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HelpCornish Names (and a question about Cornish culture)
I have long loved Celtic names: Welsh, Breton, etc. However, for the longest time I sort of forgot about the Cornish - which is a feat when you think about it, considering how at one point Jennifer (the Cornish form of Guinevere) was one of the most popular girls' names in the Anglophone world!
But I found an article in my news feed on Facebook (name articles pop up periodically) that had a bunch of uncommon Celtic names to choose for your baby if you wanted to go against what was trending. There were several intriguing names I'd never heard before - and a lot of them were Cornish. That got me to search for Cornish names in BtN, as well as names derived from Cornish roots, and here is a list of those names I've recently taken a liking to:
Kerensa (one of my new favorites!)
Morwenna (which I now prefer to Morgana, though I still like that name)
Elowen
Eseld
Jennifer (I'd like it more if it weren't so popular)
Demelza
Endellion
Bryluen
Tressa
Ysella
&
Veryan
Locryn
Talek
Daveth
Jory
Jowan
Piran / Perran
Credan
Talan (reminds me of "Talon")
Trevelyan
As for Cornwall itself... is there still a strong presence of Cornish culture in the region? What sets it apart from English culture? Does anyone still speak the language? I'm asking these questions because I really don't know anything about the Cornish...
Please rate my personal name list:
www.behindthename.com/pnl/69381
http://www.behindthename.com/pnl/69381/109399
http://greens-end.myminicity.com
But I found an article in my news feed on Facebook (name articles pop up periodically) that had a bunch of uncommon Celtic names to choose for your baby if you wanted to go against what was trending. There were several intriguing names I'd never heard before - and a lot of them were Cornish. That got me to search for Cornish names in BtN, as well as names derived from Cornish roots, and here is a list of those names I've recently taken a liking to:
Kerensa (one of my new favorites!)
Morwenna (which I now prefer to Morgana, though I still like that name)
Elowen
Eseld
Jennifer (I'd like it more if it weren't so popular)
Demelza
Endellion
Bryluen
Tressa
Ysella
&
Veryan
Locryn
Talek
Daveth
Jory
Jowan
Piran / Perran
Credan
Talan (reminds me of "Talon")
Trevelyan
As for Cornwall itself... is there still a strong presence of Cornish culture in the region? What sets it apart from English culture? Does anyone still speak the language? I'm asking these questions because I really don't know anything about the Cornish...
Please rate my personal name list:
www.behindthename.com/pnl/69381
http://www.behindthename.com/pnl/69381/109399
http://greens-end.myminicity.com
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Replies
I looked up Cornish names after watching Poldark. I think they are so interesting and beautiful!
I like:
Kerensa
Morwenna-- I didn't used to like it, but I'm warming to it.
Demelza
Jennifer-- despite it's popularity, I think it's lovely. It's crazy how none of these other names are used broadly in the English-speaking world, but this name was used so widely?
Endellion
Ysella
Daveth
Jory
Jowan
Perran
Trevelyan
I don't know much of anything about Cornish culture, but I am spending a few days in Cornwall this summer!
I like:
Kerensa
Morwenna-- I didn't used to like it, but I'm warming to it.
Demelza
Jennifer-- despite it's popularity, I think it's lovely. It's crazy how none of these other names are used broadly in the English-speaking world, but this name was used so widely?
Endellion
Ysella
Daveth
Jory
Jowan
Perran
Trevelyan
I don't know much of anything about Cornish culture, but I am spending a few days in Cornwall this summer!
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I like Piran & Senara & Jago & Jolyon & Eseld.
Cornish is officially a revived language. It was extinct in any real sense by the end of the 18th century, although there were still people around who claimed knowledge of it after that. Now there are classes in it and a few broadcasts, and there were apparently around 2000 people who claimed to be fluent Cornish speakers in the last census.
Some history: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornish_language
Cornish is officially a revived language. It was extinct in any real sense by the end of the 18th century, although there were still people around who claimed knowledge of it after that. Now there are classes in it and a few broadcasts, and there were apparently around 2000 people who claimed to be fluent Cornish speakers in the last census.
Some history: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornish_language
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I love Kerensa, it is one of my favourite names.
Elowen is also really pretty and Morwenna is a name I really like in the middle spot - it goes well with a lot of first names and is interesting but not too bizarre.
I like Tamar (after the river) and Steren (star)
I have been to Cornwall a lot and I have family who live there. In general, there is not any difference between Cornwall and the rest of England. Some people have the Cornish Flag (white cross on black) flying outside their houses. Nobody speaks Cornish as a first language as far as I know.
Elowen is also really pretty and Morwenna is a name I really like in the middle spot - it goes well with a lot of first names and is interesting but not too bizarre.
I like Tamar (after the river) and Steren (star)
I have been to Cornwall a lot and I have family who live there. In general, there is not any difference between Cornwall and the rest of England. Some people have the Cornish Flag (white cross on black) flying outside their houses. Nobody speaks Cornish as a first language as far as I know.
