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Uncommon Welsh Names
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The names
Bowen
Welsh, Chinese
"son of Owen; wave of writing, wave of literature"
Bowen is a Celtic surname representing two separate Celtic strains, one Welsh and one Irish, and entered the US Top 1000 for the first time in 2011. Football Hall of Famer Drew Brees named his son…
Meredith
Welsh
"great ruler"
Meredith is a soft, gentle-sounding name with subtle Welsh roots. Although originally a boys’ name , Meredith is used mainly for girls now. Meredith's highest point of popularity for girls in the…
Eira
Welsh
"snow"
This Welsh nature name that can be pronounced exactly like the male Ira. Or, to avoid confusion, you could just name her Snow.
Seren
Welsh, Turkish
"star or sail mast"
Seren is a top girls' name in Wales – and a lovely choice almost unknown elsewhere. Seren, in the Sirona form, was an ancient goddess of the hot springs. Seren only recently fell out of the girls'…
Rowena
Welsh
"white spear; famous friend; fame and joy"
A fabled storybook name via the heroine of Sir Walter Scott's novel Ivanhoe (1819), which featured a heroine called Rowena of Hargottstanstede, and also a Harry Potter name, as Rowena Ravenclaw,…
Briallen
Welsh
"primrose"
Unusual floral name which would be perfect for a spring baby girl, if you can pronounce the Welsh double L correctly. It's a tricky sound for non-native Welsh speakers, kind of halfway between an H…
Isolde
Welsh, German
"ice ruler"
Sleek, sharp, and soulful, Isolde is the German form of Iseult, the fabled lover of Tristan in the Arthurian romances. First appearing in the 12th-century, the name was fairly popular in the form of…
Gwyneira
Welsh
"white snow"
An unusual Gwyn name with a lovely meaning, this compound name pairs Gwyn with the name Eira, meaning "snow". A relatively modern creation, it remains very rare.
Penrose
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…
Rhonwen
Welsh
"slender, fair"
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…
Rhisiart
Welsh from German
"brave ruler"
Welsh form of Richard.
Tarian
Welsh
"shield"
Country singer Travis Tritt is partial to the letter T for his children's names: he has a Tyler, a Tristan, and a son named Tarian. Tarian is a unisex Welsh name which, though used more for girls in…
Sion
Welsh variation of John
"God is gracious"
This Welsh form of John is pronounced Shaun. But most Americans certainly wouldn't know that. Siôn Corn (showing the extra-authentic spelling) is the Welsh name for Santa Claus.
Sulien
Welsh
"sun born"
Said to be the name of the most learned man in ancient Wales, in this country it would be open to mispronunciation, making it rhyme with Julien.
Maxen
Welsh, from Latin Maximus
"greatest"
Also spelled Macsen, this ancient name manages to sound modern and cool. An heroic namesake was Maxen Wledig, a fourth century Spanish-born general who led the Roman army out of Britain, and as…
Owain
Welsh variation of Eugene or Celtic "well-born; born of sheep"
"well-born; born of sheep"
Owain is much more unusual than its brother name Owen, and feels a little more rugged, a little more adventurous and ancient. Possibly an Old Welsh form of the Latin Eugenius, or, deriving from other…
Eifion