Enw / Name Tarddiad ac Ystyr / Origin and Meaning

Aeddan A Welsh form of Aidan

Afan Probably a loan from the Latin Amandus. The name of an early Celtic saint, a grandson of Cunedda Wledig, king of Gwynedd, in the early 6th century. He is said to have been martyred by pirates on the bank of the River Chwefru

Aled Aled (= epil, offspring)

Alun Probably a Welsh cognate of Alan, a name borne by a character in the Mabinogi, Alun of Dyfed, and made popular in the 19th century through its use as a bardic name by John Blackwell (1797-1840)

Alwyn A version of Alvin, which derives from Old English elements aelf (elf) + wine (friend)

Anarawd Anarawd was a legendary father of Iddig. The name may mean undisgraced, free of shame

Andras A Welsh variant of Andrew

Aneirin Of uncertain origin, possibly meaning modest; Aneirin was a famous Old Welsh poet, author of 'Y Gododdin', which tells the story of an unsuccessful raid on Catraeth (Catterick) by three hundred chosen warriors of the Old North

Aneurin A modern spelling of Aneirin

Angwyn An (intensifying prefix) + gwyn (fair)

Arawn In Welsh mythology, Arawn was the king of the otherworld realm of Annwn, appearing prominently in the first branch, and alluded to in the fourth.

Arfon From the placename, which means 'facing Anglesey': Arfon refers to the southern shore of the Menai Strait, the part of mainland Wales closest to the island of Anglesey.

Arthfael Arth (bear) + mael (prince). This was the name of a 6th-century Welsh saint who founded abbeys in Brittany

Arthus A variant of Arthur, which is itself of uncertain derivation, appearing first in the Latin form Artorius

Arwel An Old Welsh name of unknown meaning

Arwyn Arwyn (very bright, splendid)

Awstin A Welsh form of Austin, which is a contraction of the Latin Augustinus, which in turn derives from Augustus, meaning great, magnificent

Bedwyr The name of one of King Arthur's knights, anglicised as Bedivere. He plays a prominent part in the early Welsh tale 'Culhwch and Olwen'

Berwyn An ancient Welsh personal name comprising the elements barr (head) + (g)wyn (white, fair)

Bleddyn / Bledig Wolflike, from blaidd (wolf) + the diminutive suffix –yn. Blaidd was often used in early Welsh poetry to mean hero

Bowen From ap Owen; son of Owen

Brith Brith (= brych, speckled)

Brân Bran (crow, raven)

Brenin Brenin (king)

Brychan Brychan (a brindled covering)

Bryn Bryn (hill)

Brynmor Bryn mawr (great hill)

Cadell Cad (battle) + diminutive suffix -ell

Cadfael Cad (battle) + mael (prince)

Cadfan Cad (battle) + man (place)

Cadoc The name of a Welsh saint, born around AD 497, who was famed for his wisdom and became Abbot of Llancarfan in Glamorganshire

Cadogan An anglicised form of Cadwgawn

Cadwalader An anglicised form of Cadwaladr

Cadwaladr Cad (battle) + gwaladwr (leader). St Cadwaladr was a 6th century British chieftain who died fighting the pagan Saxon invaders

Cadwgan / Cadwgawn Cad (battle) + gwgawn (= gogoniant, glory). The name occurs in the Mabinogi as the son of Iddon

Caerwyn A variant of Carwyn, reinterpreted as caer (fortress) + (g)wyn (white, fair)

Cai / Cei A Celticised form of Latin Gaius, the Welsh form of Kay, one of King Arthur's knights, who along with Bedwyr plays a prominent part in the early Welsh tale 'Culhwch and Olwen'

Caradoc An ancient Celtic name apparently derived from a root car- (to love). In Geoffrey of Monmouth, Caradoc Vreichvras (Caradoc Strongarm) is one of King Arthur's knights

Carwyn A modern Welsh coinage comprising the elements car (love) + (g)wyn (white, fair)

Cefin A Welsh form of Kevin, which comes from the Gaelic Caoimhin, a diminutive of caomh (comely), hence 'little comely one'

Celyn Celyn (holly)

Cledwyn A traditional Welsh name, apparently from caled (hard, rough) + (g)wyn (white, fair)

Cynddelw A traditional Welsh name, of uncertain origin but possibly from an Old Celtic element meaning 'high, exalted' + delw (image)

Cynwrig From Welsh cyn (chief) + ('hero, man) + the suffix -ig indicating 'has the quality of'

