A N T H R O P O N Y M Y

What information matters when it comes to naming characters?

Throughout my time researching names and spending time in naming spaces, I've encountered a lot of people asking for name suggestions for characters, but the sort of information and context people give is, I feel, pretty irrelevant to the sort of name a person would have.

Most of these posts go something like this: "Please help me name my character. She's a 5'8 woman, her eye colour is [x], her hair colour is [x], she's shy and likes books. Thanks!" or "I need a name for my OC in [x] fandom, their aesthetics are [X, Y, Z]."

But I find all of that information pretty irrelevant and unhelpful. Maybe it's just me, but I try to name a character as realistically as possible — hair colour, eye colour, and personality don't tend to have any bearing on someone's name in the real world, and aesthetics especially don't, unless someone has renamed themselves to fit their chosen aesthetic.

"What information would you like people to include then, Mari?" Well, I'm glad you asked.

First off, what it boils down to for me is: what would my character's parents name them? That is, for the most part, how it works in the real world. Our parents choose our names! And how or why our parents choose our names is often influenced by a variety of factors.

One of those key factors (arguably the biggest in my opinion) is the setting. Where you're setting your story has a massive impact on what your character's parents would choose as a name. Location, time, and class background all have influence. Other smaller factors (ones that aren't always taken into account by every family) are cultural heritage and also the parents' personalities.

I'll cover all of these factors throughout this guide.

What impact does location have?

Say I'm setting a story in Victorian England, and I'm trying to name boy/girl twins who are born in the year 1885. I'd choose from a pool of names like Edward, Alexander, Henry, or William for the boy twin; Charlotte, Amelia, Mary, or Anne for the girl. These were all very common, typical names for the time and the location, so readers aren't going to blink twice at seeing these names appear in a story set in such a time and place.

However, if I were to pick names like Jaxxon, Maverick, Raelynn and Peyton, they'd stick out like a sore thumb in a story set in Victorian England. Those names are considered much more modern, and would be a glaring indication that I haven't put any research or thought into my characters or the setting (of course, if my twins were time travellers from the 21st century, that'd be a different matter!).

Across the pond, naming conventions in the USA have always been a little different to British naming conventions. "Unusual" names (I always say "unusual" is rather subjective), unconventional spellings, and gender-swapped names have always been more generally accepted across the USA than here in the UK, even back in the 1800s.

And of course, naming conventions will be different across continents, countries, cities, and languages. So consider what language your character(s) speaks, and what their parents speak; it'll help you think about not only what the parents would choose, but how your character feels about their name. Perhaps the parents chose a name that reflects their cultural heritage, but your character hates it because nobody pronounces it or spells it right, so they go by an easier nickname instead. Or perhaps your character hates when they travel back to their country of heritage, because their name is considered an "old person" name there. Or perhaps they adore their name and the fact it's a reflection of their heritage, and feel it's one of the most unique things about them. You can have fun with it!

What impact does class background have?

This really depends on the culture and country, as not every country in the world has huge class divides. The UK certainly does, at least when it comes to English/Anglo names in particular, and so I'll give some examples and explanations in regards to a British context.

If we focus on "unusual" names in particular: upper-class parents and working-class parents can both choose unusual names for their children — but those names will still, most of the time, indicate class. A lot of unusual upper-class names often have Latin or Greek roots, or are the names of Catholic saints, and can come off as very "snooty" sounding, old-fashioned, or "pretentious" to working-class people. Many of the feminine names can be "overly" feminine or "frilly". I'm thinking of names like Boniface and Algernon for boys, or Lettice and Petronilla for girls. Many upper-class people will also appear to have nicknames that have nothing to do with their names, like Jonty and Tibbs or Bunty and Bunny. Some of those nicknames might only be used by family members, or they may actually derive from their surnames instead.

At the other end of the spectrum, the kind of unusual names working-class folk can choose for their children can be considered unusual for different reasons — usually, anything spelled "creatively", unusual word names, or names synonymous with fictional characters or celebrities. Double-barrel names are also considered quite working-class. Nicknames as first names is also much more common among working-class people, and lots of them have ranked among the England & Wales Top 100 in the past: Danny, Jamie, Tony, Debbie, Wendy, and Kirsty are all examples of nicknames/short forms that've made the rankings.

There are also names that do not indicate class and will fit in anywhere: Mary, Elizabeth, George, and Harry are only a few. The range of names that fit in anywhere is, I think, much broader than the range of names that can be class indicators, but judgement would instead come from what nickname they choose to go by — Chaz/Chazza is a very working-class nickname for Charles/Charlotte, whereas an upper-class person with those names is more likely to go by Charlie or Lottie.

Middle names can also indicate class. The more middle names someone has, generally, the more "posh" they seem. Of course it does boil down to what the middle names are as well. A woman named Florence Alexandra Maria Willoughby would be assumed to be upper-class, even though all of those names are common across every class.

