Category Archives: news

Popular Welsh Boys’ Names in 2017


How do Welsh boys’ names change over the years? The list is out for popular Welsh boys’ names in 2017, according to Census data. Some of them might surprise you.

Here’s the list of the most popular Welsh Boy’s Names:

  1. OLIVER
  2. NOAH
  3. JACOB
  4. GEORGE
  5. THEO
  6. JACK
  7. CHARLIE
  8. LEO
  9. ALFIE
  10. HARRY

Here are the names in a bit more detail:
The most popular boy’s names at 1st was Oliver. This means “descendant of the ancestor.”

At number 2 is Noah, which has a Biblical meaning of “consolation”.

3rd on the list was Jacob, which means “seizing the heel” because Jacob held the heel of his brother Esau, who was born first.

George means farmer and is #th. The name, Theo is at 5th and means “brave people.”

Jack is at 6th. It might be seen as a form of Jacob. Charlie is 7th and is German for “free man.”

Leo means “lion” and brings up 8th. Alfie is 9th meaning “wise counsel.” And finally is Harry at number 10, which means “ruler” in German.

Most Popular Welsh Names

All of these names show that the Welsh are very cosmopolitan. They are deriving their names from many sources. But, what about traditional Welsh boy’s names?

If you want traditional Welsh names, then the most popular might be Dylan, Harri,  Rhys, TomosMorgan or Osian . With these names, your boy can protect his Welsh heritage.

Mindful Revision GIF

Gerallt

Origin of the Name Gerallt

The name Gerallt, a Welsh form of Gerald, was brought to Britain by the Normands.

The name Gerallt died out in the middle ages, although Ireland continued to use the name. In Wales and England the name revived in the 19th century. Half as many people, 31 percent, have used Gerallt as a surname.

Meaning of Gerallt

Gerallt is a variation of the name Gerald and is from the Germanic origin. The meaning of Gerallt is a masculine name that means ruler of the spear.

Popularity of Gerallt

The popularity of Gerallt had experienced many major highs and lows. The resurgence of popularity in England during the late 1880s was short-lived when it began to plummet.

Less than five boys are now named Gerallt. More than 5O percent of the population of the UK don’t consider this a good name. In fact, Gerallt ranks 106,399 in United Kingdom popular names.

Famous People Named Gerallt

Gerallt Lloyd Owen was a writer and Welsh language poet who was born in 1944 in Wales. He is known for writing the book Avon about childhood. Owen won the 1992 Wales Book of the year. He also won the 2002 Glyndmwar Award for Literature.

Useful Resources

Discover the meaning and popularity of other Welsh boys’ names.

Gwilym

Origin of the Boy’s Name Gwilym

The name Gwilym is of Welsh descent, originating from the European country of Wales.

The Gwilym name is a first name given to predominantly males but serves as a last name to both the male and female gender as in the case of the Welsh singer and composer Meinir Gwilym.

Meaning of the Name

The meaning of Gwilym is “Protector” or one who holds resolute and absolute protection. i.e Gwilym Goncwerwr, or as the English call him, William the Conqueror.

How to pronounce the name Gwilym?

Gwilym pronunciation is usually pronounced with 2 syllables, i.e ‘gwil-lim’.

Popularity

While the global popularity of Gwilym is by no means widespread, as names like “John” or “Peter”, in fact, in 2021, the name “Gwilym” was listed outside the 100 most popular baby names in Wales (ONS). This name was not in the top 100 baby names in Wales and England since records began in 1904.

While the name Gwilym is rather unpopular and fairly rare, its French and English variants are quite popular themselves. The French name “Guillaume”, and the English name “William”, the variations of Gwilym, are both popular names in both their respective countries and around the world.

Famous People with the Name Gwilym

Dr William Rees given the name Gwilym Hiraethog
Dr William Rees was given the name Gwilym Hiraethog

There are a few highly esteemed and well-accomplished individuals with the name Gwilym.

  • Gwilym Hugh Lewis, Wing Commander, and British flying ace during World War 1,
  • Gwilym Simcock, a British pianist and jazz/classical music composer, whom the Evening Standard, a prominent London newspaper, listed as one of the 1000 Most Influential People in London, and the renowned, Bristol-born,
  • Gwilym Lee is an award-winning actor, who won both the 2008, and the 2011 Ian Charleson Award for his performance in Oedipus (2008), and King Lear (2010).
  • Gwilym Hiraethog was a Welsh poet who was famous in the 19th century. He set up the Welsh language journal Yr Amserau.

