Welsh looks daunting but is highly regular once you know a few rules: w and y act as vowels (Bryn is “brin,” Cwm is “koom”), f sounds like “v” and ff like “f,” dd is a soft “th,” and the famous Ll is a breathy L. So Ffion is “FEE-on” and Rhys is “REES.”

Meaning from nature and legend

Welsh names draw on the natural world (Eira, “snow”; Seren, “star”; Bryn, “hill”) and on the great medieval tales of the Mabinogion (Rhiannon, Dylan, Branwen). The elements gwen/gwyn (“white, blessed”) and rhi (“king”) recur again and again.

The patronymic “ap”

Historically Welsh surnames were patronymic — ap or ab meant “son of.” Ap Rhys became Price, ap Hywel became Powell, which is why so many Welsh surnames hide a first name.

A living revival

Welsh-language names are thriving again, both in Wales and among families reclaiming Celtic heritage abroad.

Frequently asked questions

How do you pronounce Welsh names?

Welsh is very regular: w and y are vowels, f sounds like u201cv,u201d dd like a soft u201cth,u201d and Ll is a breathy L. So Rhys is u201cREESu201d and Ffion is u201cFEE-on.u201d Each name here shows its pronunciation.

What are popular Welsh names?

Dylan, Rhys and Osian for boys, and Seren, Ffion and Carys for girls, are among the most popular in Wales.

What does u201capu201d mean in Welsh names?

Ap (or ab) means u201cson of.u201d It formed patronymic surnames u2014 ap Rhys became Price, ap Hywel became Powell.

What do gwen and gwyn mean?

They mean u201cwhite,u201d u201cfairu201d or u201cblessed,u201d and appear in many Welsh names such as Gwen, Bronwen and Gwyneth.