And to conclude this very lengthy section, I should remind you that there's nothing wrong with any of the names I've listed above. The purpose of including them is to give examples of how different names are perceived by different classes in a context I'm personally familiar with, to better help writers reflect on their character's class background, even if they're not writing in a British setting. "Name snobbery" is very much a thing in the UK, especially pertaining to class (as well as cultural heritage; some people are just straight-up racist if particular ethnicities or backgrounds are reflected in people's names, and that includes surnames).

As I mentioned earlier, some countries don't have such a thing as a class-divide — it seems in the USA there is a bit more of a racial divide instead, with certain names being heavily associated with certain ethnic backgrounds — so do your research! I recommend turning to Reddit and trying to find an appropriate sub to ask in. There are subs dedicated to certain languages, certain countries, certain cities, certain cultures, subs dedicated to names and name research, and subs dedicated to writing and character development, all of which could be worth exploring and asking for help in.

How does personality impact the names parents choose for their children?

You don't need to know everything about your character's parents, but it can be good to have a little think about the kind of people they might be. Things like hobbies and interests, jobs, religion, and people's own names can impact the kinds of names they choose for their children. It can be really fun to think about!

Perhaps your character is the son of eccentric astronomers who are obsessed with the sky, so they decide to name him Orion, Jupiter, or Helios. Or your character is the daughter of quirky botanists, so they name her Acacia, and her siblings are Marigold, Linden, and Basil. History buffs might name a son Alfred for Alfred the Great and a daughter Florence for Florence Nightingale.

People who follow certain lifestyles might also reflect those in the names they choose. Hippy parents might name their children Meadow, Journey, and Sunflower. Traditional Christian parents might choose Biblical names like Adam, Ruth, and Jonathan.

If someone grew up having to spell their name out or correct people on their pronunciation every day, they might choose a name that generally has one accepted spelling or pronunciation within their culture, like Summer or Hunter. People with longer names who much prefer their shorter nicknames might choose a name that cannot be nicknamed easily, like Jack or Jade (my father has a fuller name and prefers a nickname, so insisted upon short forms when it came to my and my siblings' names).

Perhaps your character's father wasn't a very nice man, and demanded that his child be named in his honour, so Richard's only child is a daughter named Richardine. Or maybe your character's parents decided to blend their names together, so Stephen and Amelia name their daughter Stephelia. Or perhaps it's tradition in their family that every first son is named Theodore, so you have Theodore Edward Appleton VI, who got stuck with the nickname Dodie since all of his older cousins have snagged the more obvious nicknames.

And, of course, if your story is set on an entirely different planet, perhaps it isn't the parents who choose the name — in which case, you must consider who or what does. Is everyone assigned a name by the government? Are people nameless or given a temporary name until they turn a certain age, and then they get to pick? Are people named depending on which day of the week they're born on?

Thinking about these sorts of things can be really fun, and can make for interesting character backstories.

Choosing names with readers in mind

You might want to reflect your character's cultural heritage in their name. Great! I love cultural names, and personally I think lots of cultures and languages deserve more representation in media both factual and fictional.

But, when choosing a cultural name, I would keep a couple of things in mind:

Is this name easy for my readers to read and pronounce?

Am I using a cultural name in a respectful way?

Have I correctly researched this name?

Sometimes, switching out a more-complicated cultural name in favour of something that is easier for readers to comprehend but still reflects their culture is the better choice. Using Welsh names as an example, I would choose Mali ("Mally" like "Sally"), as even an incorrect pronunciation like "muh-LEE" isn't miles off, instead of Meleri ("meh-LAIR-ee") which would likely be misread as "Melery" rhyming with "celery". Of course, pronunciation guides can greatly help (and I encourage everyone to include one when using cultural names!) but some sounds can't always be translated into English accurately.

In regards to using cultural names in respectful ways — take time to research whether a name you like has certain connections in its respective culture; for example, is a name connected to a deity? Consider whether it would be respectful to still use the name, and the kind of character you're applying it to. I mentioned Reddit earlier, and I encourage people to find appropriate subs to ask in if they're unsure whether they're going about using cultural names in respectful ways.

When it comes to researching, again, I encourage people to turn to appropriate subs, but specifically for the respective cultures. There are also certain sources I encourage people to stay away from — you can see my FAQs page if you're interested; but always, always double-check sources if you can! Mixing up cultural origins could be received badly, depending on multiple factors, so it's always best to be certain in your research.

There is also the issue of cultural/racial stereotypes and anglo-centric norms. What I mean by this is choosing a cultural name only to apply anglo-centric (English or American) naming conventions to the name can come off as badly as well. Of course, in the context of fiction, there may be reasons why that are relevant to the story — you may apply a Japanese masculine name to a white female character because it's supposed to reflect the ignorance of her parents. But I would greatly consider how it may come across to readers, particularly those who are Japanese. Context is everything!

Choosing names based on their meanings

This seems like a common thing writers aim for: names that reflect something about the character's lore or fate; like wanting a name that means "traitor" because you plan to have them betray the main character.

