Welsh names are first names that come from the Welsh language, Welsh legend and Welsh history, and the ones parents in Wales are choosing right now are Osian, Macsen, Harri and Jac for boys and Mali, Alys, Mabli and Seren for girls. In 2025 Mali was the fourth most popular girls’ name in Wales, with 104 babies, and Osian made the boys’ top 10 with 114, according to the Office for National Statistics. The catch for everyone else is pronunciation: Welsh has its own spelling rules, so a name like Dafydd or Llinos sounds nothing like it looks to an English speaker until you know the code.
This guide is part of our Scottish Names collection. Browse the full Scottish Names directory for A to Z first names, surnames and Gaelic lists, or step back to our guide to Celtic names from all six nations to see where Welsh sits beside Scottish, Irish, Cornish, Breton and Manx.
This is written for parents who want a Welsh name and want to say it properly, for anyone with Welsh family who wants to know what Gran’s name actually means, and for the rest of us who have stared at a Cardiff programme and wondered how on earth to say Gruffydd. You get 150 names, a respelling for every one, the 2025 popularity figures, the Welsh rules that explain the strange-looking letters, and the Scottish Gaelic cousin where the same name lives on both sides of the border.
A wee bit of context first. Welsh is a Celtic language of the Brittonic branch, a close cousin of Cornish rather than of Scottish Gaelic, and about 538,300 people in Wales could speak it at the 2021 census. Its alphabet has 29 letters, eight of them double letters such as ll, dd and ff. There is no k, q, v, x or z. That one fact explains half the confusion: when a Welsh name has an f, it is said like a v, and when it needs an English f sound, it doubles up to ff.
Two Scots Abroad · Scottish names
Welsh name finder
150 Welsh first names with meanings and a say-it guide. Filter for a boy or a girl, for names that are easy to say outside Wales, and for traditional, modern or legend names. Gold edges mark names in the 2025 Welsh top 100.
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What are the most popular Welsh names in Wales right now?
Mali, Alys and Mabli for girls; Osian, Macsen and Harri for boys. Those are the top Welsh-spelled names in Wales in the ONS baby names release for 2025, published on 9 July 2026. Overall, Wales still picks the same favourites as England: Olivia (140) and Noah (218) top the Welsh lists. But the Welsh-language names hold their own: a Welsh-spelled name sits fourth on the girls’ list and another tenth on the boys’.
| Name | For | Rank in Wales | Babies in Wales | Babies in England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mali | Girl | #4 | 104 | 132 |
| Alys | Girl | #29 | 61 | 81 |
| Mabli | Girl | #36 | 57 | 69 |
| Lili | Girl | #44 | 50 | 72 |
| Ffion | Girl | #55 | 42 | 98 |
| Seren | Girl | #55 | 42 | 196 |
| Nansi | Girl | #61 | 39 | 41 |
| Eira | Girl | #71 | 34 | 112 |
| Efa | Girl | #72 | 33 | 42 |
| Elsi | Girl | #72 | 33 | 34 |
| Eleri | Girl | #83 | 29 | 49 |
| Lowri | Girl | #94 | 26 | 39 |
| Anwen | Girl | #100 | 23 | 32 |
| Osian | Boy | #10 | 114 | 165 |
| Macsen | Boy | #12 | 108 | 141 |
| Harri | Boy | #21 | 86 | 100 |
| Jac | Boy | #26 | 76 | 87 |
| Dylan | Boy | #36 | 66 | 717 |
| Elis | Boy | #36 | 66 | 119 |
| Idris | Boy | #53 | 44 | 368 |
| Tomos | Boy | #56 | 43 | 49 |
| Emrys | Boy | #65 | 38 | 96 |
| Cai | Boy | #81 | 32 | 52 |
| Evan | Boy | #90 | 29 | 261 |
| Morgan | Boy | #94 | 28 | 128 |
| Dewi | Boy | #96 | 27 | 30 |
| Gruffydd | Boy | #96 | 27 | 31 |
Two things jump out. First, the Welsh spellings of English favourites are doing well: Harri (86 boys) sits beside Harry, Jac (76) beside Jack, Lili beside Lily and Elsi beside Elsie, which lets a family pick the popular name and still mark it as Welsh. Second, Macsen, a name straight out of medieval legend, is 12th in Wales with 108 boys and almost unheard of anywhere else. That is the kind of name that tells you exactly where a child was born.
Good to know: the ONS counts exact spellings only, so traditional names on the Welsh Government list such as Gruffudd, Siân and Dafydd look smaller than they are once you add up every spelling. Gruffydd made the top 100 with 27 boys; Gruffudd had 9 more across England and Wales.
