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Welsh is a language that does things English doesn’t. It strings consonants together in ways that look impossible on paper and then turns them into something soft on the tongue — Ll sounds like a whispered thl, dd hums like the th in this, w slips in as a vowel. The result is a naming tradition that feels both ancient and totally fresh: names like Cerys and Anwen and Ffion carry centuries of poetry behind them, but to an American ear they sound like they were invented yesterday.
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Popularity below is calculated from Social Security Administration data through 2024, the most recent year on record.
Here’s what’s in store –
Names From the Mabinogion and Welsh Mythology
Classic Welsh Names With Real Staying Power
Names Built on the *Gwen* Root (White, Fair, Blessed)
Saints, Scholars, and Medieval Welsh Women
Nature, Plant, and Animal Names
And here’s the strange thing: Welsh girl names are quietly trending on Pinterest right now (search volume on Eira alone has roughly doubled since 2024) while remaining almost entirely absent from the US Social Security top 1,000. You can give your daughter a name with a thousand years of literary heritage and still be the only one at preschool with it.
This list is heavy on the truly Welsh — names rooted in the language itself, not the Anglicized “Celtic-flavored” inventions that flood most lists. You’ll find names from the Mabinogion (the medieval Welsh story cycle), names tied to the landscape, names that mean snow and song and silver and dawn. A few are well-known, most aren’t. All of them are real.
A small pronunciation note before we begin: Ll is roughly thl (place your tongue as if to say L and blow), Dd is a soft th like in that, Ch is the guttural sound in Bach, and W is usually oo. Y can be uh or ee depending on placement. Once you have those four, almost every name on this list becomes pronounceable.
Names From the Mabinogion and Welsh Mythology
The Mabinogion is the great medieval collection of Welsh stories — older than Chaucer, weirder than Arthuriana, full of women who turn into owls and goddesses made of flowers. These names carry that whole atmosphere.
- Origin: Welsh
- Pronunciation: ree-AN-un · riˈænən
- Meaning: traditionally reconstructed as ‘great queen’ or ‘divine queen’, name of a major figure in Welsh mythology
- Popularity: #1,310 and falling (#1,157 → #1,310, 2024)
- Origin: Welsh
- Pronunciation: BRAN-wen · ˈbrænwɛn
- Meaning: blessed or white raven
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
A tragic queen of the Second Branch; somber, beautiful, and increasingly visible on UK birth lists.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: silver wheel
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: flower face
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
The woman conjured from oak, broom, and meadowsweet blossoms; later turned into an owl as punishment.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Modest, demure”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
A virgin footholder to King Math; understated and almost never used outside Wales.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Token of love”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
A maiden fought over by two suitors every May Day in the old tales.
- Origin: Welsh
- Pronunciation: AHL-wen · ˈɑːlwɛn
- Meaning: white footprint
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Maiden”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
The Welsh form of Igraine, mother of Arthur — sharper and stonier than its Anglicized cousin.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Fair phantom”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
The original Guinevere, before the French softened her into something more polite.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Beautiful, fair”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
Tegau Gold-Breast was a legendary chaste lady of Arthur’s court; obscure and lovely.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Fair, lovely”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
One of Arthur’s mistresses in the Triads of Britain; barely two syllables, very current-sounding.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “She who is gazed upon”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
The native Welsh form of Isolde, restored to its original consonants.
- Origin: Welsh (uncertain compound)
- Meaning: “Pure, blessed one”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
The Welsh patron saint of lovers — January 25 is her feast day, Wales’s answer to Valentine’s.
- Origin: Welsh (traditional form of Agnes)
- Meaning: pure, chaste (via its origin as the medieval Welsh form of Agnes, ultimately from Greek hagnē, ‘pure’)
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
A medieval Welsh princess whose abduction triggered a war; tiny and ancient.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: white/fair linen (or cloth)
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
A 12th-century warrior princess who led an army into battle; pronounced *gwen-THLEE-an*.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Salt marsh”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
The mourning princess of the medieval poem *Canu Heledd*; rough-edged and devastating.
- Origin: Welsh (from Brittonic *mātronā)
- Meaning: mother goddess, from the Brittonic/Gaulish root for ‘mother’
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Chief beauty”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
Mother of Branwen; almost extinct as a given name, ripe for revival.
