character in the first season of Game of Thrones.

A subtle virtue name, a name that can be shortened to two popular nicknames (Izzy and Ella) and a rare Cornish name - what isn't to love about this modest appellation? It has been used as a name in Cornwall since the 1970s.

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.

More unusual than Tessa, this would make an interesting, meaningful and attractive choice for a third child.

Lowena is the Cornish word for "joy". As a given name, it is most commonly spelt as in this entry - Lowenna. Lowen is a lovely unisex option which is closely related: it means "joyful" or "glad".

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

This rare sixth-century saint's name has a modern, merry feel.

Alternative Cornish spelling of Tamsin, which derives from Thomasin or Thomasina.

This Cornish variant of Isolde is rare even in the UK - but that's part of its charm. Like Isolde, Eseld is generally thought to mean "ice battle", a meaning sure to be pleasing to a little girl in this age of all things "Frozen".

A Welsh saint who is the namesake of the village of St Breock in Cornwall, and is also venerated in Brittany. The name is a diminutive of Briafael ("mighty prince"). Variants include: Breock, Bryok, Breok, Briec, Brieuc, Briog.

The Cornish version of Emmeline holds many charms.

Trevina is a feminine name with several possible origins. It may be a feminine form of Trevor, which has Welsh origins meaning 'large settlement,' or could derive from a Scottish place name. The suffix '-ina' is a feminine diminutive in several languages, giving the name a gentle, feminine quality. Trevina remains quite rare in most English-speaking countries, making it an uncommon choice that still carries familiar sounds. The name has a melodic quality with its three syllables and soft ending. Parents might be drawn to Trevina for its uniqueness while still having roots in more traditional naming conventions. Though uncommon in historical records, it fits well with the trend of creating feminine versions of traditionally male names. Trevina offers the appeal of distinctiveness without being difficult to pronounce or understand.