Browse Names - Behind the Name

Bethan f Welsh
Welsh diminutive of Elizabeth.

Carys f Welsh
Derived from Welsh caru meaning "love". This is a relatively modern Welsh name, in common use only since the middle of the 20th century.

Catrin f Welsh, German
Welsh form of Katherine, as well as a German short form of Katharina.

Cerys f Welsh
Variant of Carys.

Efa f Welsh
Welsh form of Eva.

Elen f Welsh, Armenian, Czech
Welsh and modern Armenian form of Helen, as well as a Czech variant form. This was the name of a 4th-century Welsh saint, traditionally said to be the wife of the Roman emperor Magnus Maximus. According to the Welsh legend The Dream of Macsen Wledig (Macsen Wledig being the Welsh form of Magnus Maximus), she convinced her husband to build the roads in Wales.

Elin f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Welsh
Scandinavian and Welsh form of Helen.

Ffion f Welsh
Means "foxglove" in Welsh (species Digitalis purpurea). This is a recently created Welsh name.

Gwen f Welsh, English
From Welsh gwen, the feminine form of gwyn meaning "white, blessed". It can also be a short form of Gwendolen, Gwenllian and other names beginning with Gwen.

Lowri f Welsh
Welsh form of Laura.

Mari 1 f Estonian, Finnish, Welsh, Breton, Hungarian, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Georgian, Armenian
Estonian, Finnish, Welsh and Breton form of Maria, as well as a Hungarian diminutive of Mária. It is also a Scandinavian, Georgian and Armenian form of the French name Marie.

Megan f Welsh, English
Welsh diminutive of Margaret. In the English-speaking world outside of Wales it has only been regularly used since the middle of the 20th century.

Nia 1 f Welsh
Welsh form of Niamh. The Welsh poet T. Gwynn Jones used it in his long poem Tir na n-Óg (1916), referring to the lover of Oisín.

Rhian f Welsh
Derived from Welsh rhiain meaning "maiden, young woman".

Rhiannon f Welsh, English, Welsh Mythology
Probably derived from an unattested Celtic name *Rīgantonā meaning "great queen" (Celtic *rīganī "queen" and the divine or augmentative suffix -on). It is speculated that Rigantona was an old Celtic goddess, perhaps associated with fertility and horses like the Gaulish Epona. As Rhiannon, she appears in Welsh legend in the Mabinogi as a beautiful magical woman who rides a white horse. She was betrothed against her will to Gwawl, but cunningly broke off that engagement and married Pwyll instead. Their son was Pryderi.... [more]

Seren f Welsh
Means "star" in Welsh. This is a recently created Welsh name.

Siân f Welsh
Welsh form of Jane.

Tegan f Welsh, English (Modern)
Means "darling" in Welsh, derived from a diminutive of Welsh teg "beautiful, pretty". It was somewhat common in Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and Canada in the 1980s and 90s. It was borne by an Australian character on the television series Doctor Who from 1981 to 1984.

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