I get it, it can be fun to slip in those little things that only a few people will pick up on or think to research. But it's not a hard and fast rule, and not only can it be quite cliché, but also difficult to find an appropriate name, especially if the meaning you're wanting is something niche like "transcend" or "incomplete". Names don't always have to have a deep meaning that indicates something about the character's past or motivations... you can just pick a name you like!

And sometimes, the best thing to do is avoid exactly that. It can be seen as a cliché, especially if it's very on-the-nose. Because of course the girl with magic nature-based powers happened to be born with the name Flora Belrose, and the bad boy villain with dark powers happened to be given the name Blade Storm.

Which brings me to the thing...

Avoiding clichés

This applies to more than just name meanings. Clichés apply to a lot of things that we've already covered (ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds in particular), but also certain genres of books/works of fiction.

Those who've read my Welsh name guide may already know this, but as a Welsh person, I will always roll my eyes when I pick up a fantasy book and see the main character's name is Welsh, or at least some other Celtic origin; or is supposed to be an imitation of a Celtic language. Of course your main character is an elf princess named Rhiaethel'ffriwynn and the Dark Lord who not-so-secretly wants her is named Dae'mon. Why not an elf princess with a name of Lithuanian origin, like Liepa or Vaiva? Why not a dark lord with a Maltese name like Mikiel or a Turkish name like Hakan?

And, of course, clichés can also be dead giveaways in English/Anglo settings as well. Your high school mean girl cheerleader is named Brittney? Colour me shocked. The auburn-haired bookworm sitting in the corner is named Aubrey? I never would've guessed.

Not every name in your story needs to be super distinct or unheard of, either. A cast of characters named Abigail, Callum, Ryan, Sam, Georgia, and Rebecca is arguably much more realistic for a story set in a British secondary school in the mid-2010s (speaking from experience) than a cast of characters in the same setting named Hyacinth, Wolf, Thorne, Fig, Cassiopeia, and Dove.

In my opinion, in real world settings, it's always best to try to stick to whatever was popular for the time and place, and it's always best to check rankings. What is currently trendy or popular in the USA in not the exact same as what's currently trendy or popular in other English-speaking countries, so it's best not to assume based on "we share a language, how different can names over there be?"

Alwyn — Pronounced "AL-win" [ˈal.ʊ̯ɨn]; the etymology of this name is uncertain, however it's believed the first element possibly comes from Proto-Celtic *al(aun)o- meaning "nourishing". This name recently peaked, with 14 baby boys being given the name in 2024. Fun fact: this is the masculine form of the name of the River Alwen in North Wales.

Anwen — Pronounced "AN-wen" [ˈan.wɛn]; this name means "very beautiful", from the intensive prefix an- and gwen, meaning "fair" in this context. This is a rather common name for girls, recently peaking in 2014 with 51 baby girls given this name that year, which is quite a high number for a Welsh name across England & Wales!

Arianwen — Pronounced "ah-ree-AN-wen" [a.riːˈan.wɛn] OR "ar-YAN-wen" [ar.ˈjan.wɛn]; this name means "blessed silver", from arian meaning "silver" and gwen meaning "blessed". This is a more uncommon but still gorgeous name for girls, recently peaking with 16 baby girls named this in 2021 & 2022. Fun fact: This is the name of a 5th century Welsh saint, who is supposedly the daughter of Brychan Brycheiniog, a legendary 5th century Welsh king.

Bronwen — Pronounced "BRON-wen" [ˈbrɔn.wɛn]; this name means "white-breasted", from bron meaning "breast" and gwen meaning "white" in this context. Of course, the meaning often strikes people as strange, but this is a very ordinary name in Wales! Outside of Wales, the most standard styling of the name appears to be Bronwyn, which applies the masculine suffix. While many Welsh names are typically given to either gender with the corresponding suffix applied, Bronwyn not a name that is given to men, so the -wyn styling of the name is considered an anglicisation rather than an incorrect gender-ing of the name. Fun fact: it is also the Welsh word for "weasel" (Mustela nivalis), which have white fur down their chests!

Carwyn — Pronounced "KAR-win" [ˈkar.wɪn]; this name means "blessed love", from caru meaning "love" and gwyn meaning "blessed" in this context. The styling of the name you see here is the masculine form, and for boys, this is a decently common name, although it has dropped in popularity over the years.

Elwyn — Pronounced "EL-win" [ˈɛl.ʊ̯in]; this name means "pure light", from el meaning "light" and gwyn meaning "pure" in this context. This name made it to my favourites list! It recently peaked with 16 baby boys named Elwyn in 2024.

Liliwen — Pronounced "lih-LEE-wen" [lɪˈliː.wɛn]; this name means "white lily", from lili meaning "lily" and gwen meaning "white" in this context. This recently peaked in 2022, with 12 baby girls given the name that year. A similar but less popular structuring of the name is Lilwen, which carries the same meaning.

