449 Welsh Baby Boy Names With Meanings
Worthy names from Wales for your wondrous Welsh son are right here.
Welsh baby boy names have stood the test of time. These names are still used in many parts of the world today, not just in Wales. Welsh is a phonetic language with Celtic roots (1). It is commonly spoken by the people of Wales and some parts of Britain. The language can be broadly classified into four distinct periods—Primitive, Old, Middle, and Modern. These distinctions marked an evolution of the language that altered how alphabets were used, impacting the Welsh spellings and pronunciations. Welsh names are distinct because of their unique pronunciations. In the language, w and y are considered vowels, besides a, e, i, o, and u. The phonetic sounds of the alphabet also differ significantly, with w pronounced as oo, y pronounced as uh or ee depending on which syllable it is, and f pronounced as v. For instance, Dafydd would be pronounced David (1). Welsh names have a poetic beauty to them, but a little knowledge of the language is required to pronounce them correctly. Welsh people followed a patronymic naming system, meaning that the child inherits the given name or the father's first name as a last name or surname. Back in the day, the prefix ‘ab’ or ‘ap,’ meaning ‘son of,’ was inserted between the child’s given name and the patronymic name. However, with the introduction of the Act of Union in 1536, all official documents were required to be recorded in English. After this, the patronymic naming system started to dissipate (1). However, Welsh first names like Dylan, Rhys, and Owen are still quite popular among parents (2). According to data from the SSA, Dylan and Owen are well-known Welsh boy names in the US, standing at rank 41 and 18, respectively, as of 2022 (3) (4 ). We have listed a vast collection of such Welsh baby names for boys just for you. Keep scrolling!
Name | Gender | Meaning | |
---|---|---|---|
Charlie | Unisex | Free man; Army | |
George | Boy | Farmer; Earth worker | |
Harry | Boy | Ruler of the household | |
Jack | Boy | God is gracious | |
Jacob | Boy | May God protect; Holder of the heel; Supplanter | |
Leo | Boy | Lion | |
Logan | Boy | Little hollow | |
Noah | Unisex | Rest | |
Oliver | Boy | Olive tree planter | |
Theo | Boy | Gift of God | |
Aaiden | Boy | Fiery or little fire | |
Aberforth | Boy | From the rivera in Gaelic | |
Aeronwen | Boy | The winner or victor of a battle | |
Aeronwy | Boy | The battle winner | |
Aerowyn | Boy | The victorious person from the battle | |
Afon | Unisex | A river, a stream, or water | |
Alanie | Unisex | Graceful, serene, peace-loving | |
Alauna | Unisex | Noble or fair one | |
Aled | Boy | A Child; Offspring; A variant name of Aledwen | |
Alun | Boy | A stony, fair and handsome being who is in sync with harmony, nobility and peace | |
Alwyn | Boy | Wise friend | |
Amael | Unisex | Healer, messenger, angelic | |
Amren | Unisex | Bravery and strength | |
Andras | Boy | Male; Manly; Brave; Virility; A variant of name Andrea | |
Andrielle | Unisex | Graceful and blessed | |
Aneurin | Boy | High Minded; A variation of name is Aneirin | |
Anwyll | Boy | Beloved, fortunate, blessed | |
Anyon | Boy | Anvil | |
Ap | Unisex | Son; Son of | |
Arawyn | Unisex | Magical; Nature-inspired; Independent | |
Ardent | Boy | To burn | |
Ardyn | Unisex | Eager; Ardent | |
Arianrhod | Unisex | Silver wheel; Wheel of the heavens | |
Arthas | Boy | Noble leader, strong ruler | |
Arthyen | Boy | Cornish form of the Welsh name Arthen; Bear born | |
Arvel | Boy | Wept over; A variant of the name Arvel | |
Auryn | Unisex | A powerful person; Golden haired individual | |
Avyn | Unisex | Strength and independence | |
Awdrie | Boy | Everlasting inspiration | |
Baines | Boy | The son of Einws | |
Barwyn | Boy | A white mound | |
Berwyn | Boy | White mound; Friend of the harvest; A variant of Berwin | |
Bevan | Boy | Son of Evan | |
Beynon | Boy | Son of Eynon | |
Blen | Unisex | Enlightenment; To shine brightly | |
Blevine | Unisex | A child who is like a wolf cub | |
Bowen | Boy | Son of Owen; Noble; Victorious | |
Bowyn | Unisex | White-haired warrior | |
Brac | Boy | free | |
Bran | Boy | A raven; A black bird that resembles a crow | |
Brax | Boy | Strong; Bold; Fierce | |
Brecon | Unisex | Underlined strength; Charismatic leader | |
Breunor | Boy | Brown man | |
Brylin | Unisex | Strong; Courageous; Intelligent | |
Brynlee | Boy | Hill; Mound; Burned clearing | |
Brynley | Unisex | Strong, courageous, noble | |
