Welsh boy names
Many Welsh boys' names show Norse or Celtic roots—like Dylan and Tristan—because of historical invasions and cultural exchange. Each name has documented etymological sources you can trace through medieval manuscripts and genealogies.
- Dylan Great, Flow #25
- Gavin Hawk #40
- Tristan Sad #120
- Bryce Speckled, Responsive #165
- Kane Beautiful #691
- Rhys Enthusiasm #984
- Brice Responsive #1013
- Merlyn sea fortress or stronghold #1094
- Elwyn White brow or fair #1329
- Math bear strength and wisdom #1523
- Merwin famous friend or renowned #1757
- Mervyn sea fortress or stronghold #1767
- Emry ruler of work or labor #1850
- Kadyn Battle spirit, warrior fighter #1856
- Merwyn sea fortress white fort #2230
- Griffith Fighting chief, Fierce #2289
- Pembroke from the headland town #2337
- Dru Wise #2387
- Dwyane Dark, swarthy warrior #2452
- Adyn lord or noble one #2765
- Graig variant of Craig rocky cliff #2787
- Bevin Son of the Young Warrior #2935
- Vaughan Small meadow dweller and pastoral #3223
- Alwyn noble and fair friend #3538
- Marven Lover of the Sea #3671
- Berwyn white head or head #3791
- Cadyn Battle spirit, fierce warrior soul #3795
- Cadin Battle warrior, fierce spirit #4132
- Caedmon wise warrior or protector #4235
- Lleyton from the clearing by lake #4264
- Patryk Nobleman #4526
- Emrys Immortal ruler or eternal king #4629
- Rees ardent passionate enthusiastic one #4730
- Diron Rocky Hill, Freedom #5572
- Marv Lover of the Sea #5605
- Bevan Son of the Young Warrior #5848
- Merv Lover of the Sea #6875
- Wyndham From the windy settlement or dwelling #7444
- Garreth Gentle #7474
- Carris Loving #7702
- Yago Supplanter #10710
- Cadel Battler #11742
- Durron Freedom #11969
- Patick Nobleman #12029
- Trystian Bold #13199
- Patryck Nobleman #13225
- Tarrant Thunder #13228
- Owain Young warrior or young fighter #13790
- Jago Supplanter #17358
- Morgun White Sea #17895
Welsh boys' names come from a language that has spoken itself into stone and song for over a thousand years. Many grew out of Old Welsh and Celtic roots, shaped by the valleys and mountains of Wales itself. You'll recognize some through their leaps into English — Dylan and Tristan are now international — but plenty stay fiercer and closer to home, like Gavin, Bryce, and Kane, which hold their Welsh character no matter where they're spoken.
The tradition here isn't just about sound. A Welsh name often carries a story: of warriors, saints, or the landscape itself. Some names live in the old myths and legend-cycles, while others mark a family's place in a particular region or generation. Each entry shows the meaning and origin, so you can see whether a name comes straight from Welsh words, from history, or from the blend of both that makes Welsh naming distinct.