How to pronounce Welsh names
Welsh spelling is far more regular than English, so once you learn a dozen rules you can say almost any name on this page. The table below follows the Welsh orthography guide. The big one to remember is stress: in Welsh it falls on the second-last syllable in nearly every word of two or more syllables, which is why Rhiannon is hree-AN-on and not REE-an-on.
| Letters | Sounds like | Names to practise |
|---|---|---|
| ll | no English match: put your tongue where you would say l and blow air past the sides (we write it hl) | Llinos, Llywelyn, Gwenllian |
| dd | th in this, never th in thin (we write it th) | Dafydd, Heledd, Gruffudd |
| f | v, as in van | Efa, Ifan, Haf, Enfys |
| ff | f, as in four | Ffion, Steffan, Fflur |
| ch | ch in loch (we write it kh) | Rhydderch |
| rh | a breathy r, like r with an h in front | Rhian, Rhodri, Rhiannon |
| si before a vowel | sh | Siân, Siôn, Sioned, Siwan |
| w as a vowel | oo, as in pool or push | Twm, Gwydion |
| u | ee or i in the south; a sound with no English match in the north | Alun, Buddug, Tudur |
| y | uh in most syllables; i or ee in a last or only syllable | Dylan (DUL-an), Rhys (HREESS) |
| c and g | always hard: k and g as in get | Cai, Ceri, Geraint, Gethin |
| â, ô (the to bach, or little roof) | a long vowel | Siân, Siôn |
One more rule makes the names easier to read. Welsh changes the first letter of a word in certain positions, called mutation, so gwen (white, fair, blessed) becomes -wen at the end of a name. That is why Anwen, Olwen, Branwen, Ceinwen and Tegwen all end the same way: they all carry the same blessing. The Welsh phonology article shows the same soft mutation in everyday phrases.
| Building block | Meaning | Found in |
|---|---|---|
| gwen, -wen | white, fair, blessed (feminine) | Gwen, Anwen, Olwen, Branwen, Tegwen, Heulwen |
| gwyn, -wyn | white, fair, blessed (masculine) | Gwyn, Arwyn, Carwyn, Gwynfor, Heddwyn |
| eira, eir- | snow | Eira, Eirwen, Eirlys |
| aur, eur- | gold | Eurwen, Eurig |
| teg | fair, beautiful | Tegwen, Tegan |
| haf, hef- | summer | Haf, Hefin |
| bryn, -fryn | hill | Bryn, Brynmor, Talfryn |
| mawr, -for | great, big | Gwynfor, Brynmor |
| blodau, blod- | flowers | Blodwen, Blodeuwedd |
| -ys | a name-making ending | Carys, Dilys, Nerys, Glenys |
Welsh girl names worth knowing
Mali
Meaning: Welsh form of Molly (Mary). Say it: MAL-ee. For: girl. Popularity: #4 in Wales in 2025 (104 babies).
The Welsh form of Molly, and so a pet form of Mary. Mali has become the Welsh-language name of this generation: fourth in Wales in 2025, ahead of Freya and Florence, and given to 132 girls across England and Wales. It is two syllables, said exactly as it looks, which is a big part of the appeal.
Alys
Meaning: Welsh form of Alice. Say it: AL-iss. For: girl. Popularity: #29 in Wales in 2025 (61 babies).
The Welsh spelling of Alice, and one of the easiest ways to give a classic name a Welsh accent. It sits in the Welsh top 30 for 2025 with 61 girls. The y in the last syllable is a short i, so it is said AL-iss, close to Alice.
Mabli
Meaning: linked to Mabel; usually given as lovable. Say it: MAB-lee. For: girl. Popularity: #36 in Wales in 2025 (57 babies).
Sits beside Mabel the way Alys sits beside Alice, and the meaning usually given is lovable. Mabli was 36th in Wales in 2025 with 57 babies, and Mabel itself was 18th, so the two are climbing together. If you like the Mabel revival but want a name that marks the family as Welsh, this is the one.
Seren
Meaning: star. Say it: SERR-en. For: girl. Popularity: #55 in Wales in 2025 (42 babies).
Welsh for star, and one of the success stories of modern Welsh naming. Seren was the third most popular girls name in Wales in 2009, and it was still 55th in 2025, with 196 girls across England and Wales. Wikipedia notes it is used for boys too.
Ffion
Meaning: disputed: foxglove, or from Gaelic fionn, fair. Say it: FEE-on. For: girl. Popularity: #55 in Wales in 2025 (42 babies).
Double ff is a plain f, so this is FEE-on. The meaning is disputed: Behind the Name and FamilySearch tie it to foxglove, while the Welsh Government list links it to the Gaelic fionn, fair or white. Either way it was 55th in Wales in 2025 and 98 girls got it across England and Wales.
Eira
Meaning: snow. Say it: AY-ra. For: girl. Popularity: #71 in Wales in 2025 (34 babies).
Snow, and a recent Welsh word name that has gone mainstream. It was 71st in Wales in 2025 and 112 girls had it in England and Wales. Eira is said AY-ra, which English speakers usually manage first time. Eirlys (snowdrop) and Eirwen (snow white) are its longer sisters.
Nia
Meaning: Welsh form of Niamh, bright. Say it: NEE-a. For: girl. Popularity: given to 138 babies in England and Wales in 2025.
