Welsh Name Generator
Twenty Welsh names at a time, in modern, Welsh-language and old patronymic styles, with real given names and family names.
- Ceri James
- Owen Davies
- Branwen ferch Tudur
- Rhys ap Bleddyn
- Elis Powell
- Mair Rees
- Ioan Parry
- Ifan Pryce
- Morgan Pugh
- Eluned ferch Ifor
- Emrys Powell
- Lyn Price
- Meirion ap Dafydd
- Ceri Pryce
- Ryan Prosser
- Angharad Llewellyn
- Osian Bowen
- Owain ab Iorwerth
- Meirion Pugh
- Manon ferch Owain
What makes a good welsh name
The surname habit in Wales came from patronymics. Where an Englishman had a fixed family name, a medieval Welshman was Evan ap Thomas, Evan son of Thomas, and his son was Thomas ab Evan. Ap became ab before a vowel. Daughters were ferch, so Nia ferch Hywel was Nia, daughter of Hywel. When fixed surnames were required, many families simply took the father's name (Jones, Davies, Williams, Evans) or fused the ap into it: Powell is ap Hywel, Price is ap Rhys, Bevan is ab Evan, Pritchard is ap Richard.
That history explains why so few surnames cover so many people. A small group of baptismal names dominated, and Jones, Williams, Davies, Evans and Thomas ended up on a large share of the population. To tell two Joneses apart, Welsh communities added nicknames or trades: Jones the Milk, Evans the Post. If your setting is a valley village, that is a good detail to steal.
Given names come from three sources: old Welsh and legend (Rhiannon, Angharad, Llywelyn), the Bible in Welsh form (Dafydd, Ieuan, Mair), and modern English (Ellie, Harry). The Welsh-language and ap-and-ferch settings use the first two, and the modern setting mixes Welsh names with international ones.
Reading and saying Welsh names
Welsh spelling looks unfamiliar but it is regular. Ll, dd, ff, ch, ng, ph, rh and th are single letters, w and y can be vowels, and the stress falls nearly always on the second-to-last syllable. Rhys sounds like reece. Dafydd is DAV-ith. Ffion is FEE-on. Cerys is KEH-ris, and Siân is shahn. Llywelyn starts with the ll sound, made by putting the tongue where you would for l and blowing air out the sides.
Non-Welsh readers will hesitate on names like Angharad and Gwenllian. If your reader is likely to stumble, spell out the sound once and then use the name freely.
Welsh names for a story or character
For a Welsh historical character, ap and ferch names look right on a page and give you free lineage (Gethin ap Hywel). For a modern character, choose from the modern style, where Welsh first names sit next to English surnames like Jones and Morgan, which is what real Welsh classrooms look like.
22 welsh names worth borrowing
- Ffion JonesFfion means foxglove and has become one of the best-known Welsh girls' names, and Jones is Wales's most common surname.
- Seren DaviesSeren means star, is short and easy to say, and is used across Wales and beyond.
- Cerys WilliamsCerys, meaning love, is a modern favorite in Wales, and Williams is a classic patronymic surname.
- Owen EvansOwen has been used in Wales for centuries, and Evans comes from Evan, the Welsh form of John.
- Dylan ThomasA name with the weight of the Welsh poet, from Welsh mythology, and a good example of the Thomas surname.
- Rhys MorganRhys is a Welsh classic (say reece), and Morgan is both a surname and a first name.
- Megan GriffithsMegan began as a Welsh pet form of Margaret and is now popular worldwide, and Griffiths comes from Gruffydd.
- Osian HughesOsian is the Welsh form of the legendary poet Oisín, and it is in steady use for boys today.
- Angharad LloydAngharad is an old, difficult, lovely name, and Lloyd comes from llwyd, meaning grey.
- Rhiannon BowenRhiannon is the horse-riding figure of the Mabinogion, and Bowen is a form of ab Owen.
- Gwenllian ParryGwenllian was a medieval princess, a very Welsh name for a serious character, and Parry means ap Harry.
- Bronwen PowellBronwen has a lyrical sound that echoes Branwen of the Mabinogion, and Powell is from ap Hywel.
- Eirlys PughEirlys means snowdrop, and Pugh is a distinctive surname from ap Hugh.
- Gethin PriceGethin is a solid modern Welsh boy's name, and Price is from ap Rhys.
- Dafydd PritchardDafydd is the Welsh David, and Pritchard is from ap Richard.
- Llywelyn VaughanLlywelyn is the name of two Welsh princes, and Vaughan comes from fychan, meaning little.
- Iolo MeredithIolo is a short form of Iorwerth used for centuries, and Meredith is used for both surnames and names.
- Nia ferch HywelNia is short and bright-sounding, and ferch Hywel marks her as Hywel's daughter.
- Rhodri ap GruffyddA full patronymic name that could belong to a medieval prince or a modern re-enactor.
- Angharad ferch MadogAn old-style Welsh woman's name, with Madog as her father.
- Owain ab IeuanThis shows the ab form: the ap becomes ab before a vowel, so ab Ieuan and not ap Ieuan.
- Ceri MorganCeri is used for both men and women in Wales, which makes it an easy neutral choice.
Using Welsh names well
- Use ab, not ap, before a vowel: Owain ab Ieuan. It is a small rule that shows you know how the system works.
- Choose ferch for daughters and ap or ab for sons. Ferch does not change form before a vowel.
- For a modern setting, pair a Welsh first name with a plain surname (Seren Davies). Full Welsh forms in both slots can look like a costume today.
- Add a nickname for one of the many Joneses, such as Jones the Bread. It is a real Welsh solution and it makes a character memorable.
- Give readers a pronunciation cue for Dafydd, Ffion and Llywelyn. Welsh spellings are regular but not obvious to outsiders.
Questions people ask
What are the most common Welsh last names?
Jones, Williams, Davies, Evans, Thomas, Roberts, Lewis, Hughes, Morgan and Griffiths lead. Most began as patronymics: Jones is son of John, and Davies is son of David. Powell, Price and Pugh come from ap Hywel, ap Rhys and ap Hugh.
What does ap mean in Welsh names?
Ap means son of, as in Rhys ap Gruffydd. It becomes ab before a vowel, and daughters use ferch. Over time ap often merged into the name, giving surnames such as Powell, Price and Bowen.
What are popular Welsh names for girls and boys?
Popular girls' names include Ffion, Seren, Cerys, Megan and Nia. Boys' names include Dylan, Owen, Rhys, Osian and Gethin. Older ones such as Angharad, Gwenllian, Dafydd and Llywelyn have a more historical tone.
How do you pronounce Welsh names?
Welsh is written the way it sounds, with a fixed set of rules. Rhys is reece, Dafydd is DAV-ith, Ffion is FEE-on, and Siân is shahn. The ll is an unvoiced l, made by blowing air past the sides of the tongue.
Are Welsh names the same as Celtic names?
Welsh belongs to the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages, so it is related to Cornish and Breton, but it differs from Irish and Scottish Gaelic. You will not find Ó or Mac in Wales.
Can I use these names for fantasy characters?
Yes. Welsh names like Rhiannon and Llywelyn have long been used as inspiration in fantasy, and the ap patronymic gives a ready-made family line. Use the ap and ferch style for a more old-world look.
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Sources
- Welsh name, Wikipedia
Updated September 2026 · How these names are made