Category Archives: name

Llywelyn

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The Boy’s Name Llywelyn

Once you find that you are expecting a baby there are many decisions to make. One of the biggest is what to name your baby. Baby names are very difficult to decide upon. If you live in Wales or are of Welsh origin you might want a Welsh name. There are many Welsh names from history that you may choose from.

Origin of the Name Llywelyn

The Llywelyn name is of Welsh origin, and evolved from the British name Lugubelinos. There are various spellings of the name Llywelyn, but this version was made popular by Llywelyn The Great(Llywelyn Ap Iorwerth). Llywelyn ap Gruffydd (Llywelyn the Last) is also a famous historical figure.

Meaning and Popularity of the Name

The meaning of Llywelyn is “Like A Lion”. It could also have been derived from the Welsh name Lleu meaning “shining one.” The popularity of Llywelyn isn’t high. It wasn’t in on the list of top one hundred names in Wales in 2013. The name Lewis is also closely associated with the name Llwelyn. This is possibly because the name Llywelyn can be hard to pronounce for non Welsh speakers.

Useful Resources

  • See other Welsh boy’s names just like Llywelyn on our website.

Trefor

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Meaning of Trefor

The Trefor name has a Welsh origin that has a couple of different meanings. The meaning of Trefor is “large village,” or “goodly town.” The popularity of Trefor is not nearly as popular as it once was.

A common nickname for Trefor is Tref.

Popularity

The name Trefor did not even rank in the top one thousand on the list of the most popular baby names and did not make the top 100 baby boys names in Wales in 2013. It is possible that if a parent were to name their child Trefor that it could make a comeback.

How to Pronounce Trefor

Trefor is pronounced as “T-re-for.” If you are saying the name Trefor, it sounds similar to the American name Trevor. Parents could use the name Trefor as a more unique spelling for Trevor.

Famous People with the Welsh Name

Several famous people have had the name Trefor. Trefor Davies, the English cricket player, Trefor Evans, a Welsh rugby player, and Trefor Proud a famous make-up artist. Parents can use the name Trefor to incorporate an old world name into a newer world social scene. Using the name Trefor is a great way to ensure that your child has a very unique name that no one else will have.

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Alwyn

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Origin of Alwyn

Alwyn is primarily considered a Welsh name, though some sources suggest a possible connection to Old English names like Alfwin or Elwin. In Welsh, the meaning is generally interpreted as “elf friend” or “wise friend.” This association with elves adds a touch of magic and wonder to the name, evoking imagery from fairytales and folklore.

The Alwyn name is a strong name that has traditional roots in Wales. The name is considered to be a particularly traditional Welsh first name but it is also used as a surname (as in the case of the actor Joe Alwyn).

Meaning of Alwyn

The origin and therefore meaning of the name Alwyn is from a German. In its original German meaning, the name means “Friend”. In its original English meaning, the name means “Wise Friend” and the old Teutonic meaning is “Loved By All”.

In Welsh, the meaning of Alwyn means from a person named Always, which is meant to be a statement of the generousness of persons named Alwyn. The name in Welsh can also mean “Great white or blessed”, and it is commonly considered to be a male version of the name Alwen.

The popularity of the Name

The popularity of Alwyn is not very high, but it has become more so throughout the past couple of decades. The name is traditionally Welsh, and most of the increased popularity has been in Wales. Despite this, the name is also becoming popular in other regions.

Famous People

Alwyn Court in New York
Alwyn Court in New York

Several famous persons were named Alwyn.

This includes Professor Alwyn Young, the bishop Alwyn Rice Jones, Alwyn Schlebusch the politician, and William Alwyn the composer.

There is even a court in New York near Midtown Manhattan called Alwyn Court and student accommodation with the same name in Cardiff.

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Arthur

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Arthur – Meaning and Origins

The meaning of Arthur is unknown. Though some speculate that it derives from two Celtic words, artos(bear) and viros(man). Many are split on where the name Arthur is originally from. Some say it is Celtic while others say it is Roman.

Popularity

Arthur’s popularity began in England during the Middle Ages. But since then popularity of the name has died down drastically. The name failed to be in the top 100 boys name in Wales in 2012. The name Arthur is very popular in Belgium and France as it made the top 10 for boy names in both countries.

Famous people with the name Arthur include

King Arthur: A British king in the Arthurian legend who during the Middle Ages helped defend off invading Saxons.

  • Arthur Miller: A famous American Playwright who wrote “Death of a Salesman”.
  • Arthur Conan Doyle: A famous Scottish author who is best knows for writing Sherlock Holmes stories.
  • Arthur I, Duke of Brittany: Nephew of King John of England and his rival to the throne.

Useful Resources

  • See other Welsh and Celtic boys’ name just like Arthur here
  • Discover the most popular names in Wales at the moment

Darren

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Meaning and Origin of Darren

The name Darren did not gain in popularity until the 20th century when the American television show “Bewitched” began to show. Once the show became popular so did the name Darren.

Darren actually means ‘great’ in the Gaelic language. The meaning of Darren says it all. Great. For those that wish their sons to have good strong names, you can’t beat the name Darren.

Popularity

Darren’s popularity as a name remains strong though out the world. Many people feel that the name says it all when they decide to give it to their son. If you look at census charts through out the world Darren’s popularity has remained on a steady rise. It wasn’t until approximately 10 years ago that the popularity of the name hasn’t changed as much.

Possible Name Combinations

Some good combinations when thinking of using Darren as the first name are; Darren Michael, Darren Thomas, Darren Lee, Darren Jacob Alan (that’s right be different and go with three names), how about Darren Philip. Because of the character of the strength Darren, it makes one of the best first names around today.