Olwen — Pronounced "OL-wen" [ˈɔl.wɛn]; this name means "white footprint", from ol meaning "footprint" or "track" and gwen meaning "white" in this context. Most notably a name used in the tale of Culhwch and Olwen, in which, Olwen is a beautiful maiden, the daughter of the giant Ysbaddaden, who ordered Culhwch to complete a long list of seemingly impossible tasks before he'd allow them to marry. This name had a recent peak with 16 baby girls named Olwen in 2023. Note: when styled as Olwyn, it spells "wheel" in Welsh, and is technically an incorrect gendered form, although Olwyn is not a name that is used for boys.

These are only the most popular; there are lots more than end with the -wen/-wyn suffix, and who am I if I leave out some of my favourites?

Dwynwen — Pronounced "DWEEN-wen" [ˈdʊ̯in.wɛn]; this name is believed to derive from dwyn meaning "to lead (a life)", so paired with gwen, it can mean "to lead a blessed life". It's possible it also derives from the Celtic god of love, Dwyn, and was combined with gwen to make Dwynwen.Fun fact: Saint Dwynwen is the Welsh patron saint of lovers, and is celebrated throughout Wales on the 25th of January every year, known as Welsh Valentine's Day or Saint Dwynwen's Day!

Eirianwen — Pronounced "ay-ree-AN-wen" [eɪ.riːˈan.wɛn] OR "ayr-YAN-wen" [eɪrˈjan.wɛn]; I interpet the meaning of this name as "pure and shining". The masculine form of this would be Eirianwyn.

Heulwen — Pronounced "HAIL-wen" [ˈhɛi̯l.wɛn]; this name means "sunlight" or "sunshine", taken directly from the Welsh word, which is compounded of haul meaning "sun" and gwen meaning "white".

Lleuwen — Pronounced [ˈɬəi̯.wɛn]; meaning "white moon", from lleuad meaning "moon" and gwen meaning "white" in this context. The Welsh Ll doesn't have an accurate English anglicisation, therefore no simplified pronunciation guide is included.

Lynwen — Pronounced "LIN-wen" [ˈlɪn.wɛn]; this name means "white lake", from llyn meaning "lake" and gwen meaning "white".

Mairwen — Pronounced "MIRE-wen" [ˈmai̯r.wɛn]; this name is a combination of the name Mair, the Welsh form of Mary, and gwen meaning "blessed" in this context.

Rhianwen — Pronounced "hree-AN-wen" [r̥iːˈan.wɛn]; this name means "fair maiden", from rhiain meaning "maiden" and gwen meaning "fair" in this context. In my opinion, this is a sorely underrated name, and I wish it got a little more love; it's like Rhiannon's forgotten about younger sister!

Rhonwen — Pronounced "HRON-wen" [ˈr̥ɔn.wɛn]; this name is the Welsh form of Rowena, and was used in medieval Welsh poems and stories as a personification of the English people!

Tanwen — Pronounced "TAN-wen" [ˈtan.wɛn]; this name means "white fire", from tân meaning "fire" and gwen meaning "white" in this context.

10. Awen ⤷ Pronounced: [ˈau̯.ɛn] Simplified: AH-wen (short A like in 'cat') Meaning: derived from the Welsh and Breton awen meaning "muse; poetic inspiration; poetic gift", ultimately from the Indo-European root *-uel meaning "to blow (wind)".

In Welsh mythology, Awen is a magical energy that flows through everything and across the universe, believed to often manifest in the form of inspiration. In the Mabinogion, it's what the sorceress Ceridwen uses to make a potion for her son, Morfran, only for her servant Gwion to consume the Awen instead, causing him to be transformed into the legendary bard Taliesin.

It's a lovely, soft-sounding name, and the link to Welsh mythology and the meaning only add to its appeal. Not to mention it's very close in sound to the masculine name Owen, so it's a good feminine alternative for anyone who doesn't like Owena/Owenna!

9. Alaw ⤷ Pronounced: [ˈa.lau̯] Simplified: AL-ow (like the English word 'allow') Meaning: derived from the Welsh word alaw, meaning "melody, tune" or "lily, water lily".

Perhaps not appealing to all who can't work past the fact it sounds exactly like the English word "allow", but I love how soft this name is. It just flows off the tongue so nicely. It's a decently common name here, but not one you hear every day; at least in my little corner of Wales. The meaning is simply beautiful.

8. Tesni ⤷ Pronounced: [ˈtɛs.ni] Simplified: TESS-nee Meaning: the Welsh word for "warmth" or "warmth of the sun".

This is such a cute, spunky name; just so cool without even trying. The celestial/sun connection is sweet and not too on-the-nose for non-Welsh speakers. Tes, Tesi/Tessi and Tesa/Tessa would make sweet nicknames, but I feel like Tesni doesn't need one!

7. Eirlys ⤷ Pronounced: [ˈɛi̯r.lɪs] Simplified: AYR-lis ('ay' like in 'day') Meaning: the Welsh word for "snowdrop", the flower; from eira meaning "snow" and llys meaning "plant".

