Welsh Names for Boys

  1. Mervin
    • Origin:

      Welsh
    • Meaning:

      "sea hill"
    • Description:

      A blend of Mervyn and Marvin that is every bit as dated as either of the originals. That -erv sound is difficult no matter what. Mervin is still used today among Amish families.
  2. Yale
    • Origin:

      Welsh
    • Meaning:

      "fertile upland"
    • Description:

      An appellation that couldn't be more Ivy League or sound less Welsh. The name of the University is taken from the surname of college benefactor Elihu Yale. In the movie Manhattan, Yale Pollack is the name of Woody Allen's best friend. The Hebrew Yael is not related.
  3. Parry
    • Origin:

      Welsh
    • Meaning:

      "son of Harry"
    • Description:

      Parry is quite common in Wales, often as a surname, but would inevitably be misunderstood as Perry or even Harry.
  4. Evans
    • Origin:

      Welsh surname
    • Meaning:

      "the Lord is gracious"
    • Description:

      Evans is an historic Welsh patronymic surname, derived from Evan, which is a form of John. With Evan's popularity in the U.S. and the U.K. -- it's a Top 50 names -- the stylish s-ending version may also be on the rise.
  5. Huw
    • Rhisiart
      • Origin:

        Welsh from German
      • Meaning:

        "brave ruler"
      • Description:

        Welsh form of Richard.
    • Trystan
      • Origin:

        Celtic
      • Meaning:

        "noise or sorrowful"
      • Description:

        An alternative spelling of Tristan, and also the modern Welsh form of the legendary hero's name.
    • Cadell
      • Origin:

        Welsh
      • Meaning:

        "battle"
      • Description:

        Cadell is a surname that is unlikely to win many supporters, except perhaps from parents looking for an alternative to Caden. But while Cadell is more distinctive, that L ending is weaker and less appealing than Caden's strong N.
    • Glyn
      • Origin:

        Welsh
      • Meaning:

        "valley, glen"
      • Description:

        Very popular in Wales; this could make a nice middle name in honor of a Grandpa Glenn.
    • Romney
      • Origin:

        Welsh
      • Meaning:

        "winding river"
      • Description:

        With the fashion for all names Rom, this strong surname with ties to Old Master painter George has new possibilities. Obviously, it now has more political associations than artistic.
    • Ifor
      • Origin:

        Welsh
      • Meaning:

        "archer"
      • Description:

        Ifor seems to make more sense in its Anglicized version, Ivor.
    • Davies
      • Origin:

        Welsh
      • Meaning:

        "son of David"
      • Description:

        This is a both fresher and cooler spin on David.
    • Prys
      • Origin:

        Welsh
      • Meaning:

        "son of Rhys"
      • Description:

        The Welsh way to spell Price, which is more complicated but elevates it beyond the monetary realm.
    • Dei
      • Origin:

        Welsh, diminutive of Dafydd/David
      • Description:

        Simplify things and spell it Dai, or even Day.
    • Allyn
      • Aeddan
        • Elis
          • Siôn
            • Origin:

              Welsh variation of John
            • Description:

              A more authentic -- and difficult -- version of Sean.
          • Ieuan
            • Origin:

              Welsh variation of John
            • Description:

              Ieuan was in the England & Wales Top 300 from the late 90s until the late-2000s, but in other countries, the pronunciation and spelling would be troublesome.
          • Morys