The Welsh form of the Irish Niamh, meaning bright. The Welsh Government list credits its popularity to T. Gwynn Jones’s 1916 poem Tir na n-Og, based on the Irish legend. With 138 girls in England and Wales in 2025, Nia is one of the most widely used Welsh names outside Wales.
Megan
Meaning: pet form of Marged (Margaret), from Greek for pearl. Say it: MEG-an. For: girl. Popularity: given to 44 babies in England and Wales in 2025.
Megan started life as a pet form of Marged, the Welsh Margaret, and went global in the 1990s. Its best-known Welsh bearer is Megan Lloyd George, who became the first woman MP in Wales when she won Anglesey in 1929. Only 44 girls got it in England and Wales in 2025, so it has quietly become a name that sounds a generation older.
Rhiannon
Meaning: possibly from Rigantona, great queen. Say it: hree-AN-on. For: girl. Popularity: given to 22 babies in England and Wales in 2025.
Possibly from the old Celtic title Rigantona, great queen. Rhiannon is a main figure of the Mabinogi, yet it was not a popular given name in Wales until the 20th century, and the Fleetwood Mac song of 1975 took it round the world. The rh is breathy and the stress is on the middle: hree-AN-on.
Gwenllian
Meaning: white or blessed plus flaxen. Say it: gwen-HLEE-an. For: girl. Popularity: given to 18 babies in England and Wales in 2025.
White or blessed plus flaxen. Gwenllian ferch Gruffydd is the only woman of medieval Wales known to have led an army into battle; she was killed near Kidwelly in 1136 and became a symbol of Welsh independence. The double l makes it a mouthful for outsiders, which is why Gwen is the everyday version.
Siân
Meaning: Welsh form of Jane. Say it: SHAHN. For: girl. Popularity: given to 8 babies in England and Wales in 2025.
The Welsh Jane, said SHAHN, because si before a vowel is sh in Welsh. The little roof on the â, called the to bach, tells you the vowel is long. Sioned (Janet) and Siwan (Joan) are the same family, and Scottish Gaelic has its own versions in Sìne, Seònaid and Seonag.
Myfanwy
Meaning: disputed: beloved, or my plus manwy (fine, delicate). Say it: muh-VAN-wee. For: girl. Popularity: given to 3 babies in England and Wales in 2025.
Say muh-VAN-wee. The meaning is disputed: Wikipedia derives it from annwyl, beloved, while Behind the Name splits it into my plus manwy, fine or delicate. The name is tied to the song Myfanwy by Joseph Parry, written for four male voices and first performed in Aberystwyth in 1875.
Welsh boy names worth knowing
Osian
Meaning: named after a poet of Irish legend. Say it: OSH-an. For: boy. Popularity: #10 in Wales in 2025 (114 babies).
Named after Osian, the poet of Irish legend, and the most popular Welsh-spelled boys’ name in Wales: 10th in 2025 with 114 boys. It is said OSH-an, because s before i is a sh sound in Welsh. Outside Wales some people will read it OSS-ee-an, so decide now whether that bothers you.
Macsen
Meaning: Welsh form of Maximus. Say it: MAK-sen. For: boy. Popularity: #12 in Wales in 2025 (108 babies).
The Welsh form of Maximus. Macsen Wledig is the Roman emperor Magnus Maximus, proclaimed in Britain in 383, whom medieval Welsh genealogies made the founding father of several Welsh royal lines. In 2025 Macsen was 12th in Wales with 108 boys, which is remarkable for a name almost nobody uses elsewhere.
Harri
Meaning: Welsh spelling of Harry (Henry). Say it: HA-ree. For: boy. Popularity: #21 in Wales in 2025 (86 babies).
The Welsh spelling of Harry, and so of Henry. It was 21st in Wales in 2025 with 86 boys, and 100 across England and Wales. Harri gives you the popularity of Harry with a Welsh passport stamped on it, and it is said exactly the same way.
Jac
Meaning: Welsh spelling of Jack. Say it: JAK. For: boy. Popularity: #26 in Wales in 2025 (76 babies).
Welsh has no k in its alphabet, so Jack becomes Jac. It was 26th in Wales in 2025 with 76 boys. This is the simplest Welsh name on the page to carry anywhere, and the only question you will ever get is whether you forgot the k.
Dylan
Meaning: often given as son of the sea; from dy plus llanw, tide. Say it: DUL-an. For: boy. Popularity: #36 in Wales in 2025 (66 babies).
Dylan is the son of Arianrhod in the Mabinogi who, as the Welsh Government list puts it, disappeared into the sea at birth, and the name is often read as son of the sea. In Welsh it is DUL-an, with the y as uh. Dylan Thomas was born in Swansea in 1914 and later asked for the English Dillon. In 2025 Dylan was 36th in Wales and given to 717 boys in England and Wales.
