Etymology of Wales facts for kids
The English words "Wales" and "Welsh" come from a very old word. This word was used by the Anglo-Saxons, who were early settlers in Britain. They used it to describe people who spoke a different language than them, especially the Britons.
Where the Name "Wales" Comes From
The words "Wales" and "Welsh" come from an old English word, Wealas. This word was used by the Anglo-Saxons to describe people who were not like them, especially the ancient Britons. Imagine it like calling someone from another country a "foreigner." Over time, Wealas became the name for the land where these Britons lived, which we now call Wales.
Interestingly, many other places in Europe have names that come from a similar old root word. For example, Wallonia in Belgium, Wallachia in Romania, and even the German word Welsch (which can mean "foreign" or "Romance-speaking") all share this ancient connection.
In the past, the words "Wales" and "Welsh" were not just used for the country we know today. They were used for anything the Anglo-Saxons linked to the Britons. This included places like Cornwall and even towns within Anglo-Saxon lands, such as Walworth and Walton.
The Welsh Name for Themselves
The people of Wales call themselves Cymry (pronounced kum-ree). They call their country Cymru (pronounced kum-roo). These words come from an even older British word, combrogi, which means "fellow-countrymen." It's like saying "our own people."
This name, Cymry, became important after the Romans left Britain and the Anglo-Saxons arrived. It helped the Welsh people, who spoke a British language, feel connected. It showed that the Welsh in modern Wales and those in northern England and southern Scotland (an area called Yr Hen Ogledd, meaning "The Old North") were one group. They were different from other groups around them.
The word Cymry probably started being used as a self-description before the 7th century. It appeared in a poem around the year 633. For a long time in Welsh writings, Cymry was used to describe the Welsh. However, an older, more general term, Brythoniaid, was also used for all British-speaking peoples. By about 1200, Cymry became the main word used to refer specifically to the Welsh people.
Other Names for Wales
You might also hear the names Cambrian, Cambric, and Cambria. These are Latin versions of the Welsh names. They are not used as often today, but you can still find them.
For example, the Cambrian Mountains cover a large part of Wales. They even gave their name to a very old geological period called the Cambrian. Other examples include the Cambrian News newspaper and groups like Cambrian Airways and Cambrian Railways.
Outside of Wales, a similar name is Cumbria in North West England. This area was once part of Yr Hen Ogledd, where the Welsh-speaking Britons lived. A language called Cumbric, which was very similar to Welsh, was spoken there until it died out around the 12th century.
