Welsh Names for Boys

Meredith has been considered primarily a girl's name since the fifties, before which it was more commonly used for boys. Comic actor Jay Mohr recently named his son Meredith, which might help it swing back into the blue column. The traditional Welsh pronunciation puts the stress on the middle syllable, making Red a cool nickname possibility.

Extremely popular in Wales, where it began as a nickname for someone with fair hair or a fair face, this bright and simple name is a winner by its very nature. Can also be spelled Wynn, Winn or the very literal Win.

An unusual name for a child with golden hair. Auron is a Welsh female name with the same meaning.

Trevor, a British standard, took a long time to cross the Atlantic, but finally began its rise here in the 1980s. It is now a thoroughly naturalized citizen, though it still retains a touch of Anglo class.

Seren, meaning "star", is one of the top girls' names in Wales, but as a boys' name it has a different derivation. It's a rare Polish form of the Latin Serenus, mostly used to refer to the Saint and meaning "serene". It could make for a handsome and almost unknown alternative to rising star Soren.

This Welsh surname was taken up as a first in the English-speaking world in the early twentieth century, originally as a nickname for someone gray-haired. The original Welsh name was Llwyd, and pronounced LHOO-eed. Beau Bridges was christened Lloyd after his actor father.

Country singer Travis Tritt is partial to the letter T for his children's names: he has a Tyler, a Tristan, and a son named Tarian. Tarian is a unisex Welsh name which, though used more for girls in Wales, would be perfectly acceptable here for a boy.

Llyr is a name with a great meaning and a lovely sound, but that sound is going to be next to impossible to get non-Welsh speaking people to pronounce (google the double L sound in Welsh). If you are outside Wales, you may wish to consider the Irish alternative Lir, which has the same meaning and an easier sound.

Also spelled Macsen, this ancient name manages to sound modern and cool. An heroic namesake was Maxen Wledig, a fourth century Spanish-born general who led the Roman army out of Britain, and as Emperor was the most powerful occupant of the throne of the Caesars who had ever ruled Europe from the City of the Seven Hills.

A classic Welsh name, softer than Griffin and friendlier to spell than Gruffudd - that hasn't had as much love as it deserves elsewhere. Namesakes range from medieval kings to the philanthropist Griffith J. Griffith, who left land to the city of Los Angeles. It's great in full, but Griff is cool too.

This unusual Welsh mythological name just might appeal to architect parents wishing to honor Frank Lloyd Wright, who called his two famous residences Taliesin and Taliesin West.

Aeron was possibly a minor Celtic god of war, and is definitely a river in modern-day Wales.

Gareth, the name of a modest and brave knight in King Arthur's court, makes a sensitive, gently appealing choice, used more in its native Wales than anywhere else.

This can make an unusual yet simple middle name choice, especially for anyone with family ties to Wales.

Celyn, which starts with the hard K sound and rhymes with Helen, is a Top 100 name in Wales although largely unknown outside that tiny, beautiful country. It is usually a masculine name.

Gentle and poetic and most often heard in Wales, Emlyn joins Emrys as soft, interesting alternatives to popular Em- names like Emmett and Emery.

Long gone to the girls.

This Welsh name, also used in France, is the name of a 6th century saint who went to Brittany and established abbeys. Armel has a pleasant and familiar sound, making it easily used outside of Wales and France.

The Welsh version of William is almost unheard-of across, but it's fairly straightforward and could make a good heritage choice or alternative honor name.

Also spelled Madog, which was the name of an early Welshman, Madog ap Owain Gwynedd, reputed to have been the first European to discover North America in 1155. Maddox, the name of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt's oldest child, is a stronger and more familiar choice.