Cornwall (Male)

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Celtic Male Names of Cornwall

Arranz — (AHR-anz) Cornish word for “silver”.
Arthur — (AHR-thuhr) from Celtic artos “bear”, or possibly from the medieval Latin name Artorius. King Arthur, according to tradition, was born at Tintagel Castle on the coast of Cornwall.
Arthyen — (AHRTH-yen) from Celtic artos “bear” + gen “to bear”, hence “bear-borne”.
Austell — (AH-stel) A companion of St. Samson, Austell founded a church in Cornwall.

Benesek — (be-NEZ-ek) from Latin name Benedictus. Found in the Bodmin Manumissions*.
Bideven — (bi-DEV-en) from Cornish word for “hawk”.
Blyth — (BLIITH) from Cornish word for “wolf”. Blythe.
Branwalather — (bran-wa-LATH-uhr) from Cornish bran “raven” + walather “leader”. A saint and son of a Cornish king named Kenen.
Brengy — (BREN-gee) from Cornish bren “noble” + gi “hound, wolf”. A name found in the Bodmin Manumissions.*
Bryok, Breoc — (bree-OHK) from British name Brigacos, derived from Celtic root brig “high, mighty”. Name of a 5th C. Welsh saint who was active in both Cornwall and Brittany.
Buthek, Bithek — (BITH-ek) from Celtic bud “victory”. Name of a Breton saint venerated in Cornwall. Masculine equiv. of the name of Queen Boudicca of the Iceni, who led a rebellion against the Romans in 60 AD.

Cadan — (KAHD-an) from British cad “battle”.
Cador — (KAHD-ohr) from British cad “battle” + wur “man”. A legendary ruler of Cornwall in the Dark Ages.
Carantoc — (ka-RAN-tahk) from Cornish carant “love”. Name of an early saint revered in Cornwall, Brittany and Wales.
Carrow — (CAR-aw) from Celtic cornu- “horned”. Cornish word for “deer”.
Casvelyn — (kaz-VEL-uhn) from British cad “battle” + Belinos, name of a Celtic fire god. Cornish form of Cassivellaunos, father of the British King Caractacus.
Caswyn — (KAZ-win) from Celtic cad “battle” + gwen “shining, holy”.
Clesek — (KLEZ-ek) from British kluto “fame, renown”.
Colan, Collen — (KOHL-uhn) from Welsh collen “hazel tree”. Name of a 7th C. Welsh saint. Popular until the 18th C.
Conan — (KAH-nan) from Celtic kuno “great, high”. Name of a legendary Cornish king and a real 18th C. bishop of Cornwall. Kenan (KEN-an).
Corentyn — (koh-REN-tin) Name of a Cornish born saint who became the first bishop of Quimper in Brittany.
Costentyn — (kahs-TEN-tin) Cornish form of Constantine. St. Costentyn was a Cornish king who gave up his throne to become a monk. Popular until 18th C.
Cuilliok — (KWIL-yok) Cornish word for “soothsayer”.

Daveth — (DAH-veth) Cornish form of David, patron saint of Wales.
Denzel — (DEN-zel) A place name that became a first name. Denzil.
Donyerth, Donyarth — (DON-yerth) Cornish form of the old British name Dubnogartos, probably meaning “black ridge”.

Elowen — (el-OH-wan) from elew Cornish word for “elm”.

Gawen — (GOW-en) Cornish form of Gawain. Popular through late 17th C.
Gelvinak — (gel-VIN-ak) Cornish name for the bird “curlew”, and bardic name of Richard Gendall, editor and activist for Cornish language revival.
Gerens — (GER-enz) from Celtic gerontios “old”. Later Cornish form of Geraint.
Glastenen — (glahs-TEN-en) from Cornish word for “scarlet oak”.
Glewas, Glewyas — (GLOO-ahs, GLOO-yahs) from Cornish glew “clear, bright”. Name of an early saint, nephew of St. Petroc.
Golvan — (GOHL-van) Cornish word for “sparrow”, which is used as the bardic name of N.J.A. Williams, Cornish scholar, poet and playwright.
Gorlas — (GOHR-laz) Cornish for “very pure”. Name of the first husband, the Duke of Cornwall, of Ygerna, mother of King Arthur. Gorlois.
Gorneves — (gohr-NEV-ez) from British vornemetos “very holy”.
Goron — (GOHR-ohn) Cornish for “hero”. Name of an early saint associated with a sacred cave and well near Gorron.
Gorthelyk — (gohr-THEL-ik) Cornish for “very beloved”. Name found in the Bodmin Manumissions*.
Gourgy — (GOOR-gee) from British gur “man” + ci (cun) “hound, wolf”. Name found in the Bodmin Manumissions*.
Gwynek — (GWIN-ek) Cornish for “little fair one”. Name of an 8th C. saint associated with the parish of Saint Winnoc.

Hicca — (HIK-uh) Cornish nickname for Richard.