Rhys
Meaning: ardour, enthusiasm. Say it: HREESS. For: boy. Popularity: given to 106 babies in England and Wales in 2025.
Ardour or enthusiasm. A 12th-century lord of south west Wales carried it, and it has given English a whole family of surnames and first names: Rees, Reece, Rice and Price, the last from ap Rhys, son of Rhys. Said HREESS, with the breath on the r; most English speakers say Reese and get away with it.
Dafydd
Meaning: Welsh form of David, from Hebrew for beloved or friend. Say it: DAV-ith. For: boy. Popularity: given to 11 babies in England and Wales in 2025.
The Welsh David, said DAV-ith, with the f as v and the dd as the th in this. It was a favourite medieval name, and the poet Dafydd ap Gwilym, active about 1340 to 1370, is counted among the great poets of medieval Europe. Dai is the everyday short form, Dewi the saint’s form, and Dàibhidh the Scottish Gaelic cousin.
Owain
Meaning: well born; possibly from Latin Eugenius. Say it: OH-wine. For: boy. Popularity: given to 18 babies in England and Wales in 2025.
Owain means well born, and Owen is the modern form. Owain Glyndwr was proclaimed Prince of Wales on 16 September 1400 and led a rising against Henry IV, holding a parliament at Machynlleth in 1404. Owen was given to 298 boys in England and Wales in 2025; Owain, the original, to 18.
Llywelyn
Meaning: debated: from the gods Lugus and Belenus, or from llyw, leader. Say it: hluh-WEL-in. For: boy. Popularity: given to 7 babies in England and Wales in 2025.
The name of two great princes: Llywelyn the Great and his grandson Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, Llywelyn the Last, killed at Cilmeri on 11 December 1282. The meaning is debated between the old gods Lugus and Belenus and llyw, leader. It is the hardest name here for outsiders: hluh-WEL-in, with the Welsh ll at the start. Llew is the friendly short form.
Taliesin
Meaning: shining brow. Say it: tal-YES-in. For: boy. Popularity: given to 15 babies in England and Wales in 2025.
Shining brow. Taliesin was a 6th-century bard who sang at the courts of at least three kings, Urien of Rheged among them, and his poems may survive in the Book of Taliesin. Say tal-YES-in. Fifteen boys got it in England and Wales in 2025, so it is rare without being strange.
Hywel
Meaning: eminent, prominent. Say it: HUH-wel. For: boy. Popularity: given to 6 babies in England and Wales in 2025.
Eminent or prominent. Hywel Dda, Hywel the Good, ruled almost all of Wales by the 940s and gave his name to the medieval laws of Wales. The y in the first syllable is uh, so it is HUH-wel. Howell and Powell (from ap Hywel) are its English-shaped descendants.
Dewi
Meaning: an Old Welsh form of David. Say it: DEH-wee. For: boy. Popularity: #96 in Wales in 2025 (27 babies).
An Old Welsh form of David, and the name of Dewi Sant, St David, the patron saint of Wales, whose feast on 1 March is St David’s Day. Dewi was 96th in Wales in 2025 with 27 boys. It is easy to say (DEH-wee) and impossible to mistake for anything but Welsh.
Morgan
Meaning: from Old Welsh Morcant, possibly with mor, sea. Say it: MOR-gan. For: boy or girl. Popularity: #94 in Wales in 2025 (28 babies).
From Old Welsh Morcant, possibly linked to môr, the sea. Traditionally male in Wales, Morgan has become unisex, helped by Morgan le Fay of Arthurian legend. In 2025 it was 94th for boys in Wales and was given to 128 boys and 65 girls across England and Wales.
Welsh names and their Scottish Gaelic cousins
Plenty of Welsh names are local forms of the big Christian names, which means Scotland has its own version of the same name. The Gaelic forms below come from Wikipedia’s list of Scottish Gaelic given names, and our list of Scottish Gaelic names with meanings has the pronunciation for the Gaelic side.
| Welsh | English | Scottish Gaelic |
|---|---|---|
| Ieuan, Ifan, Ioan, Iwan, Siôn | John (and Evan) | Iain, Eòin |
| Siân, Sioned, Siwan | Jane, Janet, Joan | Sìne, Seònaid, Seonag |
| Mari, Mair, Mali | Mary, Molly | Màiri, Màili |
| Marged, Mared, Megan | Margaret | Mairead, Maighread |
| Catrin, Cadi | Catherine | Catrìona |
| Elen, Elin | Helen | Eilidh |
| Dafydd, Dewi | David | Dàibhidh |
| Gwilym | William | Uilleam |
| Tomos | Thomas | Tòmas |
| Steffan | Stephen | Steafan |
| Huw | Hugh | Aodh, Ùisdean |
| Harri | Henry, Harry | Eanraig |
| Meical, Mihangel | Michael | Mìcheal |
| Pedr | Peter | Peadar |
| Bethan | Elizabeth | Ealasaid |
What you will not find in the Gaelic list is a Gwen, a Rhys or a Llywelyn. Those are native Welsh names rather than local forms of a shared Christian name, and they are the ones that mark a child as Welsh rather than generally Celtic.