- Origin: Welsh (mythological, from the Mabinogion)
- Meaning: “Daughter of Gwyn”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
The daughter-in-law of Rhiannon in the Third Branch; spiky and unusual.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Water”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
Tied to the river Dyfi; soft and elemental.
Snow, Sky, and Weather Names
Welsh has a vocabulary for weather that puts English to shame. These are names drawn from the elements themselves — most are short, all are unmistakably Welsh.
- Origin: Welsh
- Pronunciation: EYE-ruh · ˈaɪrə
- Meaning: snow
- Popularity: #2,385 and rising (#2,593 → #2,385, 2024)
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: snowdrop
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
The flower that pushes through frost in late winter; a more literal cousin to Eira.
- Origin: Welsh
- Pronunciation: SEH-ren · ˈsɛrɛn
- Meaning: star
- Popularity: #4,631 and rising (#4,638 → #4,631, 2024)
The number-one Welsh-language name in Wales for most of the 2010s; clean, modern, easy to say.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Sunshine, sunlight”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
Literally *sun* + *blessed*; pronounced *HAYL-wen*.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Summer”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
A single syllable that lands like a held breath.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Dawn”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
Pronounced *gwa-oor*; the moment just before sunrise.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Moonlight”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
Quiet, mythic, and pronounceable as *THLOO-an*.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Fair summer”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
Combines *summer* and *blessed*; warm without being sweet.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Breeze”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
A soft, gusty name; *OW-el*.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Bright, beautiful”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
Carries the same *eir-* (silver/bright) root that runs through many Welsh names.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: warmth
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Rain”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
Single-syllable, a little unusual as a given name, but used.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Shower”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
More word than name, but appears occasionally; pronounced *KAH-wod*.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Moon-fair”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
Pronounced *THLAY-wen*; rare and lunar.
- Origin: Welsh
- Pronunciation: BRIN · ˈbrɪn
- Meaning: hill or mound
- Popularity: #2,098 and falling (#2,078 → #2,098, 2024)
Increasingly unisex; clipped and grounded.
- Origin: Swahili (also English short form of Antonia)
- Pronunciation: NEE-ah · ˈniːə
- Meaning: purpose (Swahili); also used as a short form of Antonia in English
- Popularity: #672 and falling (#638 → #672, 2024)
Two letters, big sound; widely used in Wales.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Gray”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
Used historically; pronounced *THLOO-id*.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Idol, image”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
Sometimes connected to *enaid*, the Welsh word for soul.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Stars”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
The plural of Seren; uncommon but real.
Classic Welsh Names With Real Staying Power
These are names you might recognize — the ones that have crossed borders, been spelled a dozen ways, and somehow stayed Welsh at the root.
- Origin: Welsh (variant of Carys)
- Pronunciation: KEH-riss · ˈkɛrɪs
- Meaning: love
- Popularity: #11,379 as of 2023 — not currently in the U.S. Social Security rankings
- Origin: Welsh
- Pronunciation: FEE-on · ˈfiːɑːn
- Meaning: foxglove flower
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
The double-F is correct; pronounced *FEE-on*. Floral and very modern in Wales.
- Origin: Welsh
- Pronunciation: AHN-wen · ˈɑːnwɛn
- Meaning: very fair/white, very blessed
- Popularity: #10,318 and rising (#12,283 → #10,318, 2024)
The intensifier *an-* plus *gwen*; gentle but not soft.
- Origin: Welsh
- Pronunciation: KAR-iss · ˈkærɪs
- Meaning: love
- Popularity: #4,669 and rising (#5,587 → #4,669, 2024)
The more common spelling of Cerys; Catherine Zeta-Jones named her daughter this.
- Origin: Welsh
- Pronunciation: BRON-wen · ˈbrɑːnwɛn
- Meaning: fair/white breast
- Popularity: #10,539 as of 2022 — not currently in the U.S. Social Security rankings
- Origin: Welsh
- Pronunciation: GWEN · ˈɡwɛn
- Meaning: white/fair (also ‘blessed, holy’)
- Popularity: #698 and rising (#817 → #698, 2024)
The root word inside half the names on this list; complete on its own.
- Origin: Welsh
- Pronunciation: MEG-an · ˈmɛgən
- Meaning: pearl (Welsh pet form of Margaret)
- Popularity: #761 and falling (#694 → #761, 2024)
Welsh in origin even though it feels universal now.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: slender and fair
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
The native Welsh form of Rowena; sleek and old.
