View Message

[Opinions] Ceridwen?
Hi, everyone. I was hoping to get some opinions on the name Ceridwen. I'm from the U.S., and I have a feeling it would be too bulky for a child here, but I've been in love with it since I was in middle school. I appreciate that Ceridwen has both the "witchy" (destruction and rebirth) and "goddessy" (knowledge and inspiration) associations. I'm a writer, so I find that she was said to possess a "cauldron of poetic inspiration" really nifty.Those who are familiar with Welsh, am I correct in pronouncing it keh-RID-wen? Does anyone have nn suggestions that don't sound like Kerry/Carrie?
Archived Thread - replies disabled
vote up1

Replies

I've always found it intriguing, but yes, I think it would be a tough one in the US. When I first encountered it, I naturally pronounced it "sir-id-wen," and I think most people here would do that as well. You would be constantly correcting people. I do believe the correct pronunciation is "ker-RID-wen," as you've stated in your post, but I'm not Welsh. Anyway, I find that most Welsh names are not ones that come naturally to us in the US, even though many are lovely.
vote up1
I've actually never known how to pronounce this name until reading this thread. I've always in my said "SEH-rid-wen", which I now know is way incorrect. :)Do you hate Ceri pronounced Kerry? I think it's really cute.Winnie could work maybe?ETA: Also, I disagree that it's unusable in the U.S. I certainly wouldn't be shocked to see one in a birth announcement. It goes along with the current trend, at least in my area, of classic Irish/Welsh/English names.

This message was edited 5/26/2015, 2:06 PM

vote up1
I have seen that name here on BtN and always thought it looked so clunky. I wouldn't have known how to pronounce it. It's not necessarily unusable, but I do think it's a bit bulky and weighty and probably a bit of a nuisance. But if you love it, you would have to decide if it is worth teaching/explaining forever. Maybe it is.Nicknames:
Cerid
Riddy
Ridwen
Winnie
Cero
Cerwen
Rinny
Cenny
Cenry
vote up1
I love Ceridwen, it's so pretty. It is pronounced ker-RID-wen.Nicknames: Cer, Ceren?
vote up1
I'm Welsh, and yes, that's how I'd pronounce it. For a nickname I'd probably go Gwen, maybe Ceri. I love the name, personally- where I live it would be very usual, in fact I know two, but in the US, maybe not!

This message was edited 5/26/2015, 1:44 AM

vote up1
keh-RID-wen is how I say it.
I like it. Agree about the associations being pleasing.
I'm vaguely acquainted with a person who uses this name and it's definitely nifty IMO.
Cedwen, contracted. KED-wen. You think?
vote up1
I like many Welsh female names and Ceridwen is nice.
vote up1
I love Ceridwen (though I do prefer Cerridwen, personal preference). I also enjoy the witchy, goddess, writerly stuff about it.Dwen, Wen or Wennie could be a cute nickname maybe. Although, I pronounce it more like "KEH-rid-win", so Win, Dwyn, Wyn or Wynnie would make more phonetic sense to me. But it's spelled -wen, so... Cerridwyn would be neato too though. If you're ok with tweaking spellings.
vote up1
Yup, keh RID wen is how I'd say it and I'm from Wales. I don't know any Ceridwens - it's quite old-fashioned and more likely to be seen in obituaries than on young people here - but it's a good name with solid history and I wouldn't mind seeing it used on a child. Obviously the pronunciation would be an issue in the US, though.
vote up1
Ha, I have seen the name in books now and then, and have been pronouncing it wrong, in my mind.
I've been saying SAIR-id-wen. It's a nice name, but I think wouldn't fly in North America.
vote up1
I met a Ceridwen in the US once, it suited her very well. She pronounced it KAIR-id-wen. I like the name and I think it's usable in the US, but prefer it with the emphasis on the first syllable, and I'm not sure if that's the original pronunciation.
vote up1