This message was edited 7/1/2016, 8:16 AM
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I share your love of Morwenna - Endellion was chosen by just-resigned British prime minister David Camerion and his wife Samantha for a middle name for daughter Florence, born in the Cornish village of St Endellion
Jago is a name I like - Cornish form of James
I grew up in England and as a child spent many holidays in Cornwall, sometimes at a bed and breakfast on the outskirts of the little town of Helston, famed for the "Floral Dance" (properly Furry Dance).
There has been a revival of the Cornish language of late, and there's a Cornwall (Kernow) "nationalist" movement! It always used to be said that the last speaker of Cornish was a woman called Dorothy (I can't remember her last name) who lived in the eighteenth century - but that may not be accurate, for I'm guessing that the modern revivalists learned the language from some speaker rather than a book.
There are lovely place names in Cornwall such as Mousehole, Marazion, Polperro and Lostwithiel - these fascinated me as a child on holiday there (the little fishing villages, home to smugglers in years gone by) are charming.
Gift shops always included a model of a Cornish folklore pixie queen called "Joan the Wad" - no doubt they still do!
During the nineteenth century there was a significant migration of Cornish tin miners to Australia (where I live) - mostly South Australia. They had surnames such as Andrewartha - very odd-looking to the non-Cornish eye - as well as the more familiar Tre- and Pen- names. The great Australian prime minister Sir Robert Menzies was of Cornish descent on his mother's side.
Jago is a name I like - Cornish form of James
I grew up in England and as a child spent many holidays in Cornwall, sometimes at a bed and breakfast on the outskirts of the little town of Helston, famed for the "Floral Dance" (properly Furry Dance).
There has been a revival of the Cornish language of late, and there's a Cornwall (Kernow) "nationalist" movement! It always used to be said that the last speaker of Cornish was a woman called Dorothy (I can't remember her last name) who lived in the eighteenth century - but that may not be accurate, for I'm guessing that the modern revivalists learned the language from some speaker rather than a book.
There are lovely place names in Cornwall such as Mousehole, Marazion, Polperro and Lostwithiel - these fascinated me as a child on holiday there (the little fishing villages, home to smugglers in years gone by) are charming.
Gift shops always included a model of a Cornish folklore pixie queen called "Joan the Wad" - no doubt they still do!
During the nineteenth century there was a significant migration of Cornish tin miners to Australia (where I live) - mostly South Australia. They had surnames such as Andrewartha - very odd-looking to the non-Cornish eye - as well as the more familiar Tre- and Pen- names. The great Australian prime minister Sir Robert Menzies was of Cornish descent on his mother's side.
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Oooh, thanks for this post. I am spending a few days in Cornwall this summer (I'm American) and this post got me really excited!
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Okay, you just made me look up the Furry Dance, and that was delightful!
Personally, I'd love to see St. Ives, if pictures are anything to go by.
Personally, I'd love to see St. Ives, if pictures are anything to go by.
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Yes, it's long been an artist's delight. Not to be confused with the "other" St Ives in England that's featured in the famous "as I was going to St Ives ... seven wives" ditty.
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I'm a bit of a s*cker for Celtic stuff. Endellion is a lovely name.
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Ever since Poldark (and a post on Nameberry) I've loved Demelza. It's currently my second favourite name after a year. I also love Lowenna both in sound and meaning (joy) and a few other Cornish gems. There's a great post on British Baby Names too, if you search Cornish Names. I don't know much about usage etc. just that there are some great Cornish names. The ones I quite like being:
Demelza
Lowenna
Sowenna
Lamorna
Morwenna (I love Morgana too, more so than Morwenna, but they're both great)
Eseld
Meliora
Hedra
Senara
Kitto
Lowen
Cador
Jory
Jowan
Jago
Demelza
Lowenna
Sowenna
Lamorna
Morwenna (I love Morgana too, more so than Morwenna, but they're both great)
Eseld
Meliora
Hedra
Senara
Kitto
Lowen
Cador
Jory
Jowan
Jago
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Cornish, strictly speaking, is an extinct language. The last native speaker died awhile ago. However, like in other Celtic lands, there has been a revival of Cornish culture.
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Pasties? :D Sure glad they brought them to Michigan, anyway. mmm
I think Cornish names (and Manx, they get overlooked too!) are very interesting because they look reminiscent of the Celtic names I'm familiar with, yet are different. Intriguing! I wish I knew more about their pronunciation.
I like Eseld, Talan, and Trevelyan a lot. Bryluen is new to me and I like it.
I think Cornish names (and Manx, they get overlooked too!) are very interesting because they look reminiscent of the Celtic names I'm familiar with, yet are different. Intriguing! I wish I knew more about their pronunciation.
I like Eseld, Talan, and Trevelyan a lot. Bryluen is new to me and I like it.
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I love Pherick too
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