Dafydd A Welsh form of David

Dai Now used as a short form of Dafydd, but originally a separate name deriving from an Old Celtic element tei (shining)

Deiniol Apparently a Welsh form of Daniel. The name was borne by a 6th century saint

Derfel The name of a 6th century Welsh saint, reputed to have been a follower of King Arthur. Recently fictionalized as the hero of a trio of Arthurian novels by Bernard Cornwell

Deri / Derwyn = Derwen (oak)

Dewi A Welsh form of David, the usual form in the Middle Ages; Patron saint of Wales

Dewydd A Welsh form of David

Dilwyn A modern Welsh name, from dilys (genuine, steadfast) + (g)wyn (white, fair)

Drystan A Welsh form of Tristram

Dyfan A Welsh form of Damon. St Dyfan was a rather obscure early Christian saint and martyr in Roman times, and possibly Wales's first martyr

Dyfed From the Welsh county name, which anciently referred to what is now Pembrokeshire. In the First Branch of the Mabinogi, the hero Pwyll is Lord of Dyfed

Dylan A name of uncertain origin, probably connected with an element meaning ‘sea’. In the Mabinogi, Dylan is the miraculously born son of Aranrhod

Eifion An Old Welsh name; the name of a son of Cunedda

Eilian From Latin Aelianus. A noted bearer is St. Eilian (Elian), a Catholic saint who founded a church in North Wales around the year 450. The Parish of Llanelian is named after him.

Einion Einion (anvil)

Einwys A pet form of Einion

Elidyr Elydyr (brass, bronze)

Elis A Welsh form of Ellis, which is derived from Elias, the Greek name of the prophet Elijah, meaning ‘Yahweh is God’

Elisud An old Welsh name, deriving from elus (kind, benevolent)

Emlin / Emlyn Of uncertain origin, possibly from the Latin Aemilianus, which may itself come from a lost Celtic name

Emrick / Emris / Emrys A Welsh form of Ambrose, which derives via Latin from the Greek ambrosios (immortal)

Emyr Emyr (emperor, king, lord). The name was borne by a 6th century Breton saint who settled in Cornwall

Eurig Eurog (golden, gilded)

Evan / Ewan / Ewen Anglicised forms of Ieuan

Ffrancis A Welsh form of Francis, which derives ultimately from Italian Francesco (Frenchman)

Folant A Welsh form of Valentine, from the Latin name Valentinus, from Latin valens (strong, healthy)

Gareth Of uncertain derivation, this name first occurs in Malory’s ‘Morte d’Arthur’

Gavan / Gavin A modern form of Gawain

Gawain / Gawen Of uncertain derivation, but possibly deriving from Gwalchmai; the name of one of King Arthur’s knights

Geraint Of uncertain derivation, possibly from an old British name that appears in a Greek inscription as Gerontios, and maybe influenced by a Greek word for ‘old man’. Geraint was one of King Arthur’s knights.

Gerallt A Welsh form of Gerald, which is of Germanic origin, comprising the elements ger (spear) + wald (rule)

Gethen / Gethin A lenited form of cethin (= tywyll ei groen, dusky, swarthy)

Glaw Glaw (rain). A modern Welsh name

Glendower An anglicised form of Glyndwr

Glendower / Glyndwr Glyn (= cwm, valley) + dŵr (water). This name is often given in honour of the 14th century Welsh patriot Owain Glyndwr

Glyn Glyn (= cwm, valley)

Glynn A variant of Glyn

Gofannon / Govannon From a Latin form Gobannus, one of the deities worshipped by the ancient Celts, which is related to the Irish gobae (smith). Gofannon was a great worker in metal, and appears in the early tale 'Culhwch and Olwen', where one of the tasks given to Culhwch by Olwen's father is to get Gofannon to sharpen his brother's plough

Goronwy A name of uncertain origin. It occurs in the Mabinogi, where Goronwy Pebyr becomnes the lover of Blodeuwedd and kills Llew Llaw Gyffes. Also the name of a steward under Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, king of Gwynedd

Grigor A Welsh form of Gregory, from Greek Grigorios (meaning gwyliadwrus, watchful)

Griff / Griffin / Griffith / Gruff / Gruffin / Gruffud / Gruffudd / Gruffydd The second element means lord; the meaning of the first is uncertain. The Griff variants are anglicised forms of Gruffudd