- Origin: Welsh (disputed)
- Pronunciation: el-EH-ree · ɛˈlɛri
- Meaning: “Bountiful”
- Popularity: #13,918 and rising (#15,927 → #13,918, 2024)
Also the name of a Welsh river and a 5th-century saint.
- Origin: uncertain (competing traditions: Thai, a European pet-form of Mary/Maria, or the country name)
- Meaning: “Bitter”
- Popularity: #3,609 and falling (#2,871 → #3,609, 2024)
Sweet-sounding despite the literal meaning.
- Origin: Welsh (form of Laura)
- Pronunciation: LOW-ree · ˈlaʊri
- Meaning: laurel
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
Pronounced *LOW-ree*.
- Origin: Welsh (from Hebrew, via English Janet and French Jeannette)
- Meaning: God is gracious
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
Pronounced *SHON-ed*.
- Origin: Welsh (short form of Bethany, ultimately Aramaic)
- Pronunciation: BETH-an · ˈbɛθæn
- Meaning: short form of Bethany; from a disputed Aramaic place name traditionally glossed ‘house of affliction’
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
A Welsh schoolyard staple.
- Origin: Welsh (form of Catherine)
- Pronunciation: KAT-rin · ˈkætrɪn
- Meaning: Welsh form of Catherine; original meaning debated, popularly but inaccurately glossed as ‘pure’
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
Three-letter swap, totally transformed.
- Origin: Welsh (form of Margaret)
- Meaning: pearl
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
Short and sharp.
- Origin: Welsh
- Pronunciation: ang-HAIR-ud · æŋˈhɛrəd
- Meaning: much loved, greatly loved
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
Pronounced *ang-HAR-ad*; literary, ancient, and worn like silver.
- Origin: Welsh (20th-century coinage)
- Pronunciation: GLEN-iss · ˈɡlɛnɪs
- Meaning: holy, pure/clean
- Popularity: #11,809 as of 2009 — not currently in the U.S. Social Security rankings
Mid-century classic in Wales.
- Origin: Welsh
- Pronunciation: GWIN-eth · ˈgwɪnəθ
- Meaning: white/fair (also ‘blessed’)
- Popularity: #1,788 and rising (#1,895 → #1,788, 2024)
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “My fine, rare one”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
Pronounced *muh-VAN-wee*; the title of a beloved Welsh love song.
- Origin: Welsh (from Hebrew via Latin/Greek)
- Pronunciation: SHAHN · ˈʃɑːn
- Meaning: Welsh form of Jane/Joanna, ultimately from a Hebrew name meaning ‘God is gracious’
- Popularity: #11,965 and rising (#14,914 → #11,965, 2024)
Pronounced *SHAN*.
- Origin: Welsh
- Pronunciation: REE-an · ˈriːən
- Meaning: maiden, young woman
- Popularity: #10,882 and falling (#6,867 → #10,882, 2024)
Sometimes confused with Rhiannon; a separate, simpler name.
Names Built on the *Gwen* Root (White, Fair, Blessed)
Gwen is the busiest morpheme in the Welsh naming book — it can mean white, fair, holy, or blessed, and it grafts onto almost anything. Here’s a generous helping.
Princess Gwenllian led troops against the Normans in 1136; lyrical.
- Origin: Welsh (English spelling variant)
- Pronunciation: GWEN-duh-lin · ˈɡwɛndəlɪn
- Meaning: white/fair ring
- Popularity: #393 and falling (#378 → #393, 2024)
The English-friendly form of Gwendolen, with rich literary use.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Blessed Mary”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
A devotional name combining *gwen* + *Mair*.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: wheat
- Popularity: #15,945 as of 2020 — not currently in the U.S. Social Security rankings
Pronounced like Gwyneth but with an entirely different meaning — agrarian and bright.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Fair, blessed little one”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
A diminutive that sounds older than its base.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Blessed reconciliation”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
The original Welsh form of Winifred — a 7th-century saint and martyr.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Fair pool”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
A modern coinage combining *gwen* + *llyn* (lake); occasionally heard now.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “White breast, fair hill”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
Lyrical and uncommon.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Swallow”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
The bird; brisk and rare.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Fair, blessed”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
Variant spelling of Gwennan, even rarer.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Fair and good”
- Popularity: #14,436 as of 2018 — not currently in the U.S. Social Security rankings
A 20th-century Welsh classic feeling ripe for revival.
