Welsh Baby Names

THE NORMAN invasion of 1066, which brought such profound change to the English, also had a great affect on the Welsh. Adventurous Norman lords, called "marcher lords," began to conquer areas in central and southern Wales. By the end of the reign of King Henry I, the southern Welsh were thoroughly subdued, leading to the intermixing of the population and culture. Over time, the Welsh language was suppressed and its use discouraged. As a result, Norman and English names nearly superseded Welsh names. Eventually, few traditional Welsh names survived. In the 1960s, Cymdeithas yr lakh Gymraeg (the Welsh Language Society), pressed for recognition of the language, which led to the adoption of the 1967 Welsh Language Act. This in turn spurred a modern effort to teach the language in schools, and to promote Welsh culture and a sense of Welsh identity. In response, names are being revived from traditional Welsh poetry, legends, ancient princes and heroes, and are once again being proudly bestowed upon the children of Wales.