These
names were used by medieval Welsh peoples.
Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed.
AFAN m Welsh, Medieval WelshThe name of a river in South Wales, usually Anglicized as
Avon or Avan, presumably derived from Celtic *
abon- "river" (making it a cognate of
Afon). It was also borne by a 6th-century Welsh saint.
ARIANWEN f Medieval Welsh, WelshDerived from Welsh
arian "silver" and
gwen "white; fair; blessed". According to legend, Arianwen verch Brychan was the daughter of
Brychan Brycheiniog and later went on to become a saint herself.
BRIAMAIL m Medieval Welsh, BrythonicOld Welsh form of the Brythonic name *
Brigomaglos, which was composed of the Proto-Celtic elements *
brigos, *
brigā meaning "might, power" and *
maglos "chief, noble".
CALLWEN f Medieval WelshDerived from
call meaning "wise, sensible" and
gwen meaning "white, fair, blessed", or
cellan meaning "little cell".
CYNFRAN m Medieval WelshDerived from Welsh
cyn "chief" and
bran "crow, raven". This was the name of an obscure 5th-century Welsh saint. He was one of the sons of Saint Brychan.
DILLENA f Medieval WelshOf uncertain origin and meaning. Current theories include a Latinization of
Dulon and a derivation from the " Medieval Welsh word
dillyn meaning, as an adjective, "beautiful, fine, neat, chaste", and as a noun, "a thing of beauty or elegance, ornament, precious thing, dear one, darling"".
DYDDGU f Medieval WelshDerived from the Welsh elements
dydd "day" and
cu "beloved, dear". This name was used by the 14th-century lyric poet Dafydd ap Gwilym for the subject of nine of his love poems, an unattainable, aristocratic, dark-haired woman whose character contrasts that of his other love, the blonde
Morfudd.
EUDDOGWY m Medieval WelshEuddogwy is the name of a 6th century male Welsh saint. His name is sometimes Latinized as Oudoceus.
GENERYS f Medieval WelshOld Welsh name of uncertain meaning, perhaps from Middle Welsh
gen "family" or
geneth "girl" and
ner "chief, hero". It was borne by one of the lovers of the 12th-century Welsh poet Hywel ab Owain.
GWEIRFUL f Medieval WelshOld Welsh name of uncertain meaning, possibly derived from the Welsh elements
gwair "turn, bend, circle" (older form
gweir) and
mul "modest, shy".
GWENLLWYFO f Medieval WelshFrom Welsh
gwen (the feminine form of gwyn) meaning "white, fair, blessed" and
llwyf meaning "elm".
GWENWYNWYN m Medieval WelshFamous bearer is Gwenwynwyn ab Owain Cyfeiliog, the last major ruler of mid Wales before the completion of the Norman English invasion.
HUNYDD f Medieval WelshOld Welsh name of uncertain derivation, possibly from Welsh
hun "sleep" or
huan "sun". It was the name of a sweetheart of the 12th-century poet and soldier Hywel ap Owain.
LLEISION m Medieval WelshPossibly related to Welsh llais "voice", compare
lleisiol meaning "vocal". There is also a theory that it is a Welsh contraction of
kyrie eleision, an Ecclesiastical Latin phrase from Ancient Greek Κύριε, ἐλέησον meaning "Lord, have mercy".
LLYWARCH m Medieval Welsh, WelshPossibly a Welsh form of the hypothetic old Celtic name *
Lugumarcos meaning "horse of Lugus", derived from the name of the Celtic god
Lugus combined with Welsh
march "horse", but perhaps the first element is Welsh
llyw "leader"...
[more] MECHYLL m Medieval WelshDerived from Old Welsh
mach "surety" and the diminutive suffix
-yll. Mechyll is the saint of Llanfechell in Anglesey who is commemorated on November 15 according to the Welsh Calendars.
MORFUDD f Welsh, Medieval WelshFrom Welsh
mawr "great" and
budd "wealth". In Welsh legend Morfudd was the twin sister of Sir
Owain and the daughter of King Urien by
Modron. It was also borne by a love interest of the 14th-century poet Dafydd ap Gwilym...
[more] NEFYDD m Medieval WelshPossibly related to Middle Welsh
nef "heaven" (compare
nefoedd "heavens"), or
udd "lord, prince".
RHAIN m Medieval Welsh, WelshFrom Welsh
rhain meaning "stiff" or "stretched out", sometimes interpreted as "spear". This was borne by a son of the legendary 5th-century king Brychan Brycheiniog, and by a 9th-century king of Dyfed.
RHIAINFELLT f Medieval WelshDerived from Welsh
rhiain "maiden" (originally "queen" from Celtic *
r-
gan-) and
mellt "lightning". Rhiainfellt or Rhieinfellt was the name of a great-granddaughter of Urien Rheged who became the wife of the 7th-century Anglo-Saxon king Oswy of Northumbria.
TANGWYSTL f Medieval WelshMeans "pledge of peace" from Welsh
tanc "peace, tranquility" and
gwystl "hostage, pledge". This belonged to one of the legendary daughters of Saint Brychan.
TEGWARED m Medieval WelshPresumably it is a combination of teg "fair" and gwared "deliverance." The eldest natural son of Llywelyn the Great was named Tegwared, born c. 1210.
WONNOW m History (?), Medieval Welsh (?)Variant or corruption of
Winwaloe, in the case of St Wonnow's Church, the parish church of Wonastow in South East Wales, which is dedicated to Saint Wonnow or Winwaloe, a 6th-century saint in Brittany.