How to choose a Welsh name
Start by deciding how much explaining you are willing to do, because that settles most of it.
- You want Welsh, but easy anywhere. Look at Seren, Nia, Mali, Alys, Megan, Cai, Macsen, Morgan, Owen or Tomos. All of them are read correctly by an English speaker on the first go, which matters on every form your child will ever fill in.
- You want a name that is unmistakably Welsh. Go for Dafydd, Llywelyn, Gruffudd, Siân, Rhiannon, Gwenllian or Myfanwy. Expect to spell it and say it for people, and expect it to be a point of pride by about age ten.
- You want a favourite name with a Welsh accent. Harri, Jac, Lili, Elsi and Nansi give you Harry, Jack, Lily, Elsie and Nancy in Welsh spelling. This is the route Welsh parents are using most right now, going by the 2025 figures.
If the full Welsh spelling feels like too much, put it in the middle. Owen Llywelyn or Megan Gwenllian gives the child an easy everyday name and a Welsh one they can grow into.
Watch out for: Gwen is the girls’ form and Gwyn the boys’, so do not mix them up on a birth certificate. And Dylan is DUL-an in Welsh but DIL-an in English; Dylan Thomas himself settled on the English version, so either is defensible, but pick one before the grandparents do.
Quick list: 150 Welsh names with meanings and pronunciation
| Name | Meaning | Say it | For | Outside Wales | Type | Wales 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aled | a river in Denbighshire | AL-ed | Boy | Easy | Traditional | |
| Alun | Welsh form of Alan; also two Welsh rivers | AL-in | Boy | Easy | Traditional | |
| Alys | Welsh form of Alice | AL-iss | Girl | Easy | Traditional | #29 (61) |
| Aneirin | Old Welsh, possibly from Latin Honorius | an-AY-rin | Boy | Easy | Legend | |
| Aneurin | modern form of Aneirin | an-AY-rin | Boy | Easy | Traditional | |
| Angharad | much loved | ang-HAR-ad | Girl | Tricky | Legend | |
| Anwen | very beautiful (an- plus gwen); origin not fully certain | AN-wen | Girl | Easy | Traditional | #100 (23) |
| Arianrhod | meaning debated; a goddess-like figure of the Mabinogi | ar-YAN-hrod | Girl | Tricky | Legend | |
| Awen | poetic inspiration | AH-wen | Girl | Easy | Modern | |
| Beca | from Rebeca (Rebecca) | BEK-a | Girl | Easy | Traditional | |
| Bedwyr | Welsh form of Bedivere | BED-weer | Boy | Easy | Legend | |
| Berwyn | white top (barr plus gwyn) | BERR-win | Boy | Easy | Traditional | |
| Bethan | pet form of Bet, short for Elisabeth | BETH-an | Girl | Easy | Traditional | |
| Bleddyn | from blaidd, wolf | BLETH-in | Boy | Tricky | Legend | |
| Blodwen | flowers plus white or blessed | BLOD-wen | Girl | Easy | Traditional | |
| Branwen | raven plus white or blessed | BRAN-wen | Girl | Easy | Legend | |
| Bronwen | possibly breast plus white or blessed | BRON-wen | Girl | Easy | Traditional | |
| Bryn | hill | BRIN | Boy | Easy | Traditional | |
| Buddug | victorious | BITH-ig | Girl | Tricky | Legend | |
| Cadi | short form of Catrin (Katherine) | KAD-ee | Girl | Easy | Modern | |
| Cadwaladr | leader of the battle | kad-WAL-ad-er | Boy | Tricky | Legend | |
| Cai | from Latin Caius | KY | Boy | Easy | Legend | #81 (32) |
| Caradog | from Old Welsh Caratauc, loved | ka-RAD-og | Boy | Easy | Legend | |
| Carwyn | loved and blessed | KAR-win | Boy | Easy | Modern | |
| Carys | from caru, to love | KAR-iss | Girl | Easy | Modern | |
| Catrin | Welsh form of Catherine | KAT-rin | Girl | Easy | Traditional | |
| Celyn | holly | KEL-in | Boy or girl | Easy | Modern | |
| Ceri | a river in Ceredigion; possibly short for Ceridwen | KERR-ee | Boy or girl | Easy | Traditional | |
| Ceridwen | uncertain; the legendary sorceress of the cauldron | ke-RID-wen | Girl | Easy | Legend | |
| Cerys | variant of Carys (love) | KERR-iss | Girl | Easy | Modern | |
| Dafydd | Welsh form of David, from Hebrew for beloved or friend | DAV-ith | Boy | Tricky | Traditional | |
| Dai | pet form of Dafydd | DY | Boy | Easy | Traditional | |