Jacca — (JAHK-uh) Cornish form of Jack.
Jago — (JAHG-oh) Cornish form of Jacob.
Jammes — (JAM-uhs) Cornish forms of James. Jamma (JAM-uh).
Jory — (JOH-ree) Cornish nickname for George.
Jowan — (JOO-an, JOH-an) Cornish form of John.

Kea — (KAY) Prob. from Latin name Caius. Name of a 6th C. Cornish saint, and also King Arthur’s right-hand man. According to early biography, St. Kea went to see Guinevere after King Arthur’s death and persuaded her to become a nun.
Keresyk, Kerezik — (ke-REZ-ik) from British caractacus “amiable”, also the name of a king of early Britain. Carasek (ka-RAZ-ek).
Kevern — (KEV-ern) 6th C. Cornish saint.
Kitto — (KIT-oh) Cornish nickname for Christopher.

Madron, Madern — (MAD-ruhn, MAD-uhrn) from British mad “lucky, fortunate”. Name of an early Cornish saint whose well was the source of miraculous cures until the 1800s.
Margh — (MAHR) Cornish word for “horse”, and name of the King of Cornwall in the tale of Tristan and Isolde.
Marrek — (MAHR-ek) Cornish for “horseman”.
Masek — (MAHZ-ek) Cornish form of the Welsh name Madog, meaning “lucky, fortunate”.
Mawgan — (MAW-gan) from British maglo “prince” + ci (cun) “hound, wolf”. Name of a 6th C. Cornish saint. Popular in 17th C. Cornwall.
Meryasek — (mer-YAZ-ek) Name of an important early Breton saint, also known as Meriadek or Meriadoc, who was the subject of a medieval drama Bewnans Meryasek, one of the few remaining pieces of early literature in the Cornish language.
Meryn — (MER-uhn) Old Cornish name. Merryn.
Milyan — (MIL-yahn) Prob. from Latin aemilianus “flattering”. Name found in the Bodmin Manumissions*. Also a legendary king of Cornwall and an early saint.
Myghal — (muh-HAYL) Cornish form of Michael.

Nadelek — (nah-DEL-ek) Cornish word for Christmas.
Neythen — (NII-then) Name of a Cornish saint, who, according to legend, was beheaded by a group of robbers he was trying to convert. Neythen then picked up his head and walked the half mile back to his hut.
Nicca — (NIK-uh) Cornish nickname for Nicholas.

Padern — (PAH-dern) from Latin paternus “father”. Name of an early Cornish chieftain.
Pasco, Pascow — (PAS-kaw) from Cornish Padk “Easter”. Popular until mid-18th C.
Pawly — (PAWL-ee) Cornish form of Paul.
Peder — (PAYD-er) Cornish form of Peter.
Pencast — (PEN-cast) Cornish word for Pentecost. Popular until late 19th C.
Petrock — (PET-rok) St. Petrock and St. Piran were the two most important saints of early Cornwall. St. Pedrog founded a monastery at Padstow in the 6th C. He is usuall depicted with a stag, based on legend in which he protects the animal from hunters. Pedrog, Pedrek (PED-rok).
Piran — (PEER-an) St. Piran was an Irish monk (prob. named Ciaran in Irish) who traveled to Cornwall and founded a monastery. Feast day — March 5, celebrated as the Cornish National Day. The Cornish flag bears the cross of St. Piran. Popular through 19th C. Pirran, Peran, Perran (PER-an).

Rewan, Rumon — (ROO-an, ROO-man) Early Cornish bishop and saint. Name found in Bodmin Manumissions*.
Ryol — (REE-ol) from British rigalis “king”. Name of the king in the Cornish drama Bewnans Meryasek. Also found in the Bodmin Manumissions* as a personal name.

Seleven — (ze-LEV-en) An early Cornish saint.
Silyen — (SIL-yen) from British sul “sun” + genos “born”. Patron saint of Laxulyan.
Sithny — (SITH-nee) from Celtic sith “peace”. Patron saint of mad dogs. In tradition, god revealed to him that he was going to be the patron saint of girls. The saint was unhappy with this, so God threatened to make him the patron saint of mad dogs instead. St. Sithny replied “I’d rather have mad dogs than women any day!” Sick dogs are taken to drink at his well on his feast day, August 4.

Talan — (TAHL-an) from Cornish tal “forehead”. Name found in the Bodmin Manumissions*.
Talek — (TAHL-ek) from Cornish tal “forehead”. Bardic name of E.G.R. Hooper, third Grand Bard of the Cornish Gorsedh.
Trevedic — (tre-VED-ik) from a Cornish word meaning “country dweller”.
Tristan, Trystan — (TRIST-ahn) from British name Drustan. In Arthurian Romance, the name of the nephew of King Margh (Mark) of Cornwall, and lover of Isolde.

Uther — (OOTH-er) Name of King Arthur’s father, Uther Pendragon. Popular in the 16th C. and 17th C.

Wella — (WEL-ah) Cornish nickname for William.
Withell — (WITH-el) Cornish word for “lion”.
Wyllow — (WIL-oh) Name of a 6th C. saint. The church of Lanteglas is dedicated to him.

Zethar — (ZETH-ahr) Cornish word for “seagull”.