The more genealogy research I do, the more Welsh heritage I discover. I would love to find a Welsh name that is fairly straightforward as far as pronunciation goes. [name]Cerys[/name], [name]Angharad[/name], and [name]Rhiannon[/name] are the three that have stuck out to me the most.
[name]Cerys[/name]: I prefer this spelling over the [name]Carys[/name] spelling. My mom’s name is [name]Kerri[/name], so I feel like this spelling honors her and the Welsh heritage. I also like the meaning.
[name]Angharad[/name]: It’s clunky, but I love this for a middle name.
[name]Rhiannon[/name]: [name]Fleetwood[/name] [name]Mac[/name] is one of my favorite bands, and “[name]Rhiannon[/name]” is one of my favorite songs by them. I also find it very nature-y and peaceful.
I also thought of [name]Myfanwy[/name], but I feel like that would be a nightmare in the American South (where I live).
[name]Love[/name] [name]Carys[/name]. The only problem with spelling it [name]Cerys[/name] is you may have prn trouble. I would have thought it was prnd Cha-reese like this or Sar-iss. I’m also in the south. But if you’re ok with correcting people, this is my fav of your choices. I think if you love the A name which I’m not even going to try to respell (too lazy, ha), yes, stick it in the middle. I don’t like [name]Rhiannon[/name] personally but it’s just nms. Makes me think of [name]Rihanna[/name] the singer.
I think [name]Rhiannon[/name] is such a lovely name. [name]Rhonwen[/name] is my other favorite Welsh name. Too bad “R” doesn’t work with my soon-to-be last name. Curses!
I like [name]Rhiannon[/name]. [name]Rhonwen[/name] isn’t bad either.
[name]Cerys[/name] looks like it should be a soft C to me. As in [name]Cecilia[/name], [name]Cecily[/name], etc. [name]Carys[/name] I would know how to say. [name]Kerensa[/name] I could say right?
[name]Love[/name] them all! [name]Just[/name] for your info, [name]Carys[/name] is pn kah-riss (first syllable like cat without the t) and [name]Cerys[/name] (keh-riss) the eh sound as in “get”.
Some other ideas for you:
[name]Seren[/name] - seh-ren (both e’s pn as in red)
[name]Anwen[/name]
[name]Arwen[/name]
[name]Bethan[/name]
[name]Briallen[/name] (means primrose)
[name]Dilwen[/name]
[name]Dilys[/name]
[name]Eira[/name]
[name]Glenda[/name]
[name]Glinda[/name]
[name]Gwendolen[/name]
[name]Isolde[/name]
Lilwen
[name]Megan[/name]
[name]Meredith[/name]
[name]Morgan/name
[name]Morwenna[/name] (this one may be more cornish though)
[name]Winifred[/name]
Wynelle
[name]Hope[/name] that’s helpful. [name]Fran[/name] x
[name]Love[/name] [name]Carys[/name] or [name]Cerys[/name]! I think I might change it to [name]Kerys[/name], which will eliminate the prn issue. And it’s a better nod to your mother’s name [name]Kerri[/name].
[name]Love[/name] [name]Cerys[/name] and [name]Rhiannon[/name]! I do agree that [name]Cerys[/name] will probably have issues with pronounciation though.
I actually found myself drawn to girl names with a Welsh background. The one I picked out for my first (who later turned out to be a boy) was [name]Teagan[/name]. Some will argue up and down this is Irish, but I live in [name]Ireland[/name] and after much research I can tell you I fully believe it to be Welsh, if someone wants my reasoning behind it, I’ll happily provide it.
My soon to be twin girl is [name]Cordelia[/name] (derived from Creiddylad). I’ll let you see my list of names that I believe would work better in a non-Celtic region. I don’t necessarily like all of them, I think some of the female names feel too masculine, in my opinion. And, many sections are the same name, just spelling variants. I made this list after I discovered I had a softness for Welsh names. As I said, I live in [name]Ireland[/name] now, but was born & raised in the American South. So, it was important for me to have something that I liked and something friends/family back home wouldn’t hate.
I also have a boy list, but found that I like the Irish Celtic more than the Welsh Celtic for boy names.
[name]Cerys[/name]: I thought [name]Cerys[/name] and [name]Carys[/name] were pronounced differently - Keh-ris and Kah-ris. [name]Both[/name] are quite pretty.
[name]Angharad[/name]: I only learnt how to pronounce this fairly recently, having initially been reading it as something like [name]Anna[/name]-rad, but I have to say I find the correct way of [name]Ann[/name]-HA-rad a bit clumsy and not that pleasing on the ear.
[name]Rhiannon[/name]: Probably the most accessible to those who aren’t familiar with Welsh names, though I fear she would be called [name]Rhianna[/name] a lot instead due to the popularity of the singer. I knew a [name]Rhiannon[/name] a few years ago when [name]Rihanna[/name] just started to become popular and she got that a lot, especially by people that only heard her name rather than saw it written.
[name]Myfanwy[/name]: Yeah, it’d get butchered. Plus the first time I heard this name, the character was teased as her name looked like ‘my fanny’ so I can’t get past that association, sorry.
I think [name]Myfanwy[/name] is so neat I found a medieval (I think) version of it once that really stands out to me: Mevanou. [name]Love[/name] it!
I’m not a fan of [name]Cerys[/name] or [name]Angharad[/name], but I don’t mind [name]Rhiannon[/name].
[name]LOVE[/name] [name]Rhiannon[/name], but I love [name]Arianwen[/name] more, and I hear the nn [name]Ari[/name] is popular right now. I also like [name]Bethan[/name], [name]Gwendolen[/name] and [name]Branwen[/name].
I thought I had replied to this thread, but I guess not. Thanks to everyone who’s offered feedback.
@essjay: I’ve heard the “my fanny” thing with [name]Myfanwy[/name], which I really don’t get… “[name]Fanny[/name]” also doesn’t mean the same thing in American slang as it does in British slang, so that isn’t as much of an issue for me.
[name]Myfanwy[/name] is really the only Welsh name that’s sticking with me at the moment.
I looked through the list of Welsh names on Behind the Name, and I found these that I liked:
[name]Branwen[/name]
[name]Ceridwen[/name] (I think I prefer this over [name]Cerys[/name], actually)
Eirlys
Eirwen
[name]Glenys[/name]
[name]Gwenfrewi[/name]
Heulwen
Of course, [name]Branwen[/name] and [name]Glenys[/name] are the only ones that wouldn’t be completely butchered by my family… but if they’re middle names… I figure if I’m going to go Welsh, I might as well go all the way.
I like these two best. I know [name]Branwen[/name] is the “safe” option but I find it pleasant and the meaning appealing. I do think [name]Ceridwen[/name] is very pretty, and I prefer it to [name]Cerys[/name] too. Disagree with the nameberry blurb - I think it has a nice sound, without being ella-bella frilly.
[name]Carys[/name] is prettier than [name]Cerys[/name] … Not beginning with a K though.
There are always [name]Deryn[/name] (bird), [name]Seren[/name] (star) and Celyn ([name]Holly[/name]) which are easy to pronounce and not likely to get butchered.