A very beautiful name, and so satisfying to say; additionally gorgeous if you can roll your Rs like an expert (I can only tap!). Another one that I think would look gorgeous written in cursive. Imagine having your name mean "snowdrop", how lucky! Lys (Liss) would be a cute nickname for this, but honestly, the name is too pretty in full to use a short form.

6. Iona ⤷ Pronounced: [ˈjɔ.na] Simplified: YON-ah ('yon' rhymes with John) Meaning: taken directly from the Welsh word Ionawr, the Welsh word for January; Ionawr comes from Proto-Brythonic *jọnọr, from Vulgar Latin *iānārius, from Latin Iānuārius.

This is such an effortlessly elegant name. Across the UK, it would probably be mistaken for the Scottish name, which is much more well-known and also spelt Iona, but is pronounced eye-OH-nuh [aɪ.ˈoʊ.nə]. Despite Scotland's proximity to Wales, the names do not share the same etymological origin. But I find both gorgeous!

5. Esyllt ⤷ Pronounced: [ˈɛ.sɪɬt] Simplified: No anglicisation is included for this name, as the Welsh 'Ll' does not have an accurate English anglicisation. Meaning: the Welsh form of Iseult/Isolde.

Such a pretty name, and I have positive associations with a lovely Esyllt I've met before. This name feels very classy and feminine to me, and wearable for any age. Essie is a great nickname option.

4. Llinos ⤷ Pronounced: [ˈɬiː.nɔs] OR [ˈɬɪ.nɔs] Simplified: No anglicisation is included for this name, as the Welsh 'Ll' does not have an accurate English anglicisation. Pronunciation is simply accent/dialect dependent, so you can say either! Meaning: directly from the Welsh word llinos meaning "linnet, finch" — the linnet (Linaria cannabina) is a small European bird in the finch family.

This name is beautiful to hear! I love the meaning, and nos in Welsh is "night", so for me, the overall name paints the image of a little bird against a sunset/moonrise. Lli would be a sweet nickname.

3. Lleucu ⤷ Pronounced: [ˈɬɛi̯.kɪ] Simplified: No anglicisation is included for this name, as the Welsh 'Ll' does not have an accurate English anglicisation. Meaning: possibly the feminine form of Lleu, which is likely a Welsh form of Lugus, which possibly comes from Indo-European *lewk- meaning "light, brightness", *lewg- meaning "dark", or *lewgh- meaning "oath".

I looove this name. It's cute, spunky, and wearable for both babies and adults. Cucu (pronounced like Kiki) would be an adorable nickname!

⤷ Commonly mistaken as the Welsh form of Lucy — I haven't found an accurate source to back this claim up.

2. Gwenllian ⤷ Pronounced: [ɡwɛn.ˈɬiː.an] Simplified: No anglicisation is included for this name, as the Welsh 'Ll' does not have an accurate English anglicisation. Meaning: possibly from lliain, meaning "flaxen", or lliant meaning "flow, flood", combined with the feminine -wen suffix from gwen, meaning "white" or "blessed".

This name is very regal to me, and is steeped in Welsh history. Most notably it was the name of a 12th century princess, Gwenllian ferch Gruffudd, who fought alongside her husband against the Norman invasion of Wales. She is the only woman of the medieval period who is known to have led a Welsh army into battle. Almost 1,000 years on, she's still seen as a symbol of Welsh patriotism and the fight against colonisation.

I also love that this name can easily be shortened to Gwen, or Gwenlli. It is my all-time favourite of the Gwen- names!

Eilonwy ⤷ IPA: [ɛi̯ˈlɔn.ʊ̯i] OR [ai̯ˈlɔn.ʊ̯i] Simplified: ay-LON-wee ('ay' as in 'day') OR eye-LON-wee Pronunciation is simply accent/dialect dependent, so you can say either!Meaning: from the Welsh eilon, an obsolete word meaning "deer, stag" or "song, melody".

I find this name really beautiful and princessy — and it is in fact the name of a fictional princess, the character of Eilonwy in Lloyd Alexander's Chronicles of Prydain. It's so pleasing to say and would look very pretty written out in cursive. Lon or Lonny would make good nicknames.

HM: Ynyra ⤷ IPA: [ənˈɨːr.a] Simplified: un-EER-ah / in-EER-ah Meaning: the feminine form of Ynyr, the Welsh form of Honorius; therefore the Welsh equivalent of Honora/Honoria.

Moving onto masculine names...

10. Sulien ⤷ IPA: [ˈsɨːl.jɛn] OR [ˈsɪl.jɛn] Simplified: SEEL-yen OR SIL-yen Pronunciation is simply accent/dialect dependent, so you can say either! Meaning: derived from the Celtic name Sulgen meaning "born from the sun".

