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Welsh exonyms facts for kids

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The Welsh language has given names to many towns and places around the world. These names are often found in countries where Welsh people have settled or explored. When a place outside of Wales has a Welsh name, it's like a little piece of Wales is carried there!

Sometimes, these names are direct translations. Other times, they are just the Welsh way of saying a foreign name. Names that are italic in the lists below are older or not used anymore.

Welsh Names Around the World

Have you ever wondered why some places far from Wales have Welsh names? It's often because Welsh people traveled and settled in new lands. They brought their language and culture with them, naming new towns, rivers, and mountains after places they remembered or things they saw.

Argentina: A Little Piece of Wales

One of the most famous places where Welsh names are found is Argentina. In the 1860s, a group of Welsh settlers moved to the Chubut Valley in Patagonia, Argentina. They wanted to preserve their language and culture. They built towns and farms, giving them Welsh names that are still used today!

English Name Welsh Name Spanish Name What it Means (Notes)
Arroyo Pescado Nant y Pysgod Arroyo Pescado Fish Stream
Cajón de Ginebra Bocs Gin Cajón de Ginebra Gin Box
Cerro Cóndor Craig yr Eryr Cerro Cóndor Eagle Rock
Cerro Trono de las Nubes Gorsedd y Cwmwl Cerro Trono de las Nubes Throne of the Cloud
Chico River Afon Fach Rio Chico Small River
Chubut River Afon Camwy Rio Chubut Winding River
Colonia 16 de Octubre Cwm Hyfryd, Bro Hydref Colonia 16 de Octubre Pleasant Valley, October Land
Desvío km 22 Tŵr Joseph Desvío km 22 Joseph's Tower
Dolavon Dol Afon Dolavon River Meadow
Estación Laguna Grande Llyn Mawr Estación Laguna Grande Big Lake
Florentino Ameghino Dam Yr Argae Dique Florentino Ameghino The Dam
Fuerte Aventura Caer Antur Fuerte Aventura Adventure Fort
Laguna de Aaron Llyn Aaron Laguna de Aaron Aaron's Lake
Laguna de Agnia Llyn Ania Laguna de Agnia Agnia's Lake
La Angostura Lle Cul La Angostura Narrow Place
Las Plumas Dôl y Plu Las Plumas Feather Meadow
Loma Blanca Bryn Gwyn Loma Blanca White Hill
Paso de Indios Rhyd yr Indiaid Paso de Indios Indians' Ford
Pampa de Agnia Pant y Ffwdan Pampa de Agnia Agnia's Marsh
Puerto Madryn Porth Madryn Puerto Madryn Madryn's Port (named after a Welsh leader)
Rawson Trerawson Rawson Rawson's Town
Río Corrintos Aber Gyrants Río Corrintos Confluence of Currents
Tecka Hafn Lâs Tecka Blue Summer Pasture
Trelew Tre Lew(is) Trelew Lew's Town (named after a Welsh pioneer)
Trevelin Tre Felin Trevelin Mill Town
Valle de los Mártires Dyffryn y Merthyron Valle de los Mártires Valley of the Martyrs
Valle Frío Dyffryn Oer Valle Frío Cold Valley
Valle 16 de octubre Cwm Hyfryd/Bro Hydref Valle 16 de octubre Pleasant Valley/October Land
Veintiocho de Julio Tir Halen Veintiocho de Julio Salt Land

Australia: Down Under Welsh Names

Even in Australia, you can find places with Welsh names! This shows how far Welsh people traveled and settled.

English Name Welsh Name Local Name Notes
 Australian Capital Territory Tiriogaeth Prifddinas Awstralia Australian Capital Territory
Kangaroo Island Ynys Cangarŵ Kangaroo Island
Karta Pintingga
Kangaroo Island
 New South Wales De Cymru Newydd New South Wales New South Wales (named after South Wales in the UK)
 Northern Territory Tiriogaeth y Gogledd Northern Territory
 South Australia De Awstralia South Australia
 Western Australia Gorllewin Awstralia Western Australia

Canada: Across the Atlantic

Welsh names also appear in Canada, reflecting the history of Welsh immigrants who helped build the country.

English Name Welsh Name Local Name Notes
 British Columbia Columbia Brydenig British Columbia
Columbie Britannique
Newfoundland Tir Newydd Newfoundland
Terre-Neuve
Ktaqmkuk
New Land
 Newfoundland and Labrador Tir Newydd a Labrador Newfoundland and Labrador
Terre-Neuve et Labrador
New Land and Labrador
 Nova Scotia Yr Alban Newydd Nova Scotia
Nouvelle-Écosse
Alba Nuadh
Nopa Sko'sia
New Scotland

Europe: Close to Home

Even in countries close to Wales, like France and Ireland, you can find Welsh versions of place names. This is often due to historical connections and the spread of languages over time.