Grwn Grwn (= trum, crib, ridge, piece of ploughed land between two furrows)

Guto A pet form of Gruffudd

Gwalchgwyn Gwalch (hawk) + gwyn (white)

Gwalchmai / Gwalchmei Gwalch (hawk) + an element of uncertain meaning, possibly meaning 'plain' and probably unrelated to Mai, the name of the month

Gwallter A Welsh form of Walter, which is of Germanic origin, deriving from wald (rule) + her (army)

Gwatycn a Welsh form of Watkin, which is a diminutive of the name Watt (also Wat), a popular Middle English given name itself derived as a pet form of the name Walter

Gwilim / Gwilym / Gwillym A Welsh form of William

Gwyn / Gwynn Gwyn (white, fair)

Gwynedd The name of a region of mediaeval North Wales, now resurrected as the name of a county

Gwynfor A modern coinage, apparently from gwyn (white, fair) + the mutated form of mawr (great)

Gwydyr / Gwythyr A Welsh form of Victor

Hari / Harri A Welsh form of Harry, itself a form of Henry, from Latin Henricus, which itself derives from two Germanic words, haim (home) + ric (ruler)

Heddwyn hHedd (peace) + (g)wyn (fair, blessed). Popularised by the fame of the young poet Ellis Humphrey Evans, killed in the First World War, who took Hedd Wyn as his bardic name

Hefin Haf (summer)

Heilyn Heilyn (= arolygwr, steward). A traditional Welsh name, originally a byname for a steward or wine-pourer, from heilio (to pour out, dispense)

Heulog Heulog (sunny)

Howell An anglicised form of Hywel

Huw A Welsh form of Hugh, which comes from a Germanic word hug (mind, spirit)

Hywel Hywel (visible, prominent, eminent). A name borne by Hywel Dda, 10th century founder of Welsh laws

Iago A Welsh form of Jacob. This was the name of two early Welsh kings of Gwynedd. It is also the name of the villain in Shakespeare's 'Othello'

Ianto A diminutive of Ifan

Idris Iud (lord) + ris (ardent, impulsive)

Idwal Iud (lord, master) + (g)wal (wall, rampart)

Iefan / Ieuan / Ifan A Welsh form of John

Iestin / Iestyn A Welsh form of Justin

Ifor A traditional Welsh name of uncertain origin, sometimes anglicised as Ivor, but Ivor has an entirely different origin, coming from Scandinavian words yr (yew) + herr (army, warrior)

Ilar A Welsh form of Hilary, which comes from the Latin Hilarius, from hilaris (cheerful)

Illtud / Illtyd From il, el (multitude) + tud (land, people). The name was borne by a famous 5th century saint. Illtyd is the modern spelling.

Ioan A Welsh form of John

Iolo / Iolyn Pet forms of Iorwerth

Iorwerth A traditional Welsh name formed from the elements ior (ord) + a mutated form of berth (handsome)

Islwyn Taken from the name of a mountain in Gwent, which is formed from is (below) + llwyn (grove)

Iwan A Welsh form of John

Jac A Welsh form of Jack

Lewys A Welsh form of Louis or Lewis

Llew / Llewelyn / Llywellyn An ancient name of uncertain origin, going back to an Old Celtic form Lugobelinos, where the first element seems to be the name of the god Lugh. It became altered by association with llew (lion)

Lloyd / Loyd An anglicised form of llwyd (grey, grey-haired)

Llywarch A traditional Welsh name, formed from the god's name Lugo + Old Celtic marcos (horse). Llywarch Hen (534-608) was a prince and poet of the kingdom of Rheged, and accounted one of the four great bards of early Welsh poetry, along with Aneirin, Taliesin and Myrddin. A number of early poems are attributed to him, though whether he actually had any hand in them is unknown

Lyn A short form of Llewellyn

Mabon / Mabyn From mab (son); Mabon seems to have been the name of a divinity; it is also borne by a character in the Mabinogion tale ‘Culhwch ac Olwen’

Macsen / Maxen A Welsh form of Maximus, a 4th century Roman ruler who according to legend married a Welsh princess. Maximus means 'greatest'

Madoc / Madog A Welsh form of the Irish Maedoc, which derives from an Irish root 'aed' meaning 'fire'. The name of a Welsh prince who allegedly discovered America in 1170

Maldwyn A Welsh variant of Baldwin, derived from the Germanic elements bald (bold, brave) + win (friend)

March March = ceffyl (horse, stallion)

Maredudd A Welsh form of Meredith

Martyn A Welsh form of Martin, which comes from Latin Martinus, from mars, the god of war

Medwyn The name of a Welsh saint whose feast day falls on January 1st.

