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Re: classification help
I'm considering adding a Cornish category. Do you know if the Cornish names are still used more frequently in Cornwall and SW England?For the most part the Celtic variants will probably be assigned to the English category, being spelling variants devised by English parents. That is unless I find these variants are indeed used in Wales, Ireland or Scotland.
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ENGLISH?!!! SASSENACH?!!! My Highland-born ggranny will rise from her grave in Arbroath (NOT an English town, thankee) and come after ye! Maybe she couldn't spell Gaelic names so well, but... Follow Merriment's suggestion for a "British" ca"English"...dear God... : (
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Well, if I put "Daividh" into the Scottish category would that appease you (and your ggranny)?
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Yes, please...sorry - had a really bad day involving an unseen puddle of oil out by the assembly line and I'm bruised and more cranky than usual.
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No problem. My message shouldn't have implied I was thinking of putting Daividh in the English category. When I referred to Celtic variants I had other names in mind, variants which may have in fact developed outside of the Celtic area.As long as I have your attention I might as well list some specific names you may be able to help with. Many of the definitions are suspicious as well. Some of these are definitely Scottish or Irish surnames, but I don't know if they're Scottish/Irish given names.ADAIR
ADEN
AIDEN
ARLEN
BALFOUR
BLAINE
BRANNON
BRIN
BRON
BRYNNE
CAILIN
CAIONEACH
CALLAHAN
CARRAN
DAVENA
DAVINIA
DERRY
DRUMMOND
EDANA ?
ENNIS
FARRELL
FINDLAY
GILL
KAILA
KAOLIN
KEARA
KEITHIA
KELAN
KIARA
KIARAN
KIARRA
KIERON
KIERRA
LAIRD
LAMONT
LANTY
LEITH
LYALL
MACK
MAEVA
MALONE
MAVREENA ?
MURPHYThis list is getting long. I'll stop here for now.
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Cornish namesCornish names are not really common in any part of the UK, but some are definitely more used than others; Morwenna for instance. You could categorise them as British, which would make better sense (and not get your summer house burnt down by nationalists :)
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A specific question for you Merriment....Do you know if the Welsh SURNAMES Bevan, Price, Pryce, Parry, Yale, etc are used as GIVEN names in Wales?
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They were, but the generation in which they were used is the pre-World War II generation, so they are dying out. These days Welsh first names are used when people want to express their 'Welshness'. But surname forms of some names survive better - Meredith has appeared as a girls' name to run alongside the original male Maredudd, and Griffith for boys is fairly rare, but no rarer than Gruffudd. And Rees/Reece may or may not be as common as Rhys, but Rhys is in use all over the UK now, so 'easier' spellings are common too.
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Thanks Merriment!
One more question: do you get GUENDOLEN, GUENEVERE, GWENETH, GWENNETH, or GYNETH in Wales?
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Those spellings? rarely if at all, I'd sayq
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