| Deiniol | Welsh form of Daniel | DAYN-yol | Boy | Easy | Legend | |
| Dewi | an Old Welsh form of David | DEH-wee | Boy | Easy | Legend | #96 (27) |
| Dilys | genuine, sincere | DIL-iss | Girl | Easy | Traditional | |
| Dwynwen | name of the patron saint of lovers | DWIN-wen | Girl | Tricky | Legend | |
| Dylan | often given as son of the sea; from dy plus llanw, tide | DUL-an | Boy | Easy | Legend | #36 (66) |
| Efa | Welsh form of Eva (Eve) | EV-a | Girl | Tricky | Traditional | #72 (33) |
| Eira | snow | AY-ra | Girl | Easy | Modern | #71 (34) |
| Eirian | bright, beautiful | AY-ree-an | Boy or girl | Easy | Traditional | |
| Eirlys | snowdrop (eira plus llys) | AYR-liss | Girl | Easy | Traditional | |
| Elen | Welsh form of Helen | EL-en | Girl | Easy | Legend | |
| Eleri | from a Welsh river name; also linked to Hilarius | e-LERR-ee | Girl | Easy | Traditional | #83 (29) |
| Elin | form of Elen or Helen, from Greek for bright | EL-in | Girl | Easy | Traditional | |
| Elis | Welsh form of Ellis | EL-iss | Boy | Easy | Traditional | #36 (66) |
| Elsi | Welsh spelling of Elsie | EL-see | Girl | Easy | Modern | #72 (33) |
| Eluned | from eilun, image or likeness | e-LIN-ed | Girl | Tricky | Traditional | |
| Emlyn | from an ancient district in south west Wales | EM-lin | Boy | Easy | Traditional | |
| Emrys | Welsh form of Ambrose | EM-riss | Boy | Easy | Legend | #65 (38) |
| Emyr | king, lord | EM-ir | Boy | Easy | Traditional | |
| Enfys | rainbow | EN-viss | Girl | Tricky | Modern | |
| Enid | probably from enaid, soul | EE-nid | Girl | Easy | Legend | |
| Erin | one of the Welsh names for Ireland | ERR-in | Girl | Easy | Modern | #43 (51) |
| Evan | anglicised Ifan, a Welsh form of John | EV-an | Boy | Easy | Traditional | #90 (29) |
| Ffion | disputed: foxglove, or from Gaelic fionn, fair | FEE-on | Girl | Easy | Modern | #55 (42) |
| Fflur | Welsh form of Flora | FLEER | Girl | Tricky | Traditional | |
| Ffraid | Welsh form of Bridget | FRYDE | Girl | Tricky | Traditional | |
| Gareth | uncertain: a form of Geraint, or civilised | GA-reth | Boy | Easy | Traditional | |
| Geraint | meaning unknown; possibly from Gerontius | GERR-aynt | Boy | Easy | Legend | |
| Gethin | dark, swarthy | GETH-in | Boy | Easy | Traditional | |
| Glenys | possibly from glan, pure, or glyn, valley | GLEN-iss | Girl | Easy | Traditional | |
| Glyn | valley | GLIN | Boy | Easy | Traditional | |
| Glyndwr | valley of the water; honours Owain Glyndwr | glin-DOOR | Boy | Tricky | Modern | |
| Gruffudd | Old Welsh Grifud; second part means lord or prince | GRIFF-ith | Boy | Tricky | Traditional | |
| Gruffydd | variant spelling of Gruffudd | GRIFF-ith | Boy | Tricky | Traditional | #96 (27) |
| Gwawr | dawn | GWOW-r | Girl | Tricky | Modern | |
| Gwen | white, fair or blessed | GWEN | Girl | Easy | Traditional | |
| Gwendolen | white or blessed plus ring | GWEN-do-len | Girl | Easy | Legend | |
| Gwenllian | white or blessed plus flaxen | gwen-HLEE-an | Girl | Tricky | Legend | |
| Gwenno | pet form of the Gwen names | GWEN-no | Girl | Easy | Modern | |
| Gwilym | Welsh form of William | GWIL-im | Boy | Easy | Traditional | |
| Gwladys | from Old Welsh Gwladus, probably gwlad, country | GLAD-iss | Girl | Tricky | Traditional | |
| Gwydion | probably born of trees | GWID-yon | Boy | Easy | Legend | |
| Gwyn | white, fair or blessed | GWIN | Boy | Easy | Legend | |
| Gwyneth | from the kingdom of Gwynedd | GWIN-eth | Girl | Easy | Traditional | |
| Gwynfor | white or blessed plus great | GWIN-vor | Boy | Easy | Modern | |
| Haf | summer | HAHV | Girl | Tricky | Modern | |
| Harri | Welsh spelling of Harry (Henry) | HA-ree | Boy | Easy | Modern | #21 (86) |
| Heddwyn | peace plus white or blessed | HETH-win | Boy | Tricky | Modern | |
| Hefin | summer, a poetic form of haf | HEV-in | Boy | Tricky | Traditional | |
| Heledd | name of a 7th-century princess | HEL-eth | Girl | Tricky | Legend | |
| Heulwen | sunshine (haul plus gwen) | HAIL-wen | Girl | Tricky | Traditional | |
