118 Bretons Baby Names With Meanings

A culturally significant set rooted in three strong languages.

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• Dec 7, 2023

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Bretons are thought to be the natives of Brittany, a region in France (1). And Breton baby names reflect the strong artisans’ legacy of their ancient Altmer rule, cherishing nobility and power. The Bretons are considered to be especially religious and follow the Roman Catholic faith. Every town has its own patron saint, and the people honor them by immortalizing the saints as wooden statues in their churches. They are worshiped with great respect and often prayed for relief from the people’s sickness. Thus, the Bretons are a diverse group of people with interesting histories, traditions, and a deeply rooted faith. All of these influences can be seen in their names, such as Annick, meaning ‘God is gracious,’ Meriadoc, meaning ‘sea Lord,’ and Youenn, meaning ‘little archer.’ These names are mainly inspired by real-world French, English, and Gaelic names but are modified to give them the perfect Old English or Breton feel. But that’s not a hard-and-fast rule. Breton also uses plenty of unusual names that do not seem to fit any particular pattern. On the other hand, the family names or surnames are mainly normal French, English, or Gaelic last names. Breton baby names were at the height of their popularity in 1972, with over 2.975% of boys given Breton names and six of them appearing in the top 1,000 name list. The frequency of use may have declined over the years, but that doesn’t mean they are no longer in use. Breton names are still quite popular in Europe, especially among the Celtic Britons inhabiting the Brittany region. And if you are also one of those people who are curious to know more about the unique historical names, you’ll find our list of Breton baby boys’ and girls’ names handy. Take a look!

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Name	Gender	Meaning
Abran	Boy	Father of the multitude
Ael	Boy	Rocks or rampart
Aela	Girl	Rock; Rampart
Aergad	Boy	One who is strong in battle
Aihran	Boy	Exalted; Bretons form of Aaron
Akilles	Boy	Hero of the Greeks; A form of Achilles
Alanig	Boy	Bretons form of Alan; Handsome
Alban	Boy	White man from Alba; From ancient Latin city
Alouarn	Boy	An iron brow
Ambroas	Boy	One who is immortal

Andrev	Boy	Breton form of Andrev; Manly
Annaeg	Boy	Grace; Favor
Annick	Girl	God is gracious; He has answered the prayers
Aodren	Boy	Of high birth
Aodrena	Girl	Of high birth
Aogust	Boy	Venerable; Bretons form of August
Aouregan	Girl	Derived from Breton elements aour which means gold and gwen, which means white, fair, and blessed
Aourgen	Girl	A spelling variant of Aouregan, gold and beautiful
Argant	Boy	Silver
Argantael	Girl	Noble silver

Argantlowen	Girl	Silver; Happy and joyful
Armela	Girl	Bear prince
Arven	Boy	Battle worthy; Carnage worthy
Arzhel	Boy	Bear prince
Arzhela	Girl	Feminine variant of Arzhel; Bear prince
Arzhur	Boy	Bear man
Azelice	Girl	She who is noble
Azilis	Girl	A noble kind; of the noble sort
Bernez	Boy	Brave as a bear
Bleuenn	Girl	White flower

Bleuzen	Girl	The Bretons form of the Welsh Blodwen; White flowers
Branoc	Boy	Raven
Briac	Boy	One with force and strength
Briaca	Girl	Feminine form of Briac; Meaning disputed
Brieg	Boy	Bear; Stone; Disciple
Brocardo	Boy	Armed warrior
Budoc	Boy	Victory
Budog	Boy	A variant of Budog; Victory
Caarlo	Boy	Settlement of free men
Carlens	Boy	Settlement of free men

Carlitis	Boy	Peasant settlement
Carloto	Boy	Peasant settlement
Derrien	Boy	Wealthy
Elouan	Boy	Light
Emilion	Boy	Rival
Enora	Girl	Honor
Erwan	Boy	The archer
Erwann	Boy	The archer; A variant of Erwan
Ewen	Boy	One who is of the yew tree
Fulup	Boy	Lover of horses

