Welsh Boy Names
Welsh boy names have a strength and lilt that’s hard to find anywhere else. Some honor the medieval princes who fought to keep Wales independent, like Llywelyn and Owain; some come from the Mabinogion and Arthurian legend, like Taliesin and Peredur; and some are simply Welsh words for the landscape, like Bryn (hill) and Glyn (valley).
We’ve gathered more than 100 of them, each with a simple pronunciation and its meaning. For the sounds behind the spelling, see the pronunciation guide on our main Welsh names page. Looking for a sister name? Try Welsh girl names, or widen the search with Celtic boy names.
Popular Welsh boy names today
These are the names you’ll hear in Welsh-medium schools and on playgrounds from Cardiff to Caernarfon right now.
| Name | Say it | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Osian | OSH-an | Little deer (Welsh form of Oisín) |
| Tomos | TOM-oss | Twin (Welsh Thomas) |
| Rhys | REES | Ardor, enthusiasm |
| Ioan | YO-an | God is gracious (Welsh John) |
| Dylan | DULL-an | Son of the sea |
| Cai | KY | Rejoice; Sir Kay of Arthur’s court |
| Macsen | MAK-sen | Welsh form of Maximus |
| Harri | HARR-ee | Welsh form of Harry, “home ruler” |
| Efan | EV-an | Welsh form of John |
| Gruff | GRIFF | Short for Gruffudd, “strong lord” |
| Jac | JAK | Welsh spelling of Jack |
| Elis | EL-iss | Welsh form of Elias, “my God is Yahweh” |
| Nedw | NED-oo | Welsh pet form of Edward |
| Guto | GIT-oh | Welsh pet form of Gruffudd |
| Deio | DAY-oh | Welsh pet form of Dafydd |
| Twm | TOOM | Welsh pet form of Thomas |
| Sion | SHON | Welsh John |
| Iwan | EE-wan | Welsh John |
Classic Welsh boy names
Traditional names that have been in Welsh families for generations and still feel fresh.
| Name | Say it | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Dafydd | DAH-vith | Beloved (Welsh David) |
| Gwilym | GWIL-im | Resolute protector (Welsh William) |
| Huw | HEW | Mind, spirit (Welsh Hugh) |
| Gareth | GARR-eth | Gentle; a knight of the Round Table |
| Emrys | EM-riss | Immortal (Welsh Ambrose) |
| Gethin | GETH-in | Dark, swarthy |
| Iestyn | YES-tin | Just (Welsh Justin) |
| Aled | AL-ed | Offspring; a river in Denbighshire |
| Aneurin | an-EYE-rin | Possibly “honor” or from Latin Honorius |
| Emlyn | EM-lin | Possibly from Aemilianus; a district in Carmarthenshire |
| Glyn | GLIN | Valley |
| Gwyn | GWIN | White, fair, blessed |
| Rhodri | HROD-ree | Circle ruler |
| Steffan | STEF-an | Crown, garland (Welsh Stephen) |
| Rhisiart | HRISH-art | Brave ruler (Welsh Richard) |
| Siôr | SHORE | Farmer (Welsh George) |
| Ieuan | YAY-an | God is gracious (medieval Welsh John) |
| Meical | MY-kal | Who is like God? (Welsh Michael) |
| Tudur | TID-eer | People’s ruler; root of the name Tudor |
| Alun | AL-in | Possibly “harmony”; a river in north Wales |
| Dai | DYE | Classic pet form of Dafydd |
| Lewys | LOO-iss | Welsh form of Lewis |
| Iolo | YO-lo | Pet form of Iorwerth; poet Iolo Morganwg |
Names of Welsh princes and kings
Medieval Wales was ruled by princes whose names still carry pride. Pair them with our lists of king names and medieval boy names.
| Name | Say it | Famous bearer |
|---|---|---|
| Llywelyn | hluh-WEL-in | Llywelyn the Great and Llywelyn the Last, princes of Wales |
| Owain | OH-wine | Owain Glyndŵr, leader of the 1400 revolt |
| Hywel | HUH-wel | Hywel Dda (the Good), lawgiver king; “eminent” |
| Gruffudd | GRIFF-ith | Gruffudd ap Cynan, king of Gwynedd; “strong lord” |
| Cadwaladr | kad-WAL-ad-er | Cadwaladr, king of Gwynedd; “battle leader” |
| Maelgwn | MILE-goon | Maelgwn Gwynedd; “prince hound” |
| Cynan | KUN-an | Cynan ap Iago; “chief, hound” |
| Madog | MAD-og | Prince Madog, legendary voyager to America; “fortunate” |
| Iorwerth | YOR-werth | Iorwerth Drwyndwn; “handsome lord” |
| Cadell | KAD-ell | Cadell ap Rhodri; “battle” |
| Merfyn | MER-vin | Merfyn Frych, king of Gwynedd; “sea hill” (possibly) |
| Anarawd | an-AR-owd | Anarawd ap Rhodri, king of Gwynedd |
| Owain Lawgoch | OH-wine LOW-goch | “Owain of the Red Hand,” soldier-pretender |
| Caradog | ka-RAD-og | Caratacus, who fought Rome; “beloved” |
| Rhun | HREEN | Rhun ap Maelgwn; “grand” |
| Tewdwr | TEW-door | Welsh form of Tudor/Theodore |
| Cunedda | kin-ETH-a | Founder of Gwynedd; “good lord” (possibly) |
Boy names from Welsh myth and Arthurian legend
The oldest Arthurian stories are Welsh, and many knights have Welsh originals. Fans of legend will also love our druid names and wizard names.