– **Gwenllian** — included above; worth repeating because it is consistently the most-asked-about name on Welsh naming forums.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Muse, poetic inspiration”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
Not technically a *gwen* name but lives in the same sonic family; the breath of the bards.
Saints, Scholars, and Medieval Welsh Women
Wales had a remarkable cluster of early Christian female saints — many with names that disappeared from common use centuries ago and are quietly reappearing.
The 5th-century patron of Welsh lovers; her chapel ruins stand on Llanddwyn Island.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Sweet angel”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
A 6th-century princess who protected a hare from huntsmen; pronounced *meh-LANG-eth*.
- Origin: Welsh (20th-century coinage); also Irish (surname/Tadhg-diminutive)
- Pronunciation: TEE-gan · ˈtiːgən
- Meaning: darling, pet
- Popularity: #2,060 and falling (#1,833 → #2,060, 2024)
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Lord-like”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
Saint Tudful gave her name to Merthyr Tudful (Merthyr Tydfil).
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Lord”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
Anglicized form of Tudful; quirky and place-rich.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Nun”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
Saint Non was the mother of Saint David, patron of Wales; one syllable, deeply old.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Fair and lovely”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
A 5th-century saint and daughter of Brychan; pronounced *KINE-wen*.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Chief blessed”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
Another of Brychan’s holy daughters.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Country, sovereignty”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
A medieval Welsh queen and saint; spelled here in the original.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Sacred fire” or “white fire”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
A 5th-century saint, daughter of Brychan.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Blessed Tudur”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
One of the lesser-known daughters of Brychan.
- Origin: Welsh
- Pronunciation: KAYN · ˈkeɪn
- Meaning: beautiful, fair (Welsh saint Cain/Ceinwen)
- Popularity: #974 and falling (#920 → #974, 2024)
A 5th-century holy woman; one syllable, fierce.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Nun”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
A monastic vocation name; pronounced *THLAY-an*.
- Origin: Cornish (name of an early Christian saint)
- Meaning: “Fire-soul”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
A Celtic saint; sounds extraordinary in English.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Lord-hewer”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
Medieval, severe, rare even in Wales.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Beloved”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
A medieval form of Avice that the Normans borrowed; brittle and pretty.
- Origin: Welsh form of Magdalene
- Meaning: “Of Magdala”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
The Welsh take on Madeline.
- Origin: Welsh form of Margaret
- Meaning: “Pearl”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
A common medieval Welsh given name.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Beloved day”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
The unrequited love of the medieval poet Dafydd ap Gwilym.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: great gain, great treasure
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
Dafydd ap Gwilym’s other muse — his entire body of love poetry orbits these two women.
Nature, Plant, and Animal Names
Welsh-language nature names go beyond the obvious flower-and-tree set. These pull from the specific flora and fauna of the Welsh countryside.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: primrose
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: bird
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Beautiful brightness” or “orchid”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
The orchid; rich and ornate.
- Origin: English (variant of Lily)
- Pronunciation: LEE-lee · ˈliːliː
- Meaning: lily flower (variant of Lily)
- Popularity: #3,028 and falling (#2,505 → #3,028, 2024)
The Welsh spelling; same name, different feel.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Strawberries”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
Plural fruit-noun used affectionately as a nickname.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Broom flower”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
One of Blodeuwedd’s three flowers; bristly and beautiful.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Meadowsweet”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
Another of Blodeuwedd’s botanical pieces.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Branch”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
Tree-rooted; pronounced *KANG-en*.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Tree”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
More word than common name, but occasionally used.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Blueness, freshness”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
Like the color of a glacial pool.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: dawn
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
Single bright syllable; rising in popularity in Wales.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Swan”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
Pronounced *AL-arkh*; austere and lovely.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Lord, worthy”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
Sometimes given the gloss “ivy-bound”; pretty either way.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: ‘snow’ + ‘white’ — i.e., ‘snow-white’
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
Pronounced *AYR-wen*; pure winter.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Rose”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
Pronounced *HROS-in*; the Welsh take on the universal flower.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Willow”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
Tree-named, almost minimalist.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Ash tree”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
Old, hard, beautiful.
- Origin: Welsh, plural form
- Meaning: “Primroses”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
A poetic plural variant.
