Dylan Boy
DIH-luhn
“son of the sea” · Welsh
#41
Welsh Boy Names
123 namesBoy
Welsh boys' names come from one of the oldest living languages in Europe. Welsh, a Celtic language still spoken across Wales, has given English a wealth of names tied to legend, poetry and landscape. The Arthurian legends, which draw on early Welsh tradition, have kept names like Arthur and Tristan in circulation for centuries.
Many familiar names on this list have Welsh roots that surprise people. Dylan comes from a figure in the medieval Welsh tales known as the Mabinogion, connected to the sea. Owen and Evan are Welsh forms of ancient names, and Griffin is linked to an old Welsh royal name. Maddox began as a surname built on an old Welsh personal name. Trevor started as a place name in Wales, and Ellis and Reece are anglicized forms of old Welsh names.
Welsh spelling differs from English, so names were often adapted when they crossed the border. If you love the Welsh connection, you might explore the original Welsh forms alongside the English ones. Consider too how the name pairs with your surname, since several of these names, like Davis and Ellis, are also common surnames.
Most popular right now
Owen Boy
OH-uhn
“possibly well born” · Welsh
#31
Evan Boy
EH-vuhn
“Yahweh is gracious” · Welsh
#153
Gavin Boy
GA-vihn
“uncertain; possibly hawk” · Welsh
#303
Tristan Boy
TRIS-tihn
“uncertain; from Celtic Drust” · French
#309
Maddox Boy
MA-duhks
“son of Madoc” · Welsh
#210
Arthur Boy
AHR-thur
“uncertain; possibly 'bear'” · Welsh
#87
Griffin Boy
GRIF-in
“strong lord (from Gruffudd)” · Welsh
#222
Trevor Boy
TREV-ur
“large homestead” · Welsh
#680
Ellis Unisex
EH-lihs
“from Elias; my God is Yahweh” · English
#243
All 123 names
Sorted by current popularity. US rank uses 2025 data for the name's most common sex; the trend compares births with five years earlier. Tap a column heading to re-sort.
| Name | Meaning | Origin | US rank 2025 | 5-yr trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dylan | son of the sea | Welsh | 41 | ↓ -10% |
| Owen | possibly well born | Welsh | 31 | ↓ -17% |
| Evan | Yahweh is gracious | Welsh | 153 | ↓ -29% |
| Gavin | uncertain; possibly hawk | Welsh | 303 | ↓ -56% |
| Tristan | uncertain; from Celtic Drust | French | 309 | ↓ -48% |
| Maddox | son of Madoc | Welsh | 210 | ↓ -27% |
| Arthur | uncertain; possibly 'bear' | Welsh | 87 | ↑ +64% |
| Griffin | strong lord (from Gruffudd) | Welsh | 222 | ↑ +9% |
| Trevor | large homestead | Welsh | 680 | ↓ -45% |
| Ellis | from Elias; my God is Yahweh | English | 243 | ↑ +40% |
| Brendan | prince | Irish | 1,098 | ↓ -43% |
| Reece | ardor, enthusiasm | Welsh | 460 | ↑ +44% |
| Kendrick | royal ruler | English | 535 | ↓ -20% |
| Rhys | enthusiasm, ardor | Welsh | 412 | ↑ +9% |
| Davis | son of David | English | 668 | ↓ -20% |
| Arturo | uncertain; perhaps 'bear' | Spanish | 627 | ↓ -6% |
| Bowen | son of Owen | Welsh | 266 | ↑ +66% |
| Tristen | uncertain; variant of Tristan | Welsh | 1,512 | ↓ -57% |
| Marvin | uncertain; possibly famous friend | Welsh | 699 | ↓ -15% |
| Chad | uncertain; possibly 'battle' | Old English | 1,701 | ↓ -36% |
| Tegan | fair, beautiful | Welsh | 2,297 | ↓ -57% |
| Arian | uncertain; several possible sources | Welsh | 965 | ↓ -10% |