Goulwen	Boy	White light
Gurvan	Boy	Assault
Gwen	Girl	Fair; Blessed
Gwenael	Boy	White, fair or generous
Gwendal	Girl	White-browed person; The sign of blessings and intelligence
Gwenlaouen	Girl	One who is white, fair or blessed
Gwenneg	Boy	One who is white, fair, blessed
Gwilherm	Boy	Will; Desire; Helmet; Protection
Haerviu	Boy	A man who is battle-worthy or carnage-worthy
Iouen	Boy	Lion

Iven	Boy	Little archer
Jacut	Boy	Breton form of Jacob; Supplanter
Jagu	Boy	Breton form of James or Jacob; Supplanter
Janic	Boy	Yahweh is gracious
Jannic	Boy	Yahweh is gracious
Jodoc	Boy	Bretons variant of Joyce; Lord
Jodocus	Boy	Experienced in battle
Judicael	Boy	Generous lord
Judikael	Boy	A variant of Judicaël; Lord or prince
Judoc	Boy	Lord

Karlus	Boy	Settlement of free men
Katarin	Girl	Pure
Katell	Girl	Pure
Kireg	Boy	Benevolence
Kirus	Boy	Breton form of Cyrus, meaning sun
Klervi	Girl	Token of the egg
Laorans	Boy	From Laurentum; A variant of Lawrence
Lena	Girl	Torch; Bright shining light
Lito	Boy	Peasant settlement
Loana	Girl	Good light

Lukaz	Boy	Bretons form of Luke; Light giving
Lusian	Boy	Bretons form of Lucian; Light
Maden	Boy	Good
Maelis	Girl	Prince
Mailys	Girl	A form of Maelis; Prince
Maiwenn	Girl	The one who raises
Marzhin	Boy	From Mars
Marzhina	Girl	From Mars
Maugan	Boy	A well born boy
Mazhe	Boy	Gift of God

Menguy	Boy	A powerful hound
Meriadoc	Boy	Sea lord
Moizez	Boy	Drawn from water
Morvan	Boy	Sea; Great
Nolwenn	Girl	Unpolluted one from Noal
Oanez	Girl	She who is chaste
Padrig	Boy	Patrician
Paol	Boy	Small; Humble
Perig	Boy	Stone
Pierrick	Boy	Breton form of Peter; Rock or stone

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You have the choice to give your child a name that carries deep meaning, connects to tradition, holds historical significance, or represents a sense of freedom. However, selecting a name that will suit your baby as they grow from infancy to adulthood is important. Breton baby names can help distinguish individuals in a globally connected world, making them unique and highlighting their special cultural heritage. These names play an important role in keeping traditions alive and honoring the region’s distinct identity.

Infographic: Traditional And Meaningful Breton Baby Names

Parents who want to honor their Breton heritage may consider Breton names for their children. These names have a rich heritage and culture and help children feel more connected to their roots. We curated a list of wonderful Breton baby names for your precious little one, and you can find them in this infographic.

brilliant breton baby names for your little one (infographic)

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What are some Breton baby names that are easy to spell?

Some Breton names that may be easier to spell for non-native speakers include Ael or Aela, meaning ‘rock’ or ‘angel;’ Enora, meaning ‘honor;’ Gwen, representing ‘white’ or ‘holy;’ Iven, meaning ‘little archer’ and Yuna, meaning ‘lamb’ or ‘the archer.’

2. What are some Breton baby names that have historical significance?

Some Breton baby names with historical significance include names such as Anna, the Greek and Latin Old Testament version of Channah or Hannah. This name can be translated to mean ‘favor’ or ‘grace’ and is associated with Saint Anna, mother of Mary, and was also used by numerous Russian Royals. Corentin is another such Breton name that possesses historical significance. This name can be translated to mean ‘hurricane’ or ‘storm,’ and it was borne by a 5th-century bishop of Quimper in Brittany.

References

MomJunction's articles are written after analyzing the research works of expert authors and institutions. Our references consist of resources established by authorities in their respective fields. You can learn more about the authenticity of the information we present in our editorial policy.

Leo Carruthers; (2014); What Makes Breton Lays’ Breton’? Bretons
Britons and Celtic ‘Otherness’ in Medieval Romance.

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