A lot of people liken the spelling of this to Julian, therefore assume it is pronounced like Julian but with an S — but nope! I love this name. Sul is the Welsh word for "sun", and combined with the rest of the meaning, just invokes golden sunrays and regality.

9. Emyr ⤷ IPA: [ˈɛ.mɪr] Simplified: EM-eer Meaning: "king, lord"

Buckle up, because this is the first of several E names in this section of the list. Something about the Welsh E names, man... they're beautiful. Emyr is so handsome, and not quite as common as some of the other names you'll see on this list. That rolled/tapped R at the end is just *chef's kiss*

8. Alwyn ⤷ IPA: [ˈal.ʊ̯ɨn] Simplified: AL-win ('al' like in 'pal') Meaning: taken directly from the name of the River Alwen in North Wales. The actual etymology is uncertain, however the -wyn suffix comes from gwyn meaning "white" or "blessed", and the first element possibly comes from the Proto-Celtic *al(aun)o- meaning "nourishing". Yes, this name is masculine — the -wyn suffix in Welsh indicates masculine, whereas the -wen suffix indicates feminine. I find this name effortlessly cool, and very wearable for an adult. It has the bonus of being easy to understand for non-Welsh speakers as well!

7. Elwyn ⤷ IPA: [ˈɛl.ʊ̯in] Simplified: EL-win Meaning: "white light" or "pure light", from el meaning "light" combined with the -wyn suffix, from gwyn meaning "white" or "blessed", and additionally in this context, "pure".

Another -wyn name! It's very similar to Alwyn, and I'm not sure what it is about Elwyn that just edges it above the former for me. Something about that E initial! So damn cool.

6. Elisedd ⤷ IPA: [ɛlˈɪs.ɛð] Simplified: el-ISS-eth ('el' like in 'fell'; 'iss' like in 'hiss'; 'eth' like in 'wether' — the th is voiced) Meaning: from Welsh elus meaning "kind, benevolent".

This is actually an Old Welsh name, and was the name of two kings of Powys in the 8th and 9th centuries. Elisedd is the name that Elis/Ellis derived from! So it's a very ancient name, and doesn't appear to have any modern usage, but I find the sound of it so gorgeous.

5. Iorwerth ⤷ IPA: [ˈjɔr.wɛrθ] Simplified: YOHR-werth Meaning: "worthy lord", from Old Welsh ior meaning "lord" and gwerth meaning "value" or "worth".

I find this name so regal, which I suppose makes sense given it was the name of some princes! At times, this name has been anglicised as Yorath and Edward, although the latter is not a direct translation or equivalent, nor do the names share a common origin. Iolo (YOLL-oh), Iori (YOR-ee) and Iolyn (YOLL-in) are common nicknames/diminutives.

4. Rhun ⤷ IPA: [ˈr̥iːn] Simplified: HREEN ('Rh' in Welsh is a breathy, rolled R) Meaning: uncertain etymology, but possibly derived from Proto-Celtic *roino- meaning "hill, plain" or Proto-Celtic *rnf which meant "secret" and "magic" (the source of Middle Welsh rin which meant "mystery" and "charm" as well as Modern Welsh rhin meaning "secret").

Rhys's cool, mysterious cousin has entered the room. Rhun was the name of a character in The Tale of Taliesin, and was also the name of several kings and princes who lived between the 6th and 9th centuries — so this name goes waaayyy back! An alternative spelling is Rhyn; I'm a fan of both!

3. Taran ⤷ IPA: [ˈta.ran] Simplified: TA-ran ('ta' like in 'tap') Meaning: directly from the Welsh word taran meaning "thunder", from Proto-Celtic *toranos meaning "thunder".

Love, love, looove Taran, and if I didn't love Eilonwy so much, I'd be sure to consider this for a future son. It'd be so cool to be able to say your name means "thunder"! An alternate spelling is Taron, famously borne by Taron Egerton, who himself is proudly Welsh and a fluent Welsh speaker.

⤷ The Welsh word taran is cognate with Cornish taran, Breton taran, Irish toirneach, Scottish tàirneanach, and Manx taarnagh.Taranis is also the Gaulish god of Thunder, cognate with Thor, and often identified with the Roman god Jupiter!

2. Emrys ⤷ IPA: [ˈɛm.rɪs] Simplified: EM-riss Meaning: "immortal"; the Welsh form of Ambrose, from the Late Latin name Ambrosius, derived from the Greek Ambrosios meaning "immortal".

A very handsome name, and currently quite popular for little boys in Wales! I'm a sucker for soft names. This is definitely a strong contender if I ever have a son.

⤷ Ambrosius Aurelianus was a Romano-British military leader who fought against the invading Anglo-Saxons during the 5th century. He's known as Emrys Wledig in Welsh.

Idris ⤷ IPA: [ˈɪd.rɪs] Simplified: ID-riss Meaning: "ardent lord", from Old Welsh iudd meaning "lord" and ris meaning "ardent, enthusiastic".