Useful Resources

Discover the meaning and popularity of other Welsh boys’ names.

Gwion

Meaning and Origin of the Name Gwion

Gwion comes from the name Gwyn, and the meaning of Gwyn is “fair” and “holy.” This is a name that is not too popular, but that only makes it stand out all the more.

Popularity of the Name Gwion

Gwion is an Welsh boy name that is unique in its spelling and pronunciation. It is a simple and special name, and it was not one of the most popular names in 2015, not making the top 100 list.

Famous People with the Name

The most famous Gwion was from the early Brythonic poet Taliesin and specifically in the Welsh book Hanes Taliesin (Taliesin’s history).

The popularity of Gwion was never too high, but there are a few notable people who have been given the name. One of the most famous people with the name Gwion is Gwion Edwards, a young English footballer. And Gwion John Williams is an actor.

Summary

The name has a unique spelling and look to it, and it was used as the first name for a famous footballer. It is also a name that everyone who likes “The Life Of Taliesin The Bard” will like because it is in that story and will hold special meaning for them.

Useful Resources

Discover the origin and meaning of Welsh boys’ names.

Glyndwr

Meaning and Origin of the Name Glyndwr

Glyndwr is welsh name that is often said to carry an aristocratic weight behind it. It is often associated with the virtues of valour and bravery.

The real meaning of Glyndwr though is “Valley Water”.

Famous People/Things Called Glyndwr

Owain Glyndwr the last Welsh Prince of Wales
Owain Glyndŵr the last Welsh Prince of Wales

It is primarily associated with one of the prominent ruler Owain Glyndŵr (The last Welsh who held the title of Prince of Wales) who led from the forefront in the revolt against the English rulers.

Owain Glyndŵr even finds mention in Shakespearean literature as man with an aura of spirituality and romance. The name Glyndwr is many times associated with leadership qualities. Owain Glyndwr fought bravely and never accepted to lay down his arms and was never captured by the English till the very end.

The Welsh university of Wrexham Glyndwr shares the same name. Incidentally one of the six districts of Clwyd was Glyndwr between the years 1974 to 1996. It is slowly making its way to become one of the most popular names. The popularity of Glyndwr has grown with more and more parents deciding to name their children with it.

Useful Resources

Discover the meaning and popularity of other Welsh boys’ names.

Eurion

History of the Name Eurion

The name Eurion is a name that has been used as a surname as well as a masculine name. There is a feminine version of the name Eurion, Euriona. Eurion is also the name of a famous constellation in Japan. It has been associated with Omron rings since 1996.

Eurion is mostly used in Welsh speaking nations. Euro, a form of Eurion, is used for bank notes in Great Britain. Eurion is seen as form of measurement in the skull. There is right eurion and left eurion.

Meaning of Eurion

The meaning of Eurion is Welsh for gold.

Popularity of Eurion

Going back to popular boys names in Wales, Eurion has not made the charts as far back as 1996.

How to Pronounce Eurion

Eye- RIY-aaN is how to pronounce Eurion. Eurion can also be pronounced eu- ri-on or Your E Ahn. Your Ryan, Ore E Ahn,E E an are three other ways to pronounce Eurion depending the area the name is used.

Useful Resources

Discover the meaning and popularity of other Welsh boys’ names.

Bedo

Meaning and Origin of the Name Bedo

Bedo is a diminutive from the Welsh name Meredudd. So the meaning of the name is the same as Mereddd which means ‘great lord’.

Bedo is a baby boy name that is not heard too often, and it did not reach the top 100 list of baby names in Wales in 2015.

It is a simple, yet special, name, as the popularity of Bedo is not very great at all. Very few babies have been given the name recently, but a few famous people were given the name throughout the years.

Famous People Called Bedo

One of the famous people with the name Bedo was Bedo Aeddren, a Welsh poet. Bedo Brwynllys was another Welsh poet, and Bedo Phylip Bach was yet another. So, anyone who loves poets will want to think about giving this name to their new son.

