Welsh Baby Boy & Girl Names from The Mabinogion / Welsh Folk Tales - Updated for 2026

These Welsh stories are known as the oldest prose in British literature and were compiled in the 12th–13th centuries by medieval Welsh storytellers. There are some beautiful Welsh names for both girls and boys listed below, but be sure to research the meaning!

Boy's Names

  • Amaethon / Amaethaon - An agricultural deity
  • Arawn - King of the Other World
  • Avaon / Adaon - Son of Taliesin
  • Beli - Son of Mynogan
  • Bendigeidfran - A King, son of Llŷr
  • Brân - Brân the Blessed
  • Canaid - A sorcerer. It may mean "speaker of poetry"
  • Caradog - Son of Bran
  • Caswallon - Son of Beli
  • Culhwch - A hero connected with Arthur
  • Dylan - A Sea Hero
  • Efnisien / Evnissyen - Tragdic twin of Nisien
  • Efrawg - Father of Peredur
  • Elffin / Elphin - Foster father of Taliesin
  • Erbin - Father of Geraint
  • Euroswydd - Father of Nisien and Efnysien
  • Geraint - One of King Arthur's men
  • Gilfaethwy - Son of the goddess Dôn
  • Goewin - foot-holder to Math
  • Gofannon / Govannon - A metal worker
  • Goronwy - The lover of Blodeuwedd
  • Gronw Pebyr - Lord of Penllyn, Blodeuwedd's lover
  • Gwawl - Rival of Pwyll for hand of Rhiannon
  • Gwern - The son of Matholwch
  • Gwei - name Teyrnon called Pryderi
  • Gwyddno - Father of Elffin
  • Gwydion / Gwydyon - A magician, means "born of trees"
  • Gwynn - There are several Gwynn's in the Mabinogion
  • Gwyon - Servant of Ceridwen
  • Hafgan - King in the Other World
  • Heveydd - Rhiannon's father
  • Llasar - provided the Cauldron of Rebirth to Bendigeidfran
  • Llefelys - Lludd's brother
  • Lleu - Meaning fair or light
  • Lludd - A king and hero
  • Llwyd - friend of Gwawl
  • Llŷr - Father of Brân, Brânwen and Manawydan
  • Macsen - An emperor of Rome
  • Madog - Prince of Powys
  • Manawydan - Son of Llŷr. A skilled warrior
  • Math - A king of Gwynedd and a magician
  • Matholwch - King of Ireland, married Branwen
  • Mathonwy - Math's father
  • Morfran / Afagddu - The hideous son of Ceridwen!
  • Mynogan - Father of Beli
  • Nisien / Nissyen - twin brother of Efnisien
  • Nudd - A ruler
  • Pebin - Father of Goewin
  • Peredur - The son of Efrawg
  • Pryderi - A king of Dyfed
  • Pwyll - A king of Dyfed who pursues and finally marries Rhiannon.
  • Rhonabwy - One of Madog's men
  • Taliesin - The renowned bard
  • Tegid / Tegil - Husband of Ceridwen
  • Teyrnon - Adoptive father of Pryderi

Girl's Names

  • Angharad - The lover of Peredur.
  • Arianrhod - The daughter of Beli Mawr, and mother of the twins
  • Blodeuwedd / Blodeudd - Created out of flowers as a wife for Lleu
  • Branwen - Daughter of Llŷr. Means "fair raven"
  • Ceridwen - The enchantress and mother of Taliesin
  • Cigfa - Wife of Pryderi
  • Creirwy - The beautiful daughter of Ceridwen
  • Dôn - A Goddess
  • Enid - Means “soul” or “life”
  • Goewin - Daughter of Pebin
  • Kigva - Daughter of Gwynn
  • Eluned / Luned - Rescued the knight Owain.
  • Olwen - the beautiful daughter of the giant Ysbaddaden Pencawr
  • Penarddun - Wife of Llŷr, means "Most Fair"
  • Rhiannon - An ancient Celtic goddess of fertility and the moon and also a 'Great Queen'

This is a list in progress, please comment below if you know of anymore!

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10 comments

Awesome

Steven Reynolds

Thank you Angharad, how silly of me mistyping those two! I have corrected them now. Really appreciate you letting me know, my spelling in Welsh (and English) is awful!

The Welsh Gift Shop

I love the list but I would like to point out that the first name in the female list is spelt ‘Angharad’ not Anghard. I know this since it’s my own name :)
And the second is spelt ‘Arianrhod’ not Aranrhod.
Thank you,
Angharad.

Angharad

What is the meaning of the name Mabinogion

Dotty

My father told me that my name came from the Mabinogion. Can anyone confirm this for me, and tell me where to find the reference in the books?

Gerith Eden (Mrs)6

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