Currently a very popular choice for little boys in Wales, and for good reason! So soft yet masculine, very wearable for a baby and an adult, easy to say and spell, plus historical ties — it ticks every last box for me. The Idris Elba association is only a plus in my book; although his birth name is actually Idrissa!

⤷ Idris Gawr (Idris the Giant) was a king of Meirionnydd in the 6th and 7th centuries. He was apparently so massive, he could sit on the summit of Cadair Idris (a mountain, name meaning "Chair of Idris") and survey his entire kingdom.

⤷ Idris is also a name used in Arabic, meaning "interpreter, teacher", related to the root darasa meaning "to study, to learn"; according to the Quran, it was the name of an ancient prophet, and is equated with the Hebrew prophet Enoch.

HM: Hefin ⤷ IPA: [ˈhɛ.vɪn] OR [ˈheː.vɪn] Simplified: HEH-vin Meaning: "summer", coined by the Welsh antiquarian, poet, and literary forger Iolo Morganwg from haf "summer" and the suffix -in, which goes back to Proto-Indo-European *-iHnos.

Finally, onto the neutral names!

3. Eirian ⤷ IPA: [ɛi̯ˈriː.an] OR [ai̯ˈriː.an] Simplified: ay-REE-an ('ay' like in 'day') OR eye-REE-an Pronunciation is simply accent/dialect dependent, so you can say either! Meaning: "bright, beautiful"

This name just simply embodies radiance. From what I know, this name seems to lean feminine — however, I've only known of one person with the name and they were a man. Either way, it's beautiful on anyone in my opinion!

2. Elwy ⤷ IPA: [ˈɛl.ʊ̯i] Simplified: EL-wee Meaning: "river", from elw meaning "river". Elwy is also the name of a river in Wales.

From what I've found, this name seems to lean masculine. I love that it's similar to Elwyn, but with a slightly softer ending due to the lack of N. The tie to water/nature is also a bonus! On a man it feels very strong, on a woman it feels soft. Gorgeous!

Medi⤷ IPA: [ˈmɛd.i] Simplified: MED-ee (like Eddy with an M in front) Meaning: "September", directly from the word medi meaning "reaping", which traces back to Proto-Indo-European *h₂met- "to reap".

Love, love, love the name Medi. It would probably be assumed to be pronounced something like "meedy" in English, but it's easily explained as being like in "medical". When preceded by the word "mis", this becomes the word for "September" in Welsh (mis Medi). As far as I know, this name leans feminine, but I think it's very handsome on a boy!

HM: Celyn ⤷ IPA: [ˈkɛl.ɪn] Simplified: KEL-in Meaning: "holly", from the Welsh word celyn meaning "holly".

Aaaand we've reached the end of the list! I could go on and on; there are dozens upon dozens of Welsh names I adore, but I should save some for separate blog posts. We have 26 total names here (if my math is right?! I'm terrible), which should be plenty to start us off.

Is it cultural appropriation to use a Welsh name if I’m not Welsh?

Nearly everyone has a name outside of their nationality in this day and age. It is not automatically cultural appropriation if you want to use or have used a Welsh name, whether that’s for yourself, your child, or your character. But there are ways to go about using a Welsh name respectfully and disrespectfully. Not to mention, I’m Welsh, but neither my first name, middle name, nor surname are Welsh in origin! I hate to break it to you, Mari is an alias (and is not exclusively a Welsh name either, it's very cross-cultural).

Truly, the background is not the issue; it’s how you use the names!

⤷ Disclaimer: I do not speak for all Welsh people. I am just one person! Many will disagree with me.

What constitutes as “disrespectful” or “appropriative” use of a Welsh name?

In my opinion:

Gender-bending a lesser-known name — generally when people do this, it’s because they’re applying their own culture’s perception of gender to the name, which can come across as dismissive of the language and cultural conventions. It is imposing gendered naming conventions onto names from another culture where they do not apply. This most frequently occurs in the USA, usually with the excuse of “subverting gender norms”. What would actually disrupt and subvert Anglo-American gendered naming conventions is using names from other cultures according to the gendered naming conventions from those cultures — i.e using the Welsh name Emlyn for a boy, even if it reads more feminine to Anglo-American eyes, because doing so will broaden people’s perceptions of the kinds of names that can be either masculine or feminine. Some Welsh names are already gender-bent in other countries, and I accept that.

Unnecessarily anglicised spellings — I accept that some names have looong established anglicised spellings (Reese for the original Rhys, for example), but not every name needs to be anglicised, and it's my personal belief that we start pushing back at bit where applicable. In names that include letters that don’t exist in English, that’s understandable. But I promise you can wrap your head around Carys being pronounced with a hard C. Language preservation is important, and it's important to me personally, and while I genuinely love seeing people use and appreciate Welsh names, anglicising names unnecessarily paints a false idea of what the Welsh language looks like. Despite our proximity to England, we don’t share every sound or letter with the English language — there is no J, K, Q, V, X, or Z in the Welsh language. Part of language preservation is making sure what people do see of our language is as true as possible.