Short and Modern Welsh Names
For parents drawn to short, snappy names that still feel rooted, Welsh offers an unusually rich set of one- and two-syllable options.
Easy on every American tongue.
Two letters, instant.
- Origin: Italian, variant of Leah (Hebrew); also Sicilian short form of Ilìa (Elijah)
- Pronunciation: LEE-ah · ˈliːə
- Meaning: form of Leah (Hebrew root disputed, traditionally glossed ‘weary’); or, in Sicily, short for Ilìa/Elijah (‘my God is Yahweh’)
- Popularity: #187 and rising (#210 → #187, 2024)
Sometimes spelled Lîa; minimalist.
- Origin: Germanic (diminutive of Maria, German/Dutch/Scandinavian)
- Pronunciation: MEE-uh · ˈmiːə
- Meaning: “Mine”
- Popularity: #5 and rising (#6 → #5, 2024)
Often used in modern Wales.
- Origin: Turkish
- Pronunciation: EH-lah · ˈɛlɑː
- Meaning: hazel (eye color)
- Popularity: #1,713 and rising (#1,826 → #1,713, 2024)
Compact.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: to love
- Popularity: #5,815 and falling (#4,894 → #5,815, 2024)
From the verb *caru*; warm.
One of the most pickup-friendly Welsh names in the US.
Two syllables, all softness.
– **Nia** — listed again for completeness; pairs especially well with longer middle names.
- Origin: Hebrew (variant spelling of Sarah)
- Pronunciation: SAIR-ah · ˈsɛrə
- Meaning: princess; noblewoman
- Popularity: #188, holding steady (2024)
A subtle Welsh variant.
- Origin: German/Swedish (contraction of Margareta)
- Pronunciation: GRET-ah · ˈɡrɛtə
- Meaning: pearl (via Margaret)
- Popularity: #855 and rising (#936 → #855, 2024)
Used in modern Welsh families.
– **Mali** — included for the same reason; Welsh parents love how it pairs.
The way it’s spelled in Welsh.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Sing” or “song fragment”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
Tiny and odd.
- Origin: Welsh spelling of Lucy
- Meaning: “Light”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
The Welsh phonetic respelling, increasingly common.
- Origin: Welsh form of Mabel
- Meaning: “Lovable”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
Pronounced *MAB-lee*.
- Origin: Welsh diminutive of Elizabeth
- Meaning: “God is my oath”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
Pet-name simplicity.
– **Megs** — Diminutive of Megan; used as a given name on its own in some Welsh families.
- Origin: Old Welsh/Old English overlap
- Meaning: “Queen”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
Single syllable, royal.
- Origin: Welsh diminutive of Mimosa or Miriam
- Meaning: “Strict, severe”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
Sharp and small.
Place-Inspired and Landscape Names
Wales is geography first and country second — its mountains, rivers, and valleys are named in a language older than English, and many of those place-names work beautifully as given names.
– **Eirian** — also a river name; the *Afon Eirian* runs through Anglesey.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Quiet one”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
The river that runs through Swansea.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Chief one”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
A river in the South Wales valleys; usually masculine but used for girls.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Reedy”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
The river and town in North Wales; pronounced *KON-wee*.
- Origin: Welsh (from Latin Tacitus)
- Meaning: silent, via the Roman name Tacitus
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
Bala Lake’s Welsh name is *Llyn Tegid*.
- Origin: Welsh
- Pronunciation: GLIN · ˈɡlɪn
- Meaning: valley
- Popularity: #13,128 as of 2009 — not currently in the U.S. Social Security rankings
Unisex, with a quiet gravity.
- Origin: Welsh (uncertain)
- Pronunciation: KAR-un · ˈkærən
- Meaning: “Loving”
- Popularity: #7,827, holding steady (2024)
Also a river and parish name.
- Origin: Irish/Scottish Gaelic; also Arabic (as Muna)
- Pronunciation: MOH-nah · ˈmoʊnə
- Meaning: noble (Irish/Gaelic); or ‘wish/desire’ when used as a form of Arabic Muna
- Popularity: #2,224 and falling (#2,116 → #2,224, 2024)
The ancient Roman name for Anglesey.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “The countryside”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
A Welsh county name; rare as a girl’s name but used.