| Tristian | uncertain; variant of Tristan | Welsh | 1,518 | ↓ -41% |
| Triston | variant of Tristan; origin uncertain | American (modern coinage) | 2,447 | ↓ -18% |
| Dilan | variant of Dylan | Welsh | 805 | ↑ +14% |
| Tristin | variant of Tristan; origin uncertain | American (modern coinage) | 3,232 | ↓ -46% |
| Vaughn | little, junior | Welsh | 1,153 | → +2% |
| Merrick | Welsh form of Maurice | Welsh | 1,183 | ↓ -15% |
| Idris | Quranic prophet; also a Welsh name | Arabic | 694 | ↑ +41% |
| Maddux | son of Madoc | Welsh | 1,533 | ↓ -36% |
| Gavyn | variant of Gavin; uncertain | American (modern coinage) | 4,173 | ↓ -56% |
| Broderick | — | Welsh | 2,573 | ↓ -49% |
| Teegan | form of Tegan; fair, beautiful | Welsh | 4,060 | ↓ -61% |
| Jones | son of John | Welsh | 811 | ↑ +32% |
| Trystan | form of Tristan | Welsh | 6,417 | ↓ -70% |
| Tristyn | form of Tristan | American (modern coinage) | 4,690 | ↓ -39% |
| Dillan | form of Dylan; great tide | Welsh | 3,871 | ↓ -47% |
| Lloyd | grey | Welsh | 1,549 | ↑ +23% |
| Maddix | variant of Maddox; son of Madoc | American (modern coinage) | 2,866 | ↓ -52% |
| Wynn | fair, blessed; also 'joy' | Welsh | 1,726 | ↑ +51% |
| Cecil | blind | Latin | 1,486 | ↑ +23% |
| Teigan | variant of Tegan, 'fair, beautiful' | Welsh | 3,897 | ↓ -72% |
| Floyd | gray | Welsh | 2,237 | ↓ -10% |
| Maddex | variant of Maddox, son of Madoc | Welsh | 3,417 | ↓ -51% |
| Cai | Welsh form of Kay | Welsh | 2,113 | → +4% |
| Gaven | variant of Gavin; origin uncertain | American (modern coinage) | 11,122 | ↓ -75% |
| Emrys | Welsh form of Ambrose, immortal | Welsh | 1,260 | ↑ +87% |
| Dyllan | variant of Dylan, great tide | Welsh | 7,321 | ↓ -56% |
| Evin | variant of Evan | Welsh | 3,783 | ↓ -43% |
| Mael | prince, chief | Breton | 1,104 | ↑ +175% |
| Merlin | from Welsh Myrddin, possibly sea fort | Welsh | 2,343 | ↑ +14% |
| Gareth | Arthurian knight; possibly gentle | Welsh | 2,776 | → -2% |
| Evyn | modern variant of Evan: God is gracious | Welsh | 4,916 | ↓ -10% |
| Dylon | variant of Dylan, son of the sea | Welsh | 7,322 | ↓ -48% |
| Conway | from a Welsh place name | Welsh | 1,287 | ↑ +114% |
| Haydn | variant of Hayden: hay valley | Welsh | 5,957 | ↓ -35% |
| Price | son of Rhys | Welsh | 2,347 | ↑ +16% |
| Cedrick | variant of Cedric | English | 3,324 | ↑ +9% |
| Gryffin | variant of Griffin, from Welsh Gruffudd | Welsh | 2,239 | ↓ -22% |
| Mervin | variant of Mervyn, sea hill | Welsh | 2,377 | → 0% |
| Evans | son of Evan, Welsh form of John | Welsh | 2,082 | ↑ +51% |
| Pryce | variant of Price, son of Rhys | Welsh | 2,707 | ↓ -34% |
| Trever | variant of Trevor: large village | Welsh | 6,771 | ↓ -38% |
| Dylann | variant of Dylan, often linked to "sea" | Welsh | 6,915 | ↓ -52% |
| Penn | English surname, "enclosure" or "hill" | English | 2,706 | ↓ -34% |
| Kendric | variant of Kendrick, "royal ruler" | Welsh | 3,706 | ↓ -54% |
| Williams | son of William | Welsh | 3,086 | ↑ +8% |
| Trysten | variant of Tristan | Welsh | — | ↓ -100% |
| Carlisle | from the English city of Carlisle | English | 3,256 | ↓ -10% |
| Taran | thunder (Welsh) | Welsh | 2,932 | ↑ +43% |
| Griffen | variant of Griffin; strong lord | American (modern coinage) | 5,465 | ↓ -35% |
| Devaughn | modern blend of De- and Vaughn | American (modern coinage) | 5,255 | ↓ -18% |