Brynmor | Boy | From the great hill | |
Brynn | Boy | Hill; Mound; Bright; Fair-haired; Champion | |
Brynne | Boy | He who is from the hill | |
Brynner | Boy | A man who lives in the hill | |
Brynnlee | Boy | One who comes from the land of the hills | |
Brynnley | Boy | One from the hil lands | |
Cadan | Boy | A variant of Cadell and Kaden; Battle; Companion | |
Cade | Boy | Spirit of the battle; Sturdy; Rhythm | |
Cadel | Boy | Great battle | |
Cadell | Boy | Battle spirit | |
Cadfael | Boy | Battle prince | |
Cadfan | Boy | Battle peak. | |
Cadmael | Boy | War chieftain | |
Cadmon | Boy | Battle warrior | |
Cadoc | Boy | He who fights the battles | |
Cadog | Boy | To be in the battle | |
Cadogan | Boy | Finds honor in battle | |
Cadwal | Boy | Battle commander | |
Cadwalader | Boy | Leads into battle | |
Cadwaladr | Boy | Surname: Battle leader | |
Cadwallader | Boy | Leads to battle | |
Cadwgan | Boy | Glorious in battle | |
Cadwgon | Boy | Has glory in battle | |
Cadwyn | Boy | Chained individual | |
Caian | Boy | Rejoice | |
Caio | Boy | Rejoice; Joyful | |
Camea | Boy | His nose is crooked | |
Carantoc | Boy | A man of many virtues | |
Carantorivs | Boy | He has many virtues | |
Cariad | Unisex | A darling and beloved person | |
Caron | Boy | One who loves to love | |
Caronie | Boy | One who loves | |
Caroun | Boy | Born to love | |
Caru | Unisex | A lovely person | |
Carwyn | Boy | A blessed love | |
Carys | Boy | To love; Beloved; God's grace | |
Cass | Boy | A curly haired person | |
Ceiriog | Boy | Name of a river | |
Ceiro | Boy | The loved one | |
Cellan | Unisex | Elated; Joyous | |
Celt | Unisex | A musical and exotic name | |
Celtic | Unisex | Musical | |
Celyn | Unisex | Holly | |
Ceolwald | Boy | King; Beloved | |
Welsh baby boy names are relevant worldwide today despite their ancient roots. They are sometimes even preferred over conventional English names because of the phonetic nature of the Welsh language. Welsh names possess a unique beauty when it comes to spelling and pronunciation. They may be challenging to grasp initially, but once you get the hang of it, they roll off the tongue. Thus, by naming your son in Welsh, you would be gifting him a memorable name and a legacy that goes back centuries.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What Welsh name means victory?
Gwilym, a variant of William, is one masculine Welsh name that means victory.
2. What is the meaning of the name Bryn in Welsh?
Bryn is a unisex Welsh name that means 'hill' or 'mound.' It is more commonly seen as a boy's name.
3. What is the origin of the Welsh name Rhys?
Rhys, a masculine Welsh name, is derived from the Old Welsh 'Ris,' which means 'enthusiasm' or 'ardor.'
4. What is the significance of family names in Welsh culture, and what is the traditional process of naming a Welsh baby boy?
Welsh culture has unique surnames because they can be derived from descriptive names or nicknames, occupational background, and location. It also follows a patronymic naming system. Sons usually have an 'ab' or 'ap' between their given name and their father's to signify 'son of.' For example, David ab Owen means David' son' of Owen. As for girls, 'ferch,' or 'verch,' is usually abbreviated to 'vch,' and it signifies 'daughter of.' (5)
5. What is the significance of the name Dylan in Welsh culture, and how does it relate to Welsh folklore?
The name Dylan is derived from two Welsh elements: 'dy,' which means 'toward,' and 'llanw,' which means 'tide' or 'flow.' Dylan has strong connections to Welsh folklore because Dylan ail Don is a character in the Welsh mythic Mabinogion tales. He is assumed to be a Welsh sea god because he morphed into a sea creature during his baptism.
Infographic: Wonderful Welsh Baby Boy Names With Meanings
The Welsh language has its roots in the Celtic languages and has undergone significant evolution. Welsh baby names are phonetically pleasing to the ears and are distinctive, giving the name's bearer a unique identity. The infographic below presents Welsh baby boy names along with their meanings.
References
- What Are Welsh Names About?
https://www.familysearch.org/en/blog/welsh-names - Welsh Names for Children.
https://www.gov.wales/cymraeg-for-kids/welsh-names-for-children - Popularity of name Dylan.
https://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/ - Wales Personal Names
https://www.familysearch.org/en/wiki/Wales_Personal_Names
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