Cornish Baby Names

In its native Cornwall, Mawgan is identical in pronunciation to Morgan, a Welsh name of separate origins. Mawgan comes from the Old Welsh mawl, meaning "praise," and is the name of a Cornish saint.

A Danish variant of Kaja (Kaya) or a Cornish word name derived from kaja "daisy".

The name of an obscure medieval Cornish saint, also spelt Ruan or Ruman. A notable bearer is British author Rewan Tremethick.

The odds that Bryluen will become a success in the US are low, but that might be all the more reason to snag it for yourself. It's a Cornish word meaning "rose," and has only been used as a name in modern times.

This Cornish variant of Isolde is rare even in the UK - but that's part of its charm. Like Isolde, Eseld is generally thought to mean "ice battle", a meaning sure to be pleasing to a little girl in this age of all things "Frozen".

Cornish Arthek is closely related to Arthur, as both derive from the Celtic arto, meaning "bear." It would make a distinctive choice for a child with Cornish heritage.

Angliziced form of the Cornish name Ia. According to legend, the Cornish saint Ia was an Irish princess who sailed across the sea to Cornwall on a leaf. She was martyred and buried at the spot where the church of St Ives (called Porth Ia - "St Ia’s cove" - in Cornish) now stands. Ive may be an anglicized form of her name or a variant of the masculine Ivo or Yves, "yew".

A lyrical, and very rare, hidden flower name.

Gwenora teeters on the line between unique gem and modern invention. But it's not a smoosh name fashioned from Gwen and Nora but an old Cornish form of Guinevere, like its much more famous sister Jennifer.

Made familiar by poet William Blake. According to Blake, after her death, Conwenna "shines ... over the north with pearly beams gorgeous and terrible". Make of that what you will.

The Cornish version of Emmeline holds many charms.

Treave is a Cornish place name derived from tre or trevow, denoting a village, farmstead, or dwelling. This tailored and attractive name easily translates across cultures and makes a wonderful choice whether you have Cornish heritage or not.

Although Tegen resembles the names Teagan and Tegan, they are etymologically distinct names. Tegen, pronounced TEG-en rather than TEE-gan, is a modern Cornish word name meaning "pretty" or "ornament."

Cornish form of the Welsh name Arthen, meaning "bear".

Variation of Rowena.

Kew is an offbeat name of a saint from Cornwall with boyish appeal.

Cornish form of William

This rare sixth-century saint's name has a modern, merry feel.

A character in Winston Graham's Poldark series of historical novels set in Cornwall around the turn of the 19th century. Rowella is the rebellious sister of Morwenna Chynoweth, and the lover of her sister's odious husband Osborne Whitworth. She is played by Esme Coy in the recent BBC adaptation. The origins of the name are unclear, but Rowella's fashionable ending could make it the perfect stands-out-fits-in choice.

Wenna is an early Cornish forms of Gwen, belonging to two 5th-century Cornish saints. Wenna could also be a shortened form of Conwenna, another beautiful Cornish name.