The fact that this name was not used too often in recent years should attract people to it instead of pushing them away. It is a sophisticated Welsh name, and it was given to three poets who wrote some beautiful poems and will long be remembered.

Useful Resources

Discover the meaning and origin of other Welsh boys’ names.

Maldwyn

Meaning and Origin of the Name Maldwyn

The meaning of Maldwyn is a Welsh boy’s name that means a brave friend. It is a name that is largely used in Walsh and originated from the United Kingdom.

Madwyn is the Welsh form of the name Baldwin.

Popularity

Maldwyn was not in the top 100 Welsh baby boys’ names in 2015.

Famous People/Places with the Name

Montgomeryshire, known as known as Maldwyn in Welsh
Montgomeryshire, known as known as Maldwyn in Welsh

  • The Welsh district of Montgomeryshire is also known as Maldwyn (“Sir Drefaldwyn” ) the Shire of Baldwin’s town”.
  • Professor Maldwyn Jones was an historian who specialised in American history.
  • John Maldwyn Thomas was a Welsh liberal politician.

Traits of People Called Maldwyn

The popularity of Maldwyn is that he is reliable and conscientious. He is a person who relaxes, is stoic, and stay calm. His characteristics shows that he a man of principles and can sometimes be quite obsessive. He is very selective in his personal relationships. His feelings are important to him and Maldwyn is very sensitive and values the meaning of friendships. As a little boy, he craves tenderness and affection. The name Maldwyn is also a well behaved person that is very attached to his family.

The meaning of Maldwyn is that it’s a man that seeks the love and support from his family. When it comes to his career, he is attracted to literary subjects and the pursuit of the arts. He also love nature, farming, and animals.

 Useful Resources

Discover the meaning and popularity of other Welsh boys’ names.

Dyfan

Meaning and Origin of the Name Dyfan

Dyfan is a boy’s name that of uniquely Welsh origin. The meaning of Dyfan translates into Welsh as “day” or “constant.”

Popularity

Despite the fact that the name Dyfan is similar to the Greek name “Damon,” neither of these names have been very popular as of late; after assessing the latest census for the boys named Dyfan and finding the name nowhere among the top hundred names, the disparate popularity of Dyfan as a boy’s name makes it quite an uncommon, noteworthy first name.

Famous People with the first name Dyfan

Famous, Important or Otherwise Notable People, Real or Fictional, Bearing the Name “Dyfan”

Below are several people who were given this particular name:

  • St. Dyfan is an early saint of the Catholic Church whose martyrdom in A.D. 180 inspired the southern township of Merthyr Dyfan to name itself after him. Edward Williams is responsible for the confusion between St. Dyfan and St. Deruvian.
  • Dyfan Dwyfor is a Criccieth-born actor of stage and screen who has performed in productions like “Rownd a Rownd,” “Oed yr Addewid,” “I Know You Know,” and several plays under the RSC. He was also the recipient of the Richard Burton Award from 2004’s National Eisteddfod.

Useful Resources

Discover the meaning and popularity of other Welsh boys’ names.

Gerwyn

Meaning and Origin of the Name Gerwyn

Gerwy is a boy’s name hailing from the Welsh and German languages. The proper pronunciation of Gerwyn is G-eh-r-w-y-n and the Welsh meaning of Gerwyn translates as “rough and white.” Despite the fact that the name Gerwyn is similar to the Dutch name “Gerwin,” it does not seem to be a very popular name. The popularity of Gerwyn as a name made it nowhere among the 100 most popular Welsh boy names of the 2015 census.

Famous or Important People with the Name “Gerwyn”

Below are several people, real or fictional, with this particular name:

  • Gerwyn Capon was ordained in the Church of Wales in 2014 and has served as Dean of Llandaff Cathedral since 2014.
  • William Gerwyn Edwards is a left-handed cricketer from Carmarthenshire who made it to the international level in 1979.
  • Gerwyn Price made a name for himself in the sports of darts and rugby.
  • Gerwyn Williams was a Glyncorrwg native who dedicated himself to the sport of rugby as a player, coach and author of four books on the subject. He also served in the Royal Navy during World War II.

Useful Resources

Discover the meaning and popularity of other names like Gerywn on our website.