| Huw | Welsh form of Hugh | HEW | Boy | Easy | Traditional | |
| Hywel | eminent, prominent | HUH-wel | Boy | Easy | Legend | |
| Iago | Welsh form of James | YAH-go | Boy | Easy | Traditional | |
| Ianto | pet form of Ifan | YAN-to | Boy | Easy | Modern | |
| Idris | ardent lord | ID-riss | Boy | Easy | Legend | #53 (44) |
| Iestyn | Welsh form of Justin | YESS-tin | Boy | Easy | Traditional | |
| Ieuan | Welsh form of John, from Latin Iohannes | YAY-an | Boy | Tricky | Traditional | |
| Ifan | modern form of Ieuan (John) | EE-van | Boy | Tricky | Traditional | |
| Ifor | Welsh form of Ivor | EE-vor | Boy | Tricky | Traditional | |
| Ioan | Welsh form of John | YO-an | Boy | Easy | Traditional | |
| Iolo | pet form of Iorwerth | YO-lo | Boy | Easy | Traditional | |
| Iorwerth | worthy lord; the Welsh form of Edward | YOR-werth | Boy | Tricky | Traditional | |
| Iwan | a form of Ifan and Ioan (John) | YOO-an | Boy | Easy | Modern | |
| Jac | Welsh spelling of Jack | JAK | Boy | Easy | Modern | #26 (76) |
| Lili | Welsh spelling of Lily | LIL-ee | Girl | Easy | Modern | #44 (50) |
| Llew | short for Llywelyn; also the Welsh word for lion | HLEW | Boy | Tricky | Legend | |
| Llinos | linnet (a small finch) | HLIN-oss | Girl | Tricky | Traditional | |
| Llywelyn | debated: from the gods Lugus and Belenus, or from llyw, leader | hluh-WEL-in | Boy | Tricky | Legend | |
| Lowri | Welsh form of Laura | LOW-ree | Girl | Easy | Traditional | #94 (26) |
| Mabli | linked to Mabel; usually given as lovable | MAB-lee | Girl | Easy | Modern | #36 (57) |
| Macsen | Welsh form of Maximus | MAK-sen | Boy | Easy | Legend | #12 (108) |
| Madog | good, fortunate | MAD-og | Boy | Easy | Legend | |
| Mair | Welsh form of Mary | MY-r | Girl | Easy | Traditional | |
| Mali | Welsh form of Molly (Mary) | MAL-ee | Girl | Easy | Modern | #4 (104) |
| Manon | beautiful queen | MAN-on | Girl | Easy | Modern | |
| Marged | Welsh form of Margaret | MAR-ged | Girl | Easy | Traditional | |
| Mari | Welsh form of Mary | MAR-ee | Girl | Easy | Traditional | |
| Megan | pet form of Marged (Margaret), from Greek for pearl | MEG-an | Girl | Easy | Traditional | |
| Meical | Welsh form of Michael | MY-kal | Boy | Easy | Traditional | |
| Meinir | slender plus tall: a tall, slender maiden | MAY-neer | Girl | Easy | Traditional | |
| Meredydd | possibly greatness plus lord | me-RED-ith | Boy | Tricky | Traditional | |
| Mererid | pearl | me-RERR-id | Girl | Easy | Legend | |
| Mihangel | Michael plus angel: the archangel | mee-HANG-el | Boy | Easy | Traditional | |
| Morgan | from Old Welsh Morcant, possibly with mor, sea | MOR-gan | Boy or girl | Easy | Legend | #94 (28) |
| Morwenna | maiden | mor-WEN-a | Girl | Easy | Legend | |
| Myfanwy | disputed: beloved, or my plus manwy (fine, delicate) | muh-VAN-wee | Girl | Tricky | Traditional | |
| Myrddin | original Welsh form of Merlin | MUR-thin | Boy | Tricky | Legend | |
| Nansi | Welsh spelling of Nancy | NAN-see | Girl | Easy | Modern | #61 (39) |
| Nerys | from ner, lord | NERR-iss | Girl | Easy | Traditional | |
| Nest | medieval Welsh pet form of Agnes | NEST | Girl | Easy | Traditional | |
| Nia | Welsh form of Niamh, bright | NEE-a | Girl | Easy | Modern | |
| Non | possibly from Latin nonna, nun | NON | Girl | Easy | Legend | |
| Nye | pet form of Aneurin | NY | Boy | Easy | Modern | |
| Olwen | white footprint | OL-wen | Girl | Easy | Legend | |
| Osian | named after a poet of Irish legend | OSH-an | Boy | Easy | Modern | #10 (114) |
| Owain | well born; possibly from Latin Eugenius | OH-wine | Boy | Easy | Legend | |
| Owen | modern form of Owain | OH-wen | Boy | Easy | Traditional | |
| Pryderi | care, worry | pruh-DERR-ee | Boy | Easy | Legend | |
| Rhian | maiden | HREE-an | Girl | Tricky | Traditional | |
| Rhiannon | possibly from Rigantona, great queen | hree-AN-on | Girl | Tricky | Legend | |
| Rhodri | wheel plus king | HROD-ree | Boy | Tricky | Legend | |
