25 Welsh Names You’re Probably Mispronouncing

If English is your first language, it’s only natural that you’d look at a name written in the Roman alphabet and instinctively apply English pronunciation rules to it. You see Naoise; you say “Nay-OYS”—when it’s actually “NEE-shuh.” That’s one of many examples liable to trip up anyone who’s unfamiliar with the Celtic language. 

Welsh has its fair share of tricky names, too, from Awsta to Ynyr. But as you try your hand at the pronunciations below, bear in mind that Welsh—like most languages—encompasses multiple dialects and accents, so these names could sound slightly different depending on who’s saying them. The phonetic renderings in this piece are mainly based on a BBC audio guide on popular Welsh monikers, which you can hear aloud here.

But while there isn’t necessarily a single “correct” pronunciation for each name, there are certainly plenty of incorrect pronunciations. The Welsh dd, for example, doesn’t mimic the d in dog. To help you avoid some common pronunciation mistakes before we get to the names themselves, here’s a quick rundown of several Welsh consonants that might confuse English speakers.

1. Awsta

This Welsh version of Augusta is pronounced “OW-stuh,” where the “OW” rhymes with cow.

2. Bleddyn

Bleddyn is “BLEH-THIN” where the “th” sound matches the one in that.

3. Ceinwen

Ceinwen is “KAYN-WEN” (i.e. “cane when”).

4. Cadwgan

Cadwgan is “KA-doo-GAN.”

5. Dafydd

This Welsh David is pronounced “DA-VITH,” where the “th” sound matches the one in that.

6. Dyfan

Dyfan isn’t “dye fan”—it’s “DUH-VAN.”

7. Geraint

Geraint is “GEHR-INT,” where the second syllable rhymes with pint.

8. Heledd

Heledd is “HELL-ETH,” where the “th” sound matches the one in that.

9. Hywel

Hywel is “HUH-WELL.”

10. Ieuan

Don’t let all those vowels confuse you: Ieuan is simply “YEH-YAN.”

11. Ioan

The first name of Welsh actor Ioan Gruffudd is pronounced “YOH-ahn.” (His last name is “GRIF-ith,” where the “th” sound matches the one in that.)

12. Iwan

Game of Thrones’ Iwan Rheon pronounces his first name as “EE-wahn” and his last name as “HREH-awn.”

13. Llewelyn

Llewelyn is “lloo-EL-in.” (Again, to nail that opening “ll” sound, put the tip of your tongue right behind your front teeth, just like you would if you were about to utter a regular English “l” sound. But instead of using your voice box to make a noise, just blow out so air escapes on either side of your tongue.) 

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14. Llwyd

Llwyd is just “LLOYD,” but the opening “ll” sound is the same as the one in Llewelyn above.

15. Morfydd

The first name of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power star Morfydd Clark is pronounced “MOR-vith,” where the “th” sound matches the one in that.

16. Myfanwy

Myfanwy said fast is essentially “muh-VAN-wee,” but it’s sometimes drawn out—especially in the classic Welsh folk song above—as “muh-VAN-oo-ee.”

17. Meic

This Welsh version of Mike is pronounced “MAKE.”

18. Owain

Owain is typically pronounced “OH-WINE.”

19. Rhian

Rhian is “HREE-ANN.”

20. Rhys

The name of House of the Dragon’s Rhys Ifans and The Americans’ Matthew Rhys isn’t “RICE.” It’s “HREES,” complete with a rolled r (but the Americanized version is essentially just “REESE”).

21. Sian

Sian doesn’t rhyme with cyan—it’s “SHAN.”

22. Sion

The Irish Sean and the Welsh Sion are pronounced the same: “SHAWN.”

23. Sioned

Once you know Sion, Sioned is easy: “SHAWN-ED.”

24. Taliesin

The name of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Wisconsin estate is “tahl-ee-ESS-in.”

25. Ynyr

Ynyr is pronounced “UH-NEER.”