ACADEMY OF SAINT GABRIEL REPORT 2656
http://www.s-gabriel.org/2656
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From: Sara L Friedemann 
28 Dec 2002

Greetings from the Academy of S. Gabriel!

You wanted to know if <Aranwen verch Cwnws> would be an appropriate
name for a Welshwoman living between 1150 and 1350.  If not,
you asked for suggestions of names using <A>, <Y>, or <S>  Here
is a brief letter with the information we have found.

Unfortunately, we cannot recommend the name <Aranwen> for your
period.  The only evidence we have of this name being used by a
real person is from a 12th century record of a person who is said
to have lived in the 5th century. [1] Lacking evidence that this 
name was in use in your period, we suggest you chose a different 
name.  The following article is an excellent source for Welsh given 
names from your period:

  "A Simple Guide to Constructing 13th Century Welsh Names"
  http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/tangwystyl/welsh13.html

In particular, you may be interested in the name <Angharat>,
one of the most common Welsh feminine names from this period.
It was pronounced \ahng-HAHR-rahd\.

We do not have any examples of <Cwnws> from your period either,
but this name we would not be surprised to find in use.  The
spellings <Conws>, <Konws>, and <Kwnws> are all recorded in 1406. [2]
The spelling <Cwnws> is reasonable for your period, though in the
early part of your period it might have been spelled <Cunus>.  A 
woman living between 1150 and 1350 named <Angharat> who was the 
daughter of <Cwnws> would have been known as <Angharat verch Cwnws>, 
"Angharat, daughter of Cwnws."  The byname <verch Cwnws> was pronounced 
<vairkh KOO-noos>, where the \kh\ is the sound of <ch> in Scottish 
<loch> or German <Bach>.  If you are interested in the pronunciations 
of any of the other given names listed in the article mentioned above,
let us know and we'll be happy to help.

We hope that this brief letter has been useful to you and that
you won't hesitate to write again if any part was unclear or if
you have further questions.  Research and commentary on this
letter was provided by Arval Benicouer, Tangywystl verch Morgant 
Glasvryn, Talan Gwynek, and Galiana de Baiona.

For the Academy,
-Aryanhwy merch Catmael, 28Dec02

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References:

[1] Bartrum, P.C., _Early Welsh Genealogical Tracts_ (Cardiff: 
University of Wales Press, 1966). DSB 12(10).

[2] Jones, Heather Rose (aka Tangwystyl verch Morgant Glasvryn), "Names 
and Naming Practices in the Anglesey Submissions of 1406", in "Y 
Camamseriad" issue 4, Summer, 1996.

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