| Davey | pet form of David, "beloved" | Welsh | 3,394 | ↑ +17% |
| Tryston | variant of Tristan, uncertain meaning | Welsh | — | ↓ -100% |
| Morgen | variant of Morgan; possibly sea-born | Welsh | 14,376 | → 0% |
| Tyreese | blend of Ty- and Reese | American (modern coinage) | 7,639 | ↓ -42% |
| Arien | uncertain; perhaps Welsh "silver" | Welsh | 6,169 | ↓ -33% |
| Dylen | variant of Dylan, "son of the sea" | Welsh | 11,021 | ↓ -40% |
| Dewey | from Dewi, Welsh form of David | Welsh | 3,870 | ↓ -7% |
| Trystin | variant of Tristan, meaning debated | Welsh | — | ↓ -100% |
| Brodrick | variant of Broderick, 'son of Roderick' | Welsh | 5,895 | ↑ +15% |
| Rees | variant of Rhys, 'ardor, enthusiasm' | Welsh | 6,368 | ↑ +56% |
| Kedrick | variant of Kendrick or Cedric | Welsh | 12,993 | ↓ -64% |
| Carlyle | from the English city Carlisle | English | 4,888 | ↓ -13% |
| Art | short form of Arthur | Welsh | 3,382 | ↑ +26% |
| Sian | Welsh form of Jane, God is gracious | Welsh | 16,925 | ↓ -67% |
| Treven | modern variant of Trevon or Trevin | American (modern coinage) | — | ↓ -100% |
| Eron | uncertain; possibly variant of Aaron | Hebrew | 6,225 | → 0% |
| Vaughan | small, little | Welsh | 13,759 | ↓ -44% |
| Kimball | English surname, possibly royal bold | English | 11,405 | ↓ -25% |
| Griffith | Welsh Gruffudd, often said strong lord | Welsh | 4,596 | ↑ +57% |
| Dyllon | variant of Dylan | American (modern coinage) | — | new |
| Merlyn | variant of Merlin | Welsh | 12,740 | ↓ -42% |
| Jestin | variant of Justin; Welsh Iestyn | Welsh | — | ↓ -100% |
| Edris | variant of Idris | Welsh | 4,166 | ↑ +79% |
| Avon | river | Welsh | 5,232 | ↑ +38% |
| Kenrick | royal ruler or chief hero | Old English | 11,376 | ↓ -50% |
| Collen | uncertain, Welsh saint's name | Welsh | — | ↓ -100% |
| Evon | variant of Yvonne or Evan | French | 12,604 | new |
| Llewellyn | Welsh name, uncertain meaning | Welsh | 5,749 | ↑ +23% |
| Powell | son of Hywel | Welsh | 8,751 | ↑ +29% |
| Elwyn | uncertain; Welsh name | Welsh | 6,563 | new |
| Steffan | Welsh form of Stephen, crown | Welsh | 9,594 | ↓ -33% |
| Artie | pet form of Arthur | English | 7,721 | ↓ -9% |
| Lavaughn | La- added to Vaughn, small | American (modern coinage) | — | ↓ -100% |
| Dee | short form of names beginning with D | English | — | ↓ -100% |
| Loyd | variant of Lloyd, gray | Welsh | 13,159 | new |
| Howell | eminent | Welsh | 6,947 | ↓ -14% |
| Selwyn | — | Old English | 11,774 | new |
| Yale | fertile upland | Welsh | — | ↓ -100% |
| Delwin | possibly pretty and fair | Welsh | — | ↓ -100% |
| Glynn | valley | Welsh | — | new |
| Graig | variant of Craig, rock | Scottish | — | new |
| Arvel | origin uncertain | Welsh | — | new |
| Merwin | variant of Mervyn | Welsh | — | new |
| Mervyn | from the Welsh Merfyn | Welsh | — | new |
| Glyn | valley | Welsh | — | new |
| Cloyd | uncertain, possibly from Lloyd or Floyd | American (modern coinage) | — | new |
| Glennis | variant of Glenys, pure | Welsh | — | new |
| Arvil | uncertain, possibly from Arvel or Orville | American (modern coinage) | — | new |
| Auther | variant of Arthur | English | — | new |
| Linn | variant of Lynn, lake | Welsh | — | new |
| Author | variant of Arthur | English | — | new |