– **Carys** — also means “love” but doubles as a near-homophone for Welsh river names.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Dark river”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
The Tywi runs through Carmarthenshire.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Of Dyfed”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
The southwestern Welsh kingdom of the Mabinogion.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Of Gwynedd”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
The northwest Welsh kingdom; ambitious and historical.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Fellow-countrymen”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
The Welsh word for Wales itself; occasionally used.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Island”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
Pronounced *UH-nis*; clipped and elemental.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Grove, copse”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
Pronounced *THLOO-in*.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Bright” + “white”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
A mountain range in north Wales.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Land of eagles”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
The Welsh name for Snowdonia.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Seat, chair”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
As in Cader Idris, the great mountain of central Wales.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Fair, blessed”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
A diminutive associated with Saint Wenna and her sisters.
Lesser-Known Welsh Names Worth Discovering
A final cluster of rarities — names you’ll almost never see on American lists, all of them real.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Victory”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
The Welsh form of Boudicca; pronounced *BITH-ig*.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Peace-hostage”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
A medieval name meaning the bond that secures peace.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Linnet”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
A small songbird; pronounced *THLEE-nos*.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Pearl”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
A poetic alternative to Margaret.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Golden”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
From *aur*, gold.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “White footprint”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
A diminutive of Olwen.
- Origin: Welsh (mythological)
- Meaning: “Fair poetry”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
The witch-goddess who brewed the cauldron of inspiration; pronounced *ker-ID-wen*.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Gentle, kind”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
A real adjective used as a given name; calming.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Bright, beloved”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
The subject of one of the most famous medieval Welsh love elegies.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Blue, green-blue”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
Colorful and obscure.
- Origin: Welsh form of Rebecca
- Meaning: “Bound”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
Brisk.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Loud” or “fame”
- Popularity: #8,206 and rising (#8,757 → #8,206, 2024)
Short and uncommon.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Restoration”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
Sometimes used for girls.
- Origin: English (from the plant name, ultimately Greek via Latin)
- Meaning: named after the bryony plant, a flowering climbing vine
- Popularity: #9,816 as of 2022 — not currently in the U.S. Social Security rankings
Often grouped with Welsh names because of usage patterns in Wales.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Jewel”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
Three soft sounds; pronounced *GLINE*.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Rainbow”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
Hopeful and colorful; pronounced *EN-vis*.
– **Aures** — also above; bears mentioning twice given how rare it is.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Great Marlais”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
A river name and the middle name Dylan Thomas was born with.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Fair, beautiful”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
Medieval; barely seen.
- Origin: English (flower name, likely from Greek ‘ion’, violet)
- Meaning: a flower name evoking the violet, symbolizing modesty and beauty (in the same vein as Iolanthe)
- Popularity: #11,461 and falling (#10,633 → #11,461, 2024)
Small and unusual.
– **Lleucu** — already noted; the medieval elegy “Marwnad Lleucu Llwyd” cemented it.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Beautiful spring”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Golden link”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
Compound name suggesting a chain of gold.
One of King Arthur’s serving maidens in Welsh legend.
– **Tegyd** — Variant of Tegid; ancient and rare.
– **Cwenllian** — Archaic spelling of Gwenllian; sometimes used to mark heritage.
- Origin: Cornish/Welsh overlap
- Meaning: “Modest”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
Hovering between two Celtic languages.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Very good”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
Occasionally used for girls.
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: “Gold-colored”
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
How These Names Are Trending
13 of these names rose in the U.S. Social Security rankings last year, and 13 are falling, per Social Security data through 2024.
How These Names Are Trending
13 of these names rose in the U.S. Social Security rankings last year, and 13 are falling, per Social Security data through 2024.
How These Names Are Trending
13 of these names rose in the U.S. Social Security rankings last year, and 13 are falling, per Social Security data through 2024.
How These Names Are Trending
13 of these names rose in the U.S. Social Security rankings last year, and 13 are falling, per Social Security data through 2024.
How These Names Are Trending
13 of these names rose in the U.S. Social Security rankings last year, and 13 are falling, per Social Security data through 2024.
A compound of *aur* + *lliw*.
How to Choose a Name From This List
Start by reading them out loud — Welsh is a language built to be spoken, and a name that looks intimidating on paper will often feel obvious in your mouth after three tries. Ll and Dd take a minute, and that’s fine; learning them is part of the offer.