Useful Resources

Checkout our comprehensive list of Welsh boys’ names

Ceri

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Meaning and Origin of the Name Ceri

Ceri is a unisex name which is used more commonalty as a boy’s name. The meaning of Ceri has its origin from the Welsh word, ‘caru’ that meaning “to love”.

Popularity

The name  was not among the 100 most popular baby boys’ names in 2012.

History of the Name Ceri

Ceri (or in English spelt Kerry) is the name of a place in the county of Powys  in Wales. There is also a St. Michael’s Church of Kerry located in the diocese of St. Asaph, which is located in North East Wales.

Famous People with the Name

Some well-known people (especially sports people) have the name Ceri and include:

  • Ceri Jones: A former Harlequin rugby player who is now a Scrum coach at Worcester Warriors, where he also formerly played. 
  • Ceri Sweeney: A union footballer for the Exeter Chiefs and Wales.
  • Ceri Morgan: A retired darts player who reached the world semi-finals in 1982.
  • Ceri Thomas: A British Journalist and media executive. He was appointed as Acting Deputy Director of News in 2012.

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Bleddyn

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Meaning of the Boy’s Name Bleddyn

The name Bleddyn means wolf. It is a Welsh boy’s name as well as the name of an 11th-centruy king of medieval Wales. Imagine naming your child after a king whose legacy deemed him to be an endearing and kindhearted king. The meaning of Bleddyn is a wolf’s cub it is pronounced Bleth-in. It is a name that is growing in popularity. There are also several other interpretations surrounding the name Bleddyn, for example, it can mean son of little wolf, strong wolf, or wolf-hero. It was the name of a beloved Welsh king, who left behind an amazing legacy.
When naming your baby boy Bleddyn is considered a fantastic person, who is also young at heart, energetic, gifted, scholarly, clever, and expressive individual. A person named Bleddyn is considered a giving soul, just like the king. Bleddyn is loved by all and cherished by everyone who comes into contact with him.

Famous People with the Name Bleddyn

There are several beloved Welsh rugby players who bore the name Bleddyn, to name a couple Bleddyn Bowen, Bleddyn Taylor, and Bleddyn Williams. A person who has this name is creative, they enjoy spending time in the public eye such as the rugby players and a much-loved king.

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Carwyn

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Overview of the Name Carwyn

Carwyn is a Welsh boy’s name. Here you’ll find information on the meaning, popularity and a list of famous people with the first name Carwyn.

Meaning of Carwyn

Carwyn means white or blessed love in Welsh. It is derived from the Welsh words caru meaning “love” and gwyn meaning “white, blessed.”

Popularity of Carwyn

The name Carwyn was not included in the top 100 baby boy’s names in Wales in 2012 according to the Office for National Statistics. Although Carwyn is not currently in the top 100 baby names you’ll often find a person called Carwyn in a Welsh community.

Famous People Called Carwyn

Here is a list of famous people with the name Carwyn:

  • Carwyn Jones is a Welsh politician who is the First Minister of Wales and as the Leader of Welsh Labour.
  • Carwyn James was a Welsh rugby player and coach who won two Welsh international caps.
  • Carwyn Ellis is a Welsh musician known best as the front man for the band Colorama.

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Rhydian

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Origin of the name Rhydian

The Rhydian name has Welsh origins. The alternate spelling of this name is Rhidian. The name in English means “red”. The adjective of the male name Rhydian is “crimson”. The synonym of the male names Rhydian and Rhidian is “coch”.

There is a place in the Gower near Swansea called Llanrhidian which bears the name of the Saint Rhidian.

Meaning of the name Rhydian

Possible meanings of the name include:

In Welsh “Rhyd” means from or of the ford. A ford is a great place to cross a river or stream. It is where the water is shallow enough to safely wade across.

Therefore, Rhydian means, red, crimson, expert of the ford in the English language. Rhydian also means resembling “coch” or red. The Welsh names Rhydian, Rhyd and Rhidian are originally for naming a male. The word “red” signifies passion, beauty, anger, fire and sacrifice.

Other meanings for the Rhydian meaning is one that has passion, one who sacrifices, and man that is handsome. These are the English meanings of the name Rhydian, which has Welsh beginnings and meaning.

Popularity

Rhydian was not currently in the 100 most popular baby boys names in Wales according to data released by the UK government in 2017.

Famous People with the name Rhydian

The Welsh singer Rhydian Roberts
The Welsh singer Rhydian Roberts

  • Rhydian Roberts is a Welsh speaking baritone singer and presenter. He shot to fame after featuring on the television programme the X Factor in 2007. He recorded a studio album called ‘Rhydian’ and became the best selling male solo artist in 2012.
  • Rhydian Vaughan an actor from LLanidloes in mid-Wales.

 

 

 

 

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Steffan

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Meaning and Origin of Steffan

Staffan although it is a popular name in Wales its meaning comes from German and Scandinavian origin and stands for crown and garland. Many say the Germans got the name Steffan from the Greeks. In Greek boys are named after Saint Steffan who was stoned to death. This Saint was a Christian martyr. This name was also name to kings in England, Serbia, and Poland. There were several popes throughout history with this name.

The English translation of this name is Stephen.

Popularity

According to the National statistics the name Steffan was the 97th most popular Boys name in 2012 in Wales.

Famous People with the Name Steffan

Steffan meaning has a rich history. Some people name their children Steffan after some famous people with the same name. Steffan Rhodri is a film actor that has started in many Welsh produced films including Gavin and Stacey. He recently was in the Harry Potter movies. Steffan Andreas Piolet is an English sports player. He is a cricket player. Not only does he play this sport he is a bowler as well. These sports are very popular in Britain. The name Steffan is popular in this country and has been a popular name throughout history including in biblical times when Steffan was the first Christian martyr.

Useful Resources

  • Our comprehensive list of Welsh male names.
  • Check out these top offers on baby items.