She’s an intriguing Welsh choice, but how would she wear in the US?
Thanks to Sarah for suggesting Myfanwy as Name of the Day.
Welsh names are undeniably appealing.
Where every name has a story
She’s an intriguing Welsh choice, but how would she wear in the US?
Thanks to Sarah for suggesting Myfanwy as Name of the Day.
Welsh names are undeniably appealing.
The most common nickname in Wales for the name Myfanwy is Vanoo.
Mih – VAH – Nu
Sounds nothing like “my fanny”.
It’s also a beautiful Welsh folk tune: http://youtu.be/jq08pcQU-hs
A Welsh single ‘f’ sounds like an English ‘v’ so it doesn’t really sound much like ‘my fanny’. I’ve known someone to be called Van for short.
Marianne Abergavenny.
Coming from a Celtic background the name is very appealing to me. I’d suggest a listen to an ’80s song by Myfanwy sung by David Essex. (Its on youtube). To my ears its a beautiful interpretation of an ever so slightly naughty John Betjeman poem of the same name. Paradoxically it conjures up images of something quintessentially English and 1950s Home Counties.
So a little story here… My middle name is Myfanwy, and when my classmates found out, one of the boys quipped, “Hey, are you rubbin’ my fanny?” much to the delight of everyone but myself, of course! So if you choose Myfanwy for a middle name, do be sure to give your daughter some other first name besides Robin. (I’m laughing now, but in middle school it really wasn’t very amusing.)
I am English (not Welsh) but 58 years on I still remember the folk songs/hymns that we were taught when I was 10 years old which were representative
of English ,Welsh, Irish and Scottish cultures.
The four that would, even then break me up. were Sally Garden, All Through The Night, Barbara Allen, and most of all Myfanwy.
Enjoy your middle name because it is lovely ( I was outvoted in naming our third child Myfanwy) who was Christened Deborah instead.
Take heart in your parents choice of first and second names, I went to school with a Terry Bull, but even worse, Isaac Hunt
Every time I used to see this name on BTN, I would giggle. I couldn’t imagine how it was pronounced, and it looked SO much like “My fanny.” (I knew an American girl named Fanny, actually; she was not given trouble.) It’s grown on me, though. It’s interesting and pretty, and I think I finally have the pronunciation down. I think there’s a BTNer named it. I don’t think I’ll ever like it enough to consider using it, but I’ve reconciled myself to the idea of other people using it, although I don’t think it’ll shoot into popularity any time soon.
“Another bourbon and coke, please, Myfwanwy”
Yeah, I think of Little Britain too. Nice name though. Love the nicknames – Miffy, Myf, Annie if you really felt like fitting in. One of my favourite radio/TV presenters, Myf Warhust, is called Myfwanwy. I’d probably consider it if it wasn’t so culturally innappropriate for me (I don’t have a drop of Welsh blood at all).
I think Myfanwy is quite appealing. It has a sweet, delicate sound. While I’d never use it myself, I think it would be an awesome choice on someone else’s child.
Sorry for the bunny theme song, Emmy Jo! If it is any consolation, the song has been lodged in my brain all week. (It was recently replaced when someone sent me a link the the old 3d Base video for “Pop Goes the Weasel.” Don’t you just LOVE YouTube?)
And the “my fanny” thing is an inevitable downside to the name. I had a Great Aunt Fanny – short for Philomena, I think. It’s always sounded sort of sweet and retro to my ear. But no, I wouldn’t do that to my child. Philomena, though … that’s a pretty choice.
I was quite enjoying the thought of a Myfanwy — that is, until I read JNE’s comment about “my fanny” and now the name’s ruined for me! It was a very short-lived dream.
I’m sorry to hear that – it was not my intention… just an opinion from a slightly (or maybe more than that) warped mind.
Myfanwy is very pretty, and she definitely has a sound that’s all her own!
While it doesn’t fit my style of “uncommon but familiar,” I’d applaud the parents who were willing to use it.
You realize now that I’ll have the Miffy song stuck in my head all evening? “Miffy, sweet little bunny/ Miffy, smart little bunny…” Aargh!
My only association with this name is the TV show “Little Britain” which features extremely crude humor. It is a sketch show and there is a recurring character called Myfanwy. She’s a Welsh character (no surprise there) and the name, therefore, seems quintessentially Welsh to me. I’m not sure if anyone else has caught Little Britain (it is sometimes played on BBCAMerica). In any case, that aside, the name sounds OK, but isn’t a favorite. And honestly kind of reminds me of “my fanny” – but with Welsh heritage it could be a cool choice. It is more interesting than the Gwen-based and Wyn/wen-based names.