Celtic Welsh Name Generator
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Create a character profileMedieval Welsh names from the Mabinogion (Pwyll, Rhiannon, Branwen, Manawyddan) carry mythological weight that resonates through Welsh literature. The ap/ab patronymic system (Owain ap Gruffudd) distinguished Welsh naming from English customs.
About celtic welsh names
The Mabinogion, compiled from earlier oral traditions in the 12th-13th centuries, provides the richest source of medieval Welsh names. Characters like Pwyll (wisdom), Rhiannon (great queen), Branwen (white raven), and Manawyddan (associated with the sea god Manawydan) carry meanings and mythological associations that resonate through Welsh literary tradition.
The ap/ab patronymic system (ap before consonants, ab before vowels, meaning "son of") was the standard Welsh naming convention until English law forced adoption of fixed surnames. Owain ap Gruffudd means "Owain son of Gruffudd." This system is essential for authentic medieval Welsh naming.
Naming tips
Draw from the Mabinogion
Pwyll, Rhiannon, Branwen, Gwydion, Arianrhod, Math, and Pryderi are the core Mabinogion names. They carry mythological weight for Welsh readers similar to Arthurian names for English readers.
Use the ap/ab patronymic
In medieval Welsh settings, characters should be "X ap Y" (son of) or "X ferch Y" (daughter of), not "X Surname." Fixed surnames are an English imposition that post-dates the medieval period.
Connect to Arthurian tradition
Welsh Arthurian names (Gwenhwyfar/Guinevere, Myrddin/Merlin, Bedwyr/Bedivere) are the originals from which English and French forms derive. Using the Welsh forms places your Arthurian fiction in its original cultural context.