Think about the first-name-and-middle-name rhythm carefully. Welsh names tend to land on the first or second syllable with a soft tail, so they pair beautifully with longer Anglo middle names (Anwen Margaret, Eira Caroline) but can sound choppy with very short ones. Test the full name aloud before committing.
Consider how often your daughter will need to spell it. Ffion, Sian, Myfanwy — these are lifelong-spell-it-out names in the US, and that’s a real thing to weigh. Some parents lean in (the spelling becomes part of the story). Others choose a simpler Welsh form like Megan or Bethan or Tegan that travels without explanation.
Look at the meaning honestly. Welsh names tend to be deeply literal — Eira means snow, Cerys means love, Branwen means blessed raven — and that literalism becomes part of your daughter’s self-introduction for the rest of her life. Pick a meaning you’d be glad to tell a curious stranger about.
Finally: don’t dismiss the obscure ones. Some of the most stunning names on this list — Heledd, Lleucu, Generys — are nearly extinct even in Wales. Giving one of them to a baby in 2026 is a small act of preservation, and the only thing rarer than the name itself will be your daughter.
Name Art for Your Favorite
Love a name from this list? MinimalistMama offers custom Name Art prints — personalized, minimalist nursery art with the name you choose, designed to match your aesthetic. A perfect gift for baby showers or to hang above the crib.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I pronounce Welsh *Ll* and *Dd*?
*Ll* is a voiceless lateral fricative — place your tongue as if to say *L* and blow air around it; it comes out like a breathy *thl*. *Dd* is the voiced *th* in *this* or *that*. Once you have those two, names like Llinos (THLEE-nos) and Heledd (HEL-eth) become natural.
Are Welsh names common in the United States?
Not really, which is part of their appeal. Outside of Megan and a handful of crossover names like Bronwen or Gwyneth, most genuinely Welsh names sit well outside the US top 1000. Eira, Cerys, Ffion, and Anwen are trending steadily upward on Pinterest but remain rare in American classrooms.
What’s the difference between a Welsh name and a “Celtic” name?
Celtic is an umbrella that covers Welsh, Irish, Scottish Gaelic, Cornish, Breton, and Manx — six distinct languages, not one. A name like Bronwen is specifically Welsh; Bridget is Irish; Iona is Scottish. They share roots millennia back but diverged long ago. The list above sticks to the Welsh branch.
Is it cultural appropriation to use a Welsh name if I’m not Welsh?
Welsh communities have historically been welcoming about name use — Wales is a small nation with a growing diaspora, and seeing the language travel is generally seen as a good thing. The respectful approach is to learn the pronunciation, know what the name means, and be ready to share that story when people ask. Don’t rewrite the spelling to be “easier” — that erases what makes the name Welsh in the first place.
Which Welsh girl names are easiest for Americans?
Megan, Tegan, Carys, Nia, Lowri, Mali, Anwen, and Seren are the friendliest crossovers — short, phonetically transparent, and rarely mispronounced. If you want something more distinctively Welsh without becoming a daily explainer, those are the strong picks.
What does the *gwen* root mean, and why is it in so many names?
*Gwen* in Welsh means white, fair, holy, or blessed all at once — the senses overlap. It softens to *-wen* when it’s the second part of a name (Anwen, Branwen, Bronwen, Olwen) and stays *Gwen-* when it leads (Gwendolyn, Gwenllian). It’s the most productive root in Welsh given names, the way *Marie* once was in French.
Are there Welsh names that work for siblings of any background?
Plenty. Pairings that travel well across mixed-name sibling sets: Eira and Iris, Cerys and Cora, Anwen and Adeline, Seren and Selene, Bronwen and Beatrice. Welsh names tend to be soft on the ear and short on syllables, so they slot into most sibling groups without dominating.
📊 Curious how popular a name actually is? Look it up in our Baby Name Popularity Checker — pulls live SSA data to show ranking trends.
Final Thoughts
The best argument for a Welsh name is also the simplest: there are around three thousand languages spoken in the world today, and Welsh sounds like exactly one of them. Naming a daughter Eira or Lleucu or Branwen hands her something that no automatic spell-checker has cataloged yet — a sound, a story, and a slow-burn introduction to a literary tradition older than England. Take your time, say them out loud, and trust the one that keeps coming back to you.
Read next;
🎀 40+ *Best* Girl Names That Start with G
🎀 49+ *Beautiful* Girl Names That Start with H
🎀 42+ *Beautiful* Baby Girl Names That Start With D
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