Meic / Meical A Welsh form of Michael

Merfyn A traditional name, composed of two Old Celtic elements mer (probably meaning marrow) + myn (eminent). Anglicised as Mervyn

Meurig A Welsh form of Maurice, derived from Latin Mauricius via Old Welsh Mouric

Mihangel A Welsh form of Michael

Morcan / Morgan A traditional Welsh name derived from Old Celtic morcant; the meaning of the first element is uncertain, the 'cant' means 'circle, completion'

Mostyn From the name of a place in Clwyd, on the Dee estuary. The placename itself is Old English rather than Welsh in origin, from mos (moss) + tun (settlement, enclosure)

Myrddin / Myrddyn An ancient Welsh name, famous as the name of the wizard in Arthurian romance. It seems to have been composed of Old Celtic words meaning 'sea' and 'hill, fort'

Nye A pet form of Aneurin

Osian This derives from the traditional Irish Gaelic name Oisin, a name borne by the son of great Irish Hero Fionn mac Cumhaill. Oisin was lured away by a fairy woman to Tir na'n Og, the Land of the Young, and when he grew homesick and came back to see his kin, found that centuries had passed and all the Fianna were long dead

Owain An ancient Welsh name of uncertain origin, possibly derived from Latin Eugenius. Owain appears as a character in the Mabinogi, where he is a knight rescued by the Lady of the Fountain.

Owen An anglicised form of Owain

Pedr A Welsh form of Peter

Pryderi Pryderi (anxiety, care). The name borne by the hero of the First Branch of the Mabinogi

Prys From ap Rhys (son of Rhys)

Rees An anglicised form of Rhys

Rhisiart A Welsh form of Richard

Rhodd Rhodd (= anrheg, gift)

Rhodri From an Old Welsh personal name formed from the elements rhod (wheel) + rhi (ruler). Rhodri the Great was a 9th century king of Gwynedd

Rhydderch A traditional Welsh name, originally a byname meaning 'reddish-brown', and the origin of the surname Protheroe, from ap Rhydderch, son of Rhydderch. Anglicised as Roderick

Rhys A traditional Welsh name meaning 'ardour', borne by several rulers of south-west Wales in the early Middel Ages, such as Rhys ap Tewdur and Rhys ap Gruffudd

Robat A Welsh form of Robert

Sawyl A Welsh form of Samuel

Seimon A Welsh form of Simon

Selwyn An English name, transferred from a surname, probably deriving from sele (hall) = wine (friend)

Siarl A Welsh form of Charles

Siôn A Welsh form of John

Sionym A pet form of Siôn

Siriol Siriol (cheerful, joyful)

Steffan A Welsh form of Stephen, which derives from a Greek word for crown

Talfryn A modern Welsh name, deriving from tal (high, end of) + a mutated form of bryn (hill)

Taliesin An Old Welsh name composed of the elements tal (brow) + iesin (shining). Taliesin was a renowned 6th century Welsh poet

Tarian Tarian (shield)

Teilo The name of a 6th century Welsh saint, reputed to be a cousin and disciple of St David. He became bishop of Llandaff. The name derives form an Old Welsh form Eliau or Eilliau

Terrwyn Terrwyn (= dewr, strong, steadfast)

Tomas / Tomos / Twm / Tŵm A Welsh form of Thomas

Trefor Tre (town) + mawr (great). Originally a surname, which in turn derives from a common placename. Anglicised as Trevor

Tristan / Trystan A Welsh form of Tristram, a hero of mediaeval romance. The name is of unknown origin, but may be connected with the Pictish Drostan

Tudur A traditional Welsh name, derived from the Old Celtic form Teutorix, composed of elements meaning 'people, tribe' + 'ruler, king'. Sometimes believed to be a form of Theodore, but in fact there is no connection

Urien An ancient name, possibly deriving from Old Celtic elements meaning 'privileged' + 'birth'. The name of a historical king of Rheged who fought against the Northumbrians in the 6th century, who also makes an appearance in the Mabinogi

Ynyr A traditional Welsh name of uncertain origin, possibly from Latin Honorius. There is a reference in the Mabinogi to a battle between two Ynyrs

Wil A short form of Gwilym