France

English Name Welsh Name Local Name Language
Alps Alpau, Mynydd Mynnau Alpes French
 Brittany Llydaw Breizh Breton
Bretagne French
Bertaèyn Gallo
 Burgundy Bwrgwyn Bourgogne French
 Gascony Gasgwyn Gascogne French
Gasconha Gascon
Gaskoinia Basque
Nantes Naoned Nantes French
Naoned Breton
Naunnt, Nantt Gallo
 Normandy Normandi, Norddmandi Normandie French
Normaundie Norman
Saint-Malo Sant-Maloù Saint-Malo French
Sant-Maloù Breton
Strasbourg Strasbwrg Strasbourg French
Straßburg German

Germany

English Name Welsh Name Local Name Language
 Bavaria Bafaria Bayern Bavarian, German
Cologne Cwlen Kölle Colognian
Köln German
Hamburg Hambwrg Hamburg German

Greece

English Name Welsh Name Local Name Notes
Aegean Sea Môr Aegeaidd, Môr Egeaidd Αιγαίο πέλαγος
Athens Athen Athína (Αθήνα)
Crete Creta Kríti (Κρήτη)
Rhodes Rhodos Ródos (Ρόδος)

Ireland

English Name Welsh Name Local Name Notes
Cork Corc Corcaigh
Dublin Dulyn Baile Átha Cliath The Welsh name comes from an older Irish name, ‘Duibhlinn’.
Ulster Wlster; Wlaidd, Wledd, Wleth Ulaidh

Italy

English Name Welsh Name Local Name Language
Rome Rhufain Roma Italian
 Sicily Sisili Sicilia Italian, Sicilian
Venice Fenis Venesia Venetian
Venezia Italian

Spain

English Name Welsh Name Local Name Language
 Balearic Islands Ynysoedd Balearaidd Illes Balears, Islas Baleares Catalan, Spanish
 Basque Country Gwlad y Basg Euskal Herria, País Vasco Basque, Spanish
 Canary Islands Yr Ynysoedd Dedwydd, Ynysoedd y Cŵn Islas Canarias Spanish
 Catalonia Catalwnia Catalunya, Cataluña Catalan, Spanish
 Galicia Galisia Galicia
Galiza
Galician/Portuguese
Portuguese
 Valencian Community Cymuned Falensia Valencia, València Spanish, Catalan

Turkey

English Name Welsh Name Local Name Notes
Constantinople Caergystennin قسطنطينيه (Ḳosṭanṭīnīye)
Κωνσταντινούπολις (Kōnstantinoupolis)
Constantinopolis
Istanbul Istanbwl İstanbul

United Kingdom: English Places with Welsh Names

Even within the United Kingdom, many places in England have Welsh names or names that come from Welsh. This is because Wales and England share a long history and border.

English Name Welsh Name Local Name Language Notes
Bath Caerfaddon Bath English
Bristol Bryste; Caerodor Bristol English
Cambridge Caergrawnt Cambridge English
Canterbury Caergaint Canterbury English
Carlisle Caerliwelydd Carlisle English
Chester Caer(llion Fawr) Chester English
Cornwall Cernyw Kernow Cornish
Dover Dofr Dover English
Edinburgh Caeredin; Dinas Eidyn Dùn Èideann Scottish Gaelic
Edinburgh English, Scots
England Lloegr England English
Exeter Caerwysg Exeter English
Gloucester Caerloyw Gloucester English
Hereford Henffordd Hereford English
Isle of Man Ynys Manaw Ellan Vannin Manx
Isle of Wight Ynys Wyth Isle of Wight English
Lancaster Caerhirfryn Lancaster English
Leicester Caerlŷr Leicester English
Liverpool Lerpwl, Llynlleifiad Liverpool English
London Llundain, Caerludd London English
Manchester Manceinion Manchester English
Oxford Rhydychen Oxford English
Plymouth Aberplym Plymouth English
Salisbury Caersallog; Caercaradog, Caergradwg Salisbury English
Scotland Yr Alban Alba Scottish Gaelic
Scotland English, Scots
Shrewsbury Amwythig Shrewsbury English
Stonehenge Côr y Cewri Stonehenge English Giants' Dance
Winchester Caerwynt, Caerguint Winchester English
Worcester Caerwrangon Worcester English
York Efrog, Caerefrog York English

United States: New World, Old Names

The United States also has places with Welsh names, often from early settlers.

English Name Welsh Name Local Name Notes
California Califfornia California
New Mexico Mecsico Newydd New Mexico
Nueva México
New York City Dinas Efrog Newydd New York City New York City
Pennsylvania Pensylfania Pennsylvania Penn's Woods (named after William Penn, but has a Welsh feel)

See also

  • List of European exonyms
  • Welsh placenames
  • Welsh place names in other countries
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