| Rhonwen | Welsh form of Rowena | HRON-wen | Girl | Tricky | Legend | |
| Rhydderch | king plus exalted | HRUTH-erkh | Boy | Tricky | Legend | |
| Rhys | ardour, enthusiasm | HREESS | Boy | Easy | Legend | |
| Seren | star | SERR-en | Girl | Easy | Modern | #55 (42) |
| Sioned | a form of Siân (Janet) | SHON-ed | Girl | Tricky | Traditional | |
| Siwan | Welsh form of Joan | SHOO-an | Girl | Tricky | Traditional | |
| Siân | Welsh form of Jane | SHAHN | Girl | Tricky | Traditional | |
| Siôn | Welsh form of John | SHAWN | Boy | Tricky | Traditional | |
| Steffan | Welsh form of Stephen, from Greek for crown | STEF-an | Boy | Easy | Traditional | |
| Taliesin | shining brow | tal-YES-in | Boy | Easy | Legend | |
| Tegan | darling, from teg, fair or beautiful | TEG-an | Girl | Easy | Modern | |
| Tegid | possibly from teg, fair, or Latin Tacitus | TEG-id | Boy | Easy | Legend | |
| Tegwen | fair plus white or blessed | TEG-wen | Girl | Easy | Traditional | |
| Tomos | Welsh form of Thomas | TOM-oss | Boy | Easy | Traditional | #56 (43) |
| Trystan | Welsh form of Tristan | TRISS-tan | Boy | Easy | Legend | |
| Tudur | possibly ruler of the people | TID-ir | Boy | Easy | Traditional | |
| Wyn | white, fair or blessed | WIN | Boy | Easy | Traditional |
FAQ about Welsh names
What is the most popular Welsh name?
Among Welsh-spelled names, Mali for girls and Osian for boys. In 2025 Mali was fourth in Wales with 104 babies and Osian tenth with 114, according to the ONS. The most popular names in Wales overall were Olivia and Noah, the same English-language favourites as in England.
How do you pronounce Welsh names?
Learn a handful of rules: f is v, ff is f, dd is the th in this, ll is a breathy l, si is sh, w and y are often vowels, and c and g are always hard. Stress usually falls on the second-last syllable. With those, Dafydd becomes DAV-ith and Rhiannon hree-AN-on.
What are traditional Welsh names for boys and girls?
Traditional girls’ names include Angharad, Bethan, Catrin, Gwen, Gwenllian, Megan, Rhian, Siân and Myfanwy. For boys, look at Dafydd, Dewi, Gareth, Gruffudd, Huw, Hywel, Ieuan, Llywelyn, Owain and Rhys. Many come from Welsh princes, saints and the medieval tales of the Mabinogion.
Is Dylan a Welsh name?
Yes. Dylan ail Don is a character in the Mabinogi, the medieval Welsh tales, and the name is often read as son of the sea. In Welsh it is said DUL-an. The poet Dylan Thomas made it famous worldwide, and it was 36th in Wales in 2025.
What does wen or wyn mean at the end of a Welsh name?
Both come from the word for white, fair or blessed: gwen for girls and gwyn for boys. Inside a name the g drops away, a Welsh sound change called mutation, so Anwen, Olwen and Branwen end in -wen, while Arwyn, Carwyn and Heddwyn end in -wyn.
Final thoughts on Welsh names
If you want one name that is Welsh, popular in Wales right now and easy for the rest of the world, make it Mali for a girl or Macsen for a boy. If you want the deep end, Llywelyn and Gwenllian carry the 12th and 13th centuries of Welsh history between them, and the ll is worth learning for that alone.
For the family-name side of the story, from Jones to Price, see our guide to Celtic last names and surnames. And if Welsh has you curious about the other old naming traditions of these islands, Ifor comes from the Norse Ivarr, so our Viking names guide is a good next stop.
Sources
- Office for National Statistics, Baby names in England and Wales: 2025, released 9 July 2026
- ONS, Baby names for girls in England and Wales, 2025 dataset (Wales top 100 and full list)
- ONS, Baby names for boys in England and Wales, 2025 dataset (Wales top 100 and full list)
- Welsh Government, Welsh names for children
- Welsh orthography
- Welsh phonology
- Welsh language (2021 census figure)
- List of Scottish Gaelic given names
- Seren (name)
- Megan Lloyd George
- Gwenllian ferch Gruffydd
- Magnus Maximus (Macsen Wledig)
- Owain Glyndwr
- Dylan Thomas
- Behind the Name, Welsh names (used to cross-check meanings)
