This post contains affiliate links.
At a Glance
- Meaning
- Hound, little dog
- Origin
- Welsh (Old Welsh/Middle Welsh)
- Pronunciation
- KUN-an
Cynan is a Welsh name, from Old and Middle Welsh, meaning "hound" or "little dog." You'll often see it glossed as "chief," but that isn't accurate: the name traces back to an old Celtic word for "dog" or "hound." It's pronounced KUN-an.
Meaning & Origin of Cynan
Meaning: Hound, little dog.
Origin: Welsh (Old Welsh/Middle Welsh).
A common claim: Chief. Actually: Cynan is widely glossed as 'chief,' but the name is actually traced to an old Celtic word for 'dog' or 'hound' — 'chief' isn't the literal root.
Source: Wiktionary.
How to Pronounce Cynan
KUN-anIPA /ˈkənan/
Popularity of Cynan
Cynan does not appear in U.S. Social Security birth-name records (38,443 names on file, 1880–present) — likely too rare, too new, or recorded under a different spelling. No popularity rank or trend is shown rather than an invented one.
FAQ
What does the name Cynan mean?
Hound, little dog. (Source: Wiktionary)
How do you pronounce Cynan?
Cynan is pronounced KUN-an (IPA: /ˈkənan/).
Make Cynan Name Art
Free printable nursery art for Cynan, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.
📊 How popular is Cynan? See the full popularity history, trend data, and ranking since 1880 with our free Baby Name Popularity Checker.
🎲 Think you know your baby names? Take the quiz!
📱 The Baby Names app is here
Swipe names, match with your partner the moment you both say yes, and claim a free Name Art print of your winner. Free to download. See all our apps →