| Name | Say it | Story |
|---|---|---|
| Taliesin | tal-YES-in | Greatest bard of legend; “shining brow” |
| Myrddin | MUR-thin | The original Merlin; from the town Caerfyrddin |
| Peredur | per-ED-eer | Welsh Percival, knight of the Grail |
| Gwalchmai | GWALKH-my | Welsh Gawain; “hawk of May” |
| Bedwyr | BED-weer | Welsh Bedivere, Arthur’s loyal knight |
| Geraint | GER-aint | Hero of “Geraint and Enid” |
| Pwyll | POO-ihl | Prince of Dyfed; “wisdom” |
| Pryderi | pruh-DAIR-ee | Son of Pwyll and Rhiannon |
| Bran | BRAN | Giant king Bendigeidfran; “raven” |
| Lleu | HLAY | Lleu Llaw Gyffes; “bright” |
| Gwydion | GWID-yon | Magician of the Fourth Branch |
| Culhwch | KIL-hookh | Hero who wins Olwen |
| Mabon | MAB-on | Divine youth; “great son” |
| Llŷr | HLEER | Sea god; the root of King Lear |
| Gwion | GWEE-on | Boy who became Taliesin |
| Trystan | TRUS-tan | Welsh Tristan; possibly “tumult” |
| Owain ap Urien | OH-wine ap IR-ee-en | Knight of the Fountain |
| Brychan | BRUKH-an | Legendary king of Brycheiniog (Brecon) |
Welsh nature names for boys
Word names from the Welsh landscape, easy to say and full of character.
| Name | Say it | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Bryn | BRIN | Hill |
| Afon | AV-on | River |
| Celyn | KEL-in | Holly |
| Derwyn | DER-win | Oak (possibly) |
| Emyr | EM-eer | Ruler, king |
| Tegid | TEG-id | Lake Bala (Llyn Tegid); “fair” |
| Onnen | ON-en | Ash tree |
| Tân | TAHN | Fire |
| Gwynfor | GWIN-vor | Fair lord, great blessing |
| Arwel | AR-wel | Prominent, high |
| Hedd | HAITH | Peace |
| Heddwyn | HETH-win | Blessed peace; bardic name of poet Ellis Evans |
| Islwyn | ISS-lwin | From Mynydd Islwyn; a bardic name |
Strong and fierce Welsh boy names
Wolves, bears and battles feature in some of the boldest Welsh names. See also names that mean wolf and names that mean strength.
| Name | Say it | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Bleddyn | BLETH-in | Wolf cub |
| Blaidd | BLYTHE | Wolf |
| Arthfael | ARTH-vile | Bear prince |
| Cadfael | KAD-vile | Battle prince |
| Cadoc | KAD-ok | Battle |
| Idris | ID-riss | Ardent lord |
| Cadfan | KAD-van | Battle peak |
| Morgan | MOR-gan | Sea-born or bright sea (disputed) |
| Dewi | DEH-wee | Welsh David; the patron saint |
| Tegwyn | TEG-win | Fair and blessed |
| Deiniol | DINE-yol | Charming, attractive |
| Garmon | GAR-mon | Welsh Germanus; a 5th-century saint |
How to choose a Welsh boy name
- Try the name in both languages: Rhys, Bryn and Dylan are said almost the same in English, while Gruffudd or Llywelyn will need explaining outside Wales.
- Plan the nickname. Welsh has lovely traditional pet forms: Guto for Gruffudd, Deio for Dafydd, Twm for Thomas.
- Honor history: naming a son Owain or Llywelyn is a clear nod to Welsh independence and pride.
- Check the ending sounds with your surname; names ending in -yn or -in run together with surnames starting with a vowel.
- If you’re drawn to legend, read the Mabinogion (it’s short and available in English translations) to find a name with a story you love.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most popular Welsh boy name?
Among Welsh-language names, Osian, Tomos, Ioan and Rhys have been consistent favorites in Wales in recent years. Dylan is the Welsh boy name best known worldwide.
What is a strong Welsh boy name?
Bleddyn (“wolf cub”), Cadfael (“battle prince”), Arthfael (“bear prince”), Gruffudd (“strong lord”) and Idris (“ardent lord”) all have powerful meanings.
How do you pronounce Llywelyn?
Roughly hluh-WEL-in. The Welsh ll is made by placing your tongue as for “l” and blowing air out past the sides of it.
Is Dylan a Welsh name?
Yes. Dylan ail Don is a sea-born hero in the Mabinogion, and the name is often translated as “son of the sea.” Poet Dylan Thomas made it famous worldwide.
What is the Welsh version of John?
Welsh has several: Ioan, Ieuan, Ifan, Iwan, Siôn and Efan all derive from John.