Criteria was: Welsh, unusual (including here in [name]Wales[/name], which is harder than you’d think!), easy for non-Welsh speakers to pronounce (although I don’t mind having to explain pronunciation, as long as they are able to say the sounds!).
So what do you think of Teifryn? TAVE-rin.
I was in love with Teifion ([name]TAV[/name]-ee-on) for a while but my partner thinks it’s “too much”, so then we tossed Teifi around for a while (TAVE-ee), but it sounds a little nicknamey and was going to rule out one of my favourite girls names ([name]Ivy[/name]). Then I stumbled across Teifryn. It means Teifi [name]Hill[/name], and we can use [name]Tay[/name], Tave or Teifi as nn’s.
It’s not idea with the surname b[/b] but most of our favourite Welsh names end with an N, and my partner’s first name ends with “an” and he gets on fine so I’ve decided to stop worrying about that!
So what do you think?
For those interested, other names still sort of in the running are: Braith (BRY-th), Leolin (lee-[name]OL[/name]-in, not sure about legitimate history as a Welsh name), Maelrys (MILE-riss), Neirin (NAY-rin), Seirian ([name]SAY[/name]-ree-un) and [name]Sulien[/name] ([name]SEEL[/name]-ee-un).
[name]Just[/name] one thing, the whole time I read this I thought it was a girl… It sounds very feminine, like [name]Corinne[/name]. Then I looked at your signature and say it was a boys name…
No it’s definitely a boys name! And we live in [name]Wales[/name] where the way names genders are viewed seems to be very different to in [name]America[/name]. For example, since [name]Victoria[/name] [name]Beckham[/name] has named her daughter [name]Harper[/name], almost everyone (non name nerds obviously! lol) I have spoken to about the name, thinks [name]Harper[/name] should only be used on a boy!
Oh, I quite like Teifryn. It reminds me of one of my Welsh faves Talfryn. Teifryn [name]Morgan[/name] sounds fine. [name]Do[/name] you like the full name Teifryn [name]William[/name] [name]Norman[/name] [name]Morgan[/name]? I’m still having trouble with all of the rhyming but maybe you’re over it! I know [name]William[/name] and [name]Norman[/name] are family names but is your heart set on both names for one son or could they be split up between two sons? Teifryn [name]William[/name] [name]Morgan[/name] would be wonderful! I love Braith and Maelrys as these two names would break up the n’s. Behind-the-Name website states that Leolin is a variant of [name]Llywelyn[/name] so I guess it could be Welsh. Here are my faves in order of preference.
Thanks [name]Mischa[/name], glad you like it I like that it has “[name]Ry[/name]” in it too like [name]Emrys[/name] did. Our names are [name]Laura[/name] and [name]Ryan[/name] and we often go by Lau and [name]Ry[/name], and our fav girls name [name]Claudia[/name] has Lau in it so I really liked that [name]Emrys[/name] had [name]Ry[/name] in it. It’s not significant, but a nice little tie
And no, not set on [name]William[/name] [name]Norman[/name] as the middles. I’m torn over it, as I know it sounds very repetitive, but I just know how happy it would make both our families ([name]William[/name] is my grandfather, [name]Norman[/name] was my partner’s grandfather). I know his family are quite traditional and wouldn’t really understand or appreciate creative honouring, even though I’ve considered using [name]North[/name] as a way to honour [name]Norman[/name]. [name]Norman[/name] means Northern man, plus [name]Norman[/name] was from the [name]North[/name] of [name]England[/name]! But I just don’t think it’d mean as much to them as using [name]Norman[/name].
I have thought about saving [name]Norman[/name] for a second son, but then I worry that I would put some noses out of joint by only naming after my grandfather, and not his. Plus if I didn’t ever have a second son I think my partner would be dissapointed that we didn’t honour [name]Norman[/name].
Another thought is, that 99% of the time, [name]Norman[/name] went by [name]Normy[/name]. Now I prefer classic names to nicknamey names but could Teifryn [name]William[/name] [name]Normy[/name] [name]Morgan[/name] work? Does it break it up a little? And then the final way I can think of honouring him is to use his surname, Sidwell (he didn’t have a middle sadly, I was hoping for something like [name]James[/name] haha). My partner was at one point going to change his surname to Sidwell (since he’s not close to his father, the [name]Morgan[/name] side) so that could be a nice way to honour all of that family. Teifryn [name]William[/name] Sidwell [name]Morgan[/name].
If I do give up on honouring both grandfathers (although I think that’s the loveliest, most menaingful thing I could do) then we would likely go for Teifryn [name]William[/name] [name]Lee[/name] [name]Morgan[/name] ([name]Lee[/name] is [name]Ryan[/name]'s middle name) and then use [name]Norman[/name] for a second son. Sorry for babbling! What do you think?
Oh gosh [name]Laura[/name], which to choose? Teifryn [name]William[/name] Sidwell [name]Morgan[/name] or Teifryn [name]William[/name] [name]Lee[/name] [name]Morgan[/name]? Although I do like the sound of [name]William[/name] [name]Lee[/name] [name]Morgan[/name] in the middle, I think I’m going to have to go with honouring both grandfathers now that Sidwell is under consideration. Teifryn [name]William[/name] Sidwell [name]Morgan[/name] is a great compromise and it should make both sides of the family happy!
Teifryn [name]William[/name] Sidwell [name]Morgan[/name] is lovely. I really like the rhythm, the honouring of the grandfathers, and the link to your hubby (through wanting to be a Sidwell). Beautiful… I think you’ve found it!
(And if you did have a second son, he can always be ____ [name]Norman[/name] [name]Lee[/name] [name]Morgan[/name]
@ [name]Mischa[/name] - thank you! I think I’m leaning towards Sidwell too
@ [name]Marie[/name] [name]Lillian[/name] - thank you too, very glad you like it. We discussed it today and Teifryn is definitely “the one” - so happy to find it Need to give the middles more thought though!
@usagirl4 - Thanks also, that’s a huge compliment if you’re adding it to your own list! So glad for the all round thumbs up
the biggest thing that turned me off was the spelling. When I first saw it, I thought it was pronounced “Tyfrin”. However you live in [name]Wales[/name] and so pronunciation might not be an issue at all. [name]Just[/name] not my style I suppose.
I know [name]William[/name] and [name]Norman[/name] are family names but is your heart set on both names for one son or could they be split up between two sons? Teifryn [name]William[/name] [name]Morgan[/name] would be wonderful! I love Braith and Maelrys as these two names would break up the n’s. Behind-the-Name website states that Leolin is a variant of [name]Llywelyn[/name] so I guess it could be Welsh. Here are my faves in order of preference.
I like that it has “[name]Ry[/name]” in it too like [name]Emrys[/name] did. Our names are [name]Laura[/name] and [name]Ryan[/name] and we often go by Lau and [name]Ry[/name], and our fav girls name [name]Claudia[/name] has Lau in it so I really liked that [name]Emrys[/name] had [name]Ry[/name] in it. It’s not significant, but a nice little tie 