Not bothering to attempt native pronunciation — I understand how difficult the Welsh language can be for non-Welsh speakers to attempt. I'm not fluent myself despite spending my entire educational career learning it! There are some sounds that are not present in English (notoriously the Welsh LL), which makes certain names essentially a write off in non-Welsh speaking spaces — looking at you, Llywelyn. But shrugging off a pronunciation guide just to choose a Welsh name anyway and apply your own pronunciation is… certainly a choice. Just try your best; effort is always appreciated!

⤷ Milla Jovovich did 2 out of 3 of the above — she named her daughter Osian, a masculine Welsh name, and claimed it was pronounced like the English word “ocean”. It’s in fact pronounced "OSH-an", with the ‘osh’ like in ‘Josh’. I don’t really understand why she wouldn’t just spell it as Ocean; that way she could’ve avoided advertising the fact she clearly did not take more than two minutes to research the right pronunciation... or maybe she did and does not care.

Another thing about changing the spelling — Welsh names either come directly from the Welsh language, just like in English (i.e Seren = ‘star’), or from two or more words (known as "elements"). When those spellings change, it’s not really taking on the meaning of those elements anymore — it can also change the gender of the name! A great example is Olwen: spelt this way, it means “white footprint”, and is feminine. But change it to Olwyn, your name now means “wheel” and has the masculine suffix! ⤷ Of course, outside of Wales/the UK, the chance of someone knowing you/your child's name means "wheel" is very low — but some people will care about these details, so I figure it's always worth disclosing in case!

How do you feel about writers using Welsh names for their characters?

I can’t say I’m massive on fantasy authors using them, specifically. Sorry to the fantasy authors out there, but in my opinion, taking inspiration from the various Celtic cultures, languages, and using names from the Celtic cultures is frankly done to death. There are so many amazing, interesting cultures on this earth, and so many gorgeous non-Anglo names that are quirky, fascinating, enchanting, captivating, whimsical, and fitting for a fantasy setting! I beg we move on from Celtic names.

And do not get me started on abominations like Rhysand — which for the record, is NOT a real historical name. Rhys as a standalone is absolutely steeped in history and is extremely common in Wales. Rhysand, however, did not exist prior to SJM accidentally hitting the backspace between ‘Rhys’ and 'and’ (at least, that’s my theory for how she came up with it). The name does not follow Welsh spelling conventions at all, and despite my research, I have never been able to find any true source that supports the notion that Rhysand is a real, historical Welsh name, despite people arguing it is. Because it isn’t.

And this leads me to say, using Welsh names in fantasy more often than not blurs the boundary between fact and fiction. It results in people seeing Welsh as not a real, living language that is genuinely spoken by people every single day, but is a mere fantasy toybox for them to play around in. It comes with the assumption that our names can just be distorted and it doesn’t matter because it’s just fantasy.

And you didn’t ask, but I’m not a fan of authors using the Welsh language as a whole like it’s their toybox to play in, either. Or any minority language for that matter, but particularly the Celtic language family; it is once again overdone in the fantasy genre in particular, and the vast majority of the time does not come from a place of appreciating the language, but instead just wanting to emulate Tolkien in the laziest way. He was a linguist and a lover of the Welsh language before he was an author, and that’s why he did such a great job!

I have a correction to offer regarding a Welsh name.

Then please give it! But please, read my FAQs and the rest of this little section first.

There are some sources I do not accept, which are covered in the FAQ section. Specifically regarding Welsh names though, I respectfully will probably not accept:

“My Nan was from Wales and pronounced that name this way!”

“My best friend has a Welsh name spelt like (name)!”

“My niece has (name), so it is also a feminine name!”

Why don't I accept these? Because in my time of spreading information about Welsh names and engaging in conversation about Welsh names online, I have at times encountered people who are not Welsh trying to correct or argue that they are right and I am wrong, despite the fact a) they do not live in Wales and haven't for decades, and/or b) have never lived in Wales, where as I was born, raised, and have always lived in Wales.

I only include accepted, widely used pronunciations and spellings, and I do include common anglicised pronunciations and spellings in my posts also. But just because you know one person with the name spelt, said, or worn a certain way doesn’t mean it is an accepted pronunciation/spelling/usage/etc, and I want to keep the information here as accurate and clear as possible. I know a girl named John, but I’m not adamant that it should now be declared a feminine name!

An example of a pronunciation that is not widely accepted: “Rice” (for Rhys)

An example of a spelling that is not widely used: Karys (for Carys)

Regarding names that are gendered a certain way in Welsh and are the opposite in another country, I will include information regarding where and/or when a name has a different gendered usage.

Example: Dylan is predominantly masculine in both origin and usage in every country, with the exception of the United States.

⤷ I know English speakers love anglicising things, but some sounds in Welsh cannot accurately be anglicised ('Ch’ and ’Ll’). For names that